Everything Penn State coach James Franklin said after Wednesday’s practice

Penn State coach James Franklin He held his second press conference for the Delaware week on Wednesday night. The Nittany Lions are scheduled to host the Blue Hens for the first time in program history at Beaver Stadium on Saturday at noon. The Lions’ tenth-year leader spoke to reporters for the first time since the beating West Virginia 38-15 on Tuesday. Then he was behind the microphone after rehearsal. Here’s all he had to say.

Penn State first-year receiver Malik McClain

James Franklin: “He was a really great addition physically, he was a really great addition culturally. He got here a few days late after term started. It was like a scramble. He’s been doing very well academically,[and]continues to do very well academically.” He always has a big smile on his face,[and]helps out on special teams. He helps out on offense. We recruited him right out of high school, so that was really a relationship. We had a really good relationship with his coaches in high school as well. He was Great. He’s one of the most popular guys on the team. Everyone loves him. He was a perfect fit for our show and we’re so glad we got him. Originally from IMG. Him and Caytron, KJ Hammler; we’ve got some good guys in there.

On the Lions’ use of their tight ends in Week 1 and how Theo Johnson and the whole group have improved in their running game

dry: “I think you guys heard me talk about it. We’ve got real tight ends here. And that doesn’t knock on anyone else’s. But I just think we have very tight ends that can block you and can hurt you in the passing game. I think Brenton Strange is a really good example.” On that.Why was he recruited so highly?Because he can bring so much value.Special teams, offensively as a receiver, offensively as a blocker.It’s hard to find these guys nowadays.We did a good job recruiting these guys.We did a good job. in developing these guys.

“Because a lot of them, I wouldn’t say, necessarily did that in high school. So yeah, it’s hard to say that tight ends aren’t going to be a factor in the game, because there are so many different ways that we use them. But we’d like it to be more A bit of balance.”

Did Liam Clifford win the third receiver job for Penn State?

dry: “As I’ve been talking about for a while, we have a couple of guys who have sort of established themselves, and then we have a number of guys that we feel good about. Liam (Clifford) He is one of those guys. clearly Malik (McLean) He is one of those guys. There are a number of players competing and the competition will continue to be weekly.

On the questionable status of last week’s recipient, Omari Evans

dry: “It’s too early to say on the week, but he trained today and is training well, so we’ll see.”

Walking center Dominic Rowley played late in the game for West Virginia and deepened the team’s center

dry: “Rollie’s been really good to us. We’ve been really happy with him. He’s hardworking, (and) he keeps getting bigger and stronger. Clearly Nick (Dawkins) He’s a man who almost became a leader, and he’s highly respected in our show. But we’ve got some bumps and bruises, and we’ve got some people struggling with that, and there’s some flu that’s going through us, or some illnesses that are circulating on campus, and we’re dealing with it a little bit now. but good. Vega (John) He’s another guy who plays in midfield for us and he can do that too. I can’t say it’s a traditional £350 center, but it has the potential to do so.

About linebacker Abdul Carter, who is facing a misdemeanor charge

dry: “You know, we don’t talk about this stuff publicly. It’s obviously being handled and dealt with internally. This is new to you guys. It’s not new to us, as you can imagine.”

On his praise for Penn State dating Caytron Allen at Tuesday’s press conference

dry: “Yeah, I think in general, I just think there are people in our squad that our coaching staff have a lot of respect for and when we talk to football fans the coach (Al) came here this summer and spent a few days with us, he was interested in Katron and the guys like Katron is on our show. When we talk to NFL scouts. I hope from our fan base, from our media, that he’s as appreciated externally as he is internally by his teammates and coaching staff.

for the praise Drew Allar received after it First start in Pennsylvania

dry: “Yeah, I think the players got to see him last year and then a little bit in training. So you will be able to see it more widely now and form your opinions. We felt that way for a while that he was given the chance to play well for us, to be the midfielder that people would be excited about, that his team-mates would believe in. And in fact, that room in general, I think you also get a chance to see it looks different, but Bo has a chance to be a talented midfielder as well for us.

“So, I think that’s a good thing, it’s necessary, and the thing that promises me is that there are some players who are very talented, but they don’t work that way. They don’t live it the way he does. So, for me, until he keeps doing that game after game. And stack days, it’s still a bit unproven.But, it’s a relief for me as a head coach, with an offensive background, to watch him and his habits and how he handles them, and I feel he has a chance to play at a high level on a consistent basis.

“We have seen it; I showed a movie to the team today before we went out and it was talking about guys like Tom Brady and guys like Michael Jordan and LeBron, who not only had successful careers, but did it for 10 to 20+ years, Tiger Woods, how hard it is to do that. So it’s a great message about consistency. And I think that’s what we’re all trying to do in college football is, how do you teach young men and college players and college teams how to practice and play at a consistent level. This is the challenge we face now. We are training well. We are training like a really good football team. Are we yet to train and display the habits and behaviors of a great or elite team? This is a challenge for me, the coaching staff and the leaders.

On whether he will interact with the former Lions before Week 1 in the NFL

dry: “No, I’m so busy. They’re so busy. It was great to have all these guys come to the game on Saturday. I could just see Amani (Uruwari) and Sakon, they literally came out in line to shake hands for the recruits. I was like, you know, do Spent a few more years with you?But usually they go to my wife’s backdoor, but my wife was under the weather and didn’t have a backdoor like she usually does.That’s usually how we would communicate with a bunch of these people.But I can’t interact with them one bit.In A lot of times, I get a text saying, “Hey, I’m coming to town,” and then I put them up with who they need to contact for tickets and all that stuff.

Micah (Parsons) actually spoke to the team on Friday night. He couldn’t do his share that most veterans have to do before they leave because the season was canceled in his third year, as most of you guys know. He did his wicket on the Friday night before the game, and it was really great to hear our players’ perspective, not just now, but looking at his career, what he values ​​now, and what he sees now that maybe I haven’t seen at the time.”

At starting guard JB Nelson

dry: “He’s very physical. He’s a physical, physical presence. He tries to finish people, he’s really able to move. He’s strong. He’s 330 pounds. He plays with the attitude and the bad attitude we need. Normally here at Penn State, especially up front, we have a bunch of good kids.” Really, it’s hard to find those kids who can flip a switch and turn on the bad streak when you need them to.

Ali Malik McLaina as the leader in the parlor

dry: “I think it’s hard to say you’re going to be a leader from day one when you don’t have the relationships. But he built those relationships, and earned the respect of the room through his actions, his attitude, and his work ethic.