{"id":66925,"date":"2024-08-21T12:04:35","date_gmt":"2024-08-21T17:04:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/?p=66925"},"modified":"2024-08-21T12:04:35","modified_gmt":"2024-08-21T17:04:35","slug":"everything-penn-state-coach-james-franklin-said-following-the-lions-latest-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/everything-penn-state-coach-james-franklin-said-following-the-lions-latest-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything Penn State coach James Franklin said following the Lions\u2019 latest practice"},"content":{"rendered":"

James Franklin<\/a><\/strong> met with reporters for the final time during preseason camp on Thursday night. The Penn State head coach spoke<\/a> for nearly 15 minutes on a variety of topics as the Nittany Lions sit less than 10 days away from their opener at West Virginia<\/a><\/strong>. The first topic he covered concerned the move of redshirt freshman defender DaKaari Nelson from safety to linebacker, which Blue-White Illustrated first reported on Sunday<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think with a lot of these guys, we recruit them and bring them here based on kind of what position they played in high school, but right away he was 220 pounds and fighting it,\u201d Franklin said. \u201cObviously, we need a little bit more depth at linebacker, and you\u2019re looking at creative ways to solve problems,\u201d Franklin continued. \u201cWe had a conversation with him. He was open to it. It\u2019s really been good for him and us. He\u2019s playing physical right now, showing up a lot in practice, making plays. I think he\u2019s excited about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s never done it before. You\u2019re kind of unsure. But I think it\u2019s genetics, we\u2019re kind of telling them [a position switch could happen one day]. And then an opportunity presented itself, and he\u2019s moved there. So far, so good. He\u2019s done some really nice things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read on to find out what else Franklin told the media on Aug. 20. You can also watch his comments in the embedded video player above or by visiting our YouTube channel here<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n

On the progress of the Penn State receivers<\/h2>\n

\u201cI think Trey [Wallace]<\/a><\/strong> and Liam [Clifford]<\/a><\/strong> have had really, really good camps,\u201d Franklin said. \u201cI think there\u2019s a lot of excitement within our program, and I think they\u2019ve earned a lot of respect. They really worked their tails off since the end of last season, mentally, physically, and have been very consistent. They\u2019ve always shown flashes at times. But this camp, they\u2019ve been really, really consistent. So we have a ton of confidence in them. I think they\u2019re going to have big years for us. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s other guys as well that have had good camps. But those two guys definitely, I think, have been very, very consistent in terms of making plays, in terms of their assignments, in terms of their responsibility. I think Omari [Evans]<\/a><\/strong> and Julian Fleming<\/a><\/strong> have been really good as well. But I think those two have really, really done a nice job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Have the Nittany Lions accomplished all that they wanted to during camp?<\/h2>\n

\u201cThere comes a point where you just need to play somebody,\u201d Franklin said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to really determine. You see good things on tape, you have some concerns, some areas that you need to work on. But you\u2019re going against the same people every single day. So it\u2019s hard to really judge until you play somebody else. But in terms of where we\u2019re at, and in terms of improvement, I\u2019m comfortable with where we\u2019re at. I think there\u2019s some areas that we\u2019ve taken some significant steps in. I think it\u2019s much more competitive right now between the offense and the defense. And I think all three coordinators have done a phenomenal job, as well as some of the new players. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo I think we\u2019re in a good place. I don\u2019t know if there\u2019s kind of an area that I would say right now that is overly concerning. It\u2019s more hard to determine until you play somebody else. It\u2019s hard to totally evaluate your roster until you play somebody else.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the battle between Cam Wallace and Quinton Martin Jr., to be RB3<\/h2>\n

And I think Corey [Smith]<\/a><\/strong> has worked his way into that discussion. I think Corey has done some really good things. I would say Cam Wallace<\/a><\/strong>, right now, is probably in the lead. But I think there\u2019s a battle between all three of them, and I think both Quinton and Corey will play this year. We\u2019ll see how this whole thing plays out. But I\u2019d say if we were playing tomorrow, Cam Wallace would probably be our third back.<\/p>\n

On second-year Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas<\/h2>\n

\u201cYou guys have seen just physically, the transformation he\u2019s made,\u201d Franklin said. \u201cHe\u2019s so much bigger and stronger. It\u2019s year two. He\u2019s got a ton more of experience. So, he\u2019s confident. It was interesting. I had my first year meeting that I have once a week with these guys to check in with them, and I had some guys like Tony come and talk to him. What do you know now that you wish you knew a year he wished you knew a year ago? I just think he\u2019s very comfortable. He\u2019s very confident in the defensive scheme and his responsibilities in his role, and then physically, he\u2019s done a really good job of changing his body, and not in a way; sometimes they put on too much weight, and it affects your speed and quickness, and that\u2019s not the case with him. <\/p>\n

\u201cHis numbers are as good or better, and he\u2019s put on significant weight. You have to remember he was 195 pounds when we signed him out of high school. I would say that\u2019s probably more the model. A lot of times, these high school linebackers are really any position they think they have to be bigger than what they really need to be. Sometimes we\u2019ll have them get here lean and let us put the right weight on them. I think Tony\u2019s a great example of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

