Penn State coach James Franklin talks Nolan Rucci, attending the NFL Draft, and more: Everything he said

Penn State coach James Franklin held his penultimate news conference of spring ball on Wednesday night. The 12th-year leader of the Nittany Lions was speaking after practice No. 13. It was the first one reporters saw right tackle Nolan Rucci at. He was the first player asked about afterward.

“He doesn’t really have anything significant [injury wise],” Franklin said. “He’s just had something that’s been nagging for a while. Obviously, we would have loved to have him for spring ball. But that hasn’t happened. It’s going to be really important that he has a real strong summer. But he was able to get some individual work today.

“You hate to see those guys miss the reps, but it is a blessing in disguise for the other guys that got a ton of reps in practice, J’ven [Wiliams] and [Owen] Aliciene and those types of guys. But we would love to have him.”

The next question also focused on an injured Lion who is somewhat back to action: Running back Cam Wallace.

“In a good position now,” Franklin said. “He was able to do some individual today, and the last practice, as well. With a significant injury like he had, there’s a physical component to it, there’s a mental component to it, and there’s an emotional component to it. So I think he’s in a good place.

“There’s some types of injuries that the doctors are going to push you, because you got to work through it. And there’s others that you can’t. That was one of those. So I think he’s going to be in really good position for summer camp. And he’s right about where he should be at this stage.”

Watch the video of and read everything else Franklin had to say below.

On how Penn State decides when it wants to bring two quarterbacks in one recruiting clas

“I think we’ve done it multiple times here,” Franklin said. “I think number one, you’d like those guys to have different skill sets. That plays a factor into it. At the end of the day, we want to make sure that we have as much competition at every position as we possibly can. And I think we’ve all seen kind of what’s going on in college football with the transfer portal, that we want to be aggressive at that position. But I will also say this, that we don’t do anything without communicating ahead of time, because we got a ton of respect, not only for our program and how we have to run it, but also the decisions people have and the decisions they’ve made. So we’re just very up front and honest and transparent, and wouldn’t make any of those decisions unless people are comfortable.”

On attending the 2025 NFL Draft

“I think we had two guys drafted in the first round [last year],” Franklin said. “I think [we were] only six programs in the country that two guys draft in the first round. We’ll have two guys drafted, most likely again in the first round. So that list will shrink. Myself, Deion [Barnes], Ty Howle, Ty’s wife, a few of the minternal media, we’re going to fly down and have lunch with Tyler [Warren] and his grandparents and his parents and his entire family during the day. Because, there’s no way to be with both of them at the same time. And then Ty will stay there, and Karen will stay there, and celebrate with Tyler Warren. And then they’ll rent a car and drive back.

“We’ll fly out to Green Bay and celebrate with Abdul [Carter] and then, soon as that happens, jump on the plane and fly back. Because we got things we got to get done. And then obviously, I also want to make sure that I’m calling and I’m in touch with all the other guys, because I’d love to be at all of theirs, right? All of them are having draft parties, and just can’t make it to all of them. So we’ll be in touch with all those guys as well, make sure we’re communicating.”

Which young Penn State players have stepped up on defense with extra reps?

“It’s similar to what we talked about with Rucci and other guys getting reps,” Franklin sid. “It’s the same thing on the defensive side of the ball with Dani [Dennis-Sutton] missing time this spring. It’s allowed a bunch of defensive ends to get a ton of reps. You could say that at a number of positions. For us, the way we practice, the way we install, we do two groups on defense. We do three groups at times on offense. So everybody’s getting reps. Same thing like today, we’re doing the ones, we’re doing the twos, and we’re also doing the threes and fours, which not a lot of people do that.

“We do the same thing during training camp. So those reps are valuable for us to evaluate, for the players to have an opportunity to grow and get better, for all of it. A lot of decisions are going to have to be made here in the future, so those reps are critical.”

What will the Blue-White game format be?

“It’ll be very similar to what it’s been in the past,” Franklin said. “We do an autograph session this year. We will start with two skellies, then the first quarter we’ll go thud so everybody can get reps. Then we’ll transition second quarter, third quarter, fourth quarter will be live, so we can evaluate those guys in the stadium. Kicking will be on air like it’s been in the past. I think each quarter is maybe a minute shorter than it’s been that you guys are used to. And then it won’t be on TV. That was one of the things I was adamant about with the changes that we’re making. But it’ll be very similar to what we’ve done in the past.”

Have any of the Penn State January enrollees impressed so far?

“Especially the guys that were here during the playoffs and things like that,” Franklin said. “I hate doing this, because if I say somebody, and then I know I’ll walk up in my office and I wish I had talked about this guy.

“Owen Aliciene and Michael Troutman, the two linemen, have been really impressive. I think Daryus Dixson has been very impressive. I think Tikey [Hayes] has flashed and been impressive. Right now, he doesn’t look like it, but he’s gained a few pounds. He still looks like he’s about 137 pounds. But Lyrick [Samuel] is starting to flash right now. You wouldn’t think he’s 185 pounds. Again, he does not look like it. Randy Adirika, he’s been a real pleasant surprise. So there’s really a bunch of them that I could say. Koby Howard. A lot of guys are talking about Kobe Howard, he’s flashing. Really, a bunch of them.

“I kind of had a meeting with those guys today about special teams, playing on special teams as true freshmen, if that’s their primary role, things like that. Who would be interested in doing it? So you got time to figure it out, but it’s worthwhile. We don’t push anybody to graduate early and come in here early, but the guys that want to do it, it’s valuable. Academically, it’s valuable, football-wise, it’s valuable.”

On freshman running back Tikey Hayes

“He’s just very driven,” Franklin said. “He’s very motivated. Aliquippa is a hell of a program. And what we have found is, when you can get good players from really good programs, they’re just much further ahead. Super competitive. He’s tough. This isn’t too big for him. So just a lot of things to like about him. A lot of things to like about him that has showed up already.”

How creative can Andy Kotelnicki be with the depth Penn State has at running back?

“Very,” Franklin said. “We want to be able to use multiple backs on the field. That’ll be part of the conversation. The wide receivers aren’t just competing with the wide receivers. The tight ends aren’t just competing with the tight ends. The wide receivers are competing with the tight ends. So the third wide receiver is competing with the second tight end. The third wide receiver is competing with the second running back. The second tight end is competing with the second running back in terms of who’s going to be on the field.

“And obviously we’ll do a little bit of all those things. But at the end of the day, we got to get our best players on the field. So the more that we can use our running backs in different ways, like receivers, helps with that. It’s been a big part of what we’ve done this spring. It’ll need to be a big part of what we do during training camp as well.”

On redshirt freshman receiver Peter Gonzalez

“All he’s done is individual,” Franklin said. “It’s great. It’s just, it’s hard for me to say a whole lot about a guy who’s just done individual. He hasn’t been able to be cleared for anything else. I haven’t seen him in a one-on-one. I haven’t seen him in a seven-on-seven. So it’s hard to say. He’s a beautiful kid. He’s big and strong.

“Obviously, ran really well before the injury. He’s a very mature kid. He’s a very intelligent kid. But we just haven’t had a chance to see him. He got hurt pretty early on during the season last year, and then hasn’t been cleared yet this spring. So it’s just hard for me to speak on a whole lot of that stuff, rather than kind of the intangible traits that he has.”

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