James Franklin held his weekly press conference at Beaver Stadium on Monday, the first time since 2021 that it came after back-to-back losses. The conversation was grim and you can read it word-for-word HERE or follow below for selected highlights of what he had to say following the loss to UCLA.
Opening Statement
It was short and notable that it lacked any conversation of Penn State’s upcoming game against Northwestern, aside from saying that it was necessary for the Lions to win a game on try to get
on a positive roll. Overall, Franklin said the team did not playing winning football on Saturday and that there were some uncharacteristic things that stopped the Lions.
Linebacker Conversation
Franklin was asked about the linebacker play without Tony Rojas and how new guys need to get implemented in those spots. He noted that the group was one that already lacked depth and that young guys were going to have to rotate in and play with more confidence.
On Kaytron
Kaytron Allen got fewer carries than Nicholas Singleton and was notably not in the game on the final real possession with a chance to tie the game at 42-42. Franklin said that Kaytron is having a good year and has been productive and that it was a fair question (and one that his staff has discussed) as to why he did not get more touches on Saturday.
What’s going on?
A long question that more or less could be boiled down to WTF is going on with this team that had such expectations and hasn’t played well? Franklin talked about the inconsistencies and that the defense wasn’t playing as fast and as aggressive as he’d like. He said that special teams has done some good things, but that his whole team needs to tune out noise and be more consistent moving forward.
On the Offensive Line
A similar question about the offensive line and Franklin said they also are not playing as fast and as aggressive as he would like. He noted that there has been an injury to Anthony Donkoh, but that the group hasn’t played well on a down-by-down basis.
Losing the Locker Room?
Franklin said he group is resilient and that both losses