On redshirt freshman offensive tackle J\u2019ven Williams<\/h2>\n

\u201cWe try to create as much position flexibility with the offensive linemen as we possibly can, to be able to solve problems, but also to be able to look at guys at different spots,\u201d Franklin said. \u201cSome guys, you\u2019re surprised. You put them at tackle, and they\u2019re comfortable in space. [Anthony] Donkoh<\/a><\/strong>, in high school, never played tackle. Really, for most of his freshman year, hadn\u2019t played tackle. We move him there in one on ones one day in practice, he does a really good job at it, and takes off from there. J\u2019ven, we kind of moved into guard. You\u2019re not sure how he\u2019s going to handle that, and sometimes, the lack of space makes them more comfortable. He\u2019s shown signs that I think he can do both. So for us, we\u2019re just trying to create as much position flexibility. I think we have more answers right now inside. We want to make sure we have enough answers outside. So, JB [Nelson<\/a><\/strong> is] getting some more reps at tackle, which we think he can do that, has been valuable, too.<\/p>\n

On quarterback Drew Allar\u2019s growth in his second camp to become a captain<\/h2>\n

\u201cDrew\u2019s done everything right since the season ended,\u201d Franklin said. \u201cI feel like him and Beau [Pribula] have taken significant steps. And I think that vote is very, very telling. I think that vote is telling about how his teammates see him. And he\u2019s done everything right since the end of last season. I think Beau and Drew have really separated themselves and really done a nice job. I think over the last two weeks, those guys have really, really improved. And we\u2019re very excited about [freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer<\/a><\/strong>] as well.<\/p>\n

What is the Penn State schedule leading into West Virginia?<\/h2>\n

\u201cSo this is our last day, offically of camp [on Aug. 20]. We\u2019ll transition into West Virginia tomorrow. We\u2019ve started to kind of cut back the time at practice and some of the reps, because it\u2019s been a tough, physical camp, to make sure that when we come to West Virginia week, that our guys feel really good. Sometimes that becomes challenging because you got some bumps and bruises. So it just reduces the numbers. But we will switch to West Virginia. We will go to scout teams, starting tomorrow with [Aug. 21] morning\u2019s walk-through with [developmental] squads. And then tomorrow\u2019s practice will be West Virginia, what we call kind of a bonus Wednesday practice. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll have no sweat Thursday, and then Friday will be our fast Friday rehearsal. And then Saturday, we\u2019ll have a developmental squad scrimmage in the stadium with West Virginia looks, with the coaches in the booth, the whole thing. So very similar to what we\u2019ve done in the past. And then we\u2019ll get into, I think Saturday, we practice early in the morning, because I wanted the guys to have the whole day off to watch college football and go from there. And then we\u2019ll get into our normal game week.\u201d<\/p>\n

How is second-year linebacker Ta\u2019Mere Robinson doing?<\/h2>\n

Really good. He got sick for a couple days and missed a couple days of practice, lost a few pounds. But overall, I would say we\u2019re very, very pleased with where he is. I think he\u2019ll have a significant role on special teams, and I think he\u2019ll have a much more expanded role on defense. I also could see him be one of those guys that plays a good amount early in the season, and by the midpoint of seasons, playing a lot for us.<\/p>\n

On Drew Allar, the person, growing in year two<\/h2>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s anything I\u2019m going to say that is like, you know, dramatic,\u201d Franklin said. \u201cHe\u2019s really done everything right. He\u2019s always been a really good preparation guy in terms of being in the building, studying the installs, watching a ton of tape, asking great questions. Him and Beau are really good like that. So it\u2019s not like it\u2019s one thing. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you keep punching the clock and keep doing the right things, you get better and you gain confidence, you gain experience, the game starts to slow down for you. And I think it\u2019s all of that. I think it\u2019s his work in the offseason. He\u2019s changed his body. He\u2019s lost about 10 pounds. I think he\u2019s running better and moving better. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo it\u2019s just kind of total development in every area. He\u2019s just gotten a little bit better with the way he works, the way he prepares and the way he trains. And was voted by his peers, as well as all the coaches and the staff, as a captain, because of how we all see he handles his business. Total respect within our program.\u201d<\/p>\n

On if any green\/yellow\/red light decisions have been made for the freshmen<\/h2>\n

\u201d I think for the most part, the conversations between the players and their position coaches, they have a pretty good idea of where they were,\u201d Franklin said. \u201cI do think it\u2019s changed. The four games [or less to preserve a year of eligibility] changes things. You\u2019re talking about the possibility of playing nine games [if you play five postseason games plus the four regular season games] this year and still redshirt. That\u2019s dramatic. So you can be strategic. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll give you a perfect example. You use Quinton Martin Jr. and Corey Smith really as like, one person. You play one guy in one game, you play another guy in another game. And, you kind of spread that out throughout the season. Those guys are able to play in four games each, and then all of the postseason, and save their eligibility. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think some of them would like to say I\u2019m a green light from an ego standpoint. But until we\u2019re forced to make that decision, why not maximize the four games? And then once the decision\u2019s been forced by a bump or a bruise or a helmet breaks and somebody\u2019s got to go in, let\u2019s be strategic as we possibly can. Where are they going to be most valuable for Penn State in their careers, and where are they going to be most valuable for themselves as well?<\/p>\n

The post Everything Penn State coach James Franklin said following the Lions\u2019 latest practice<\/a> appeared first on On3<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

James Franklin met with reporters for the final time during preseason camp on Thursday night….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66925","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66925"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66925\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66944,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66925\/revisions\/66944"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}