James Franklin details what Penn State football wants to accomplish in summer

The offseason is all about getting better. The goal is to develop your team individually so that, come the fall, you have some great pieces to put together in order to construct a contender. That’s exactly what’s going on at Penn State right now according to James Franklin.

Franklin talked about the summer plans for the Nittany Lions in a one-on-one interview with ABC27’s Allie Berube. He said that, at the moment, his players are focused on their summer school work as well as some player-led workouts in the gym and on the field.

“Guys have classes right now in the summer. Not a full load. They’re working out, whether it’s lifting or running. They’re doing some individual work on their own,” Franklin said. “It’s a lot of player-led stuff right now.”

Each player is locking in on their own development in order to make Penn State’s depth chart in 2023. Still, Franklin says nothing about this summer is going to guarantee anything to anyone. In his eyes, all this period should be about for his players is to grow in a way that will best help them to compete for their roster spot once they really start ramping up to the season.

“I wouldn’t necessarily solidify,” said Franklin. “They’re working now to give themself a base, both mentally and physically, to have a chance to legitimately compete during training camp. That’s what they’re doing now.”

As Franklin enters his 10th season in Happy Valley, Penn State wants to finally break through to that upper echelon. In his decade at the helm, they’ve posted four 11-win seasons and one nine-win season yet have appeared in only one Big Ten Championship, which they won in 2016, and gone just .500 in their bowl game appearances.

Still, in order to be in the conversation by the end of the season, their path in order to do so starts now as the summer period really gets rolling for the Nittany Lions.

Franklin details what Penn State must accomplish to make College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff is a mirage to Penn State. The compelling vision consistently seems so close, only to suddenly disappear. Penn State head coach James Franklin recently discussed what the Nittany Lions need to make this vision a reality.

“We’ve been a part of those conversations really for probably the better part of the last seven years. We’ve been right on the cusp (of the CFP),” Franklin said in a recent interview with Allie Berube. “When you’re able to become a part of those conversations on a consistent basis, then you’re going to have a year where the stars align and things go well.”

Franklin believes this season could be the sought-after year. The Nittany Lions finished last season at No. 7 in the nation. Franklin and Co. proved worthy of their position in a convincing 35-21 victory over No. 10 Utah in the Rose Bowl.

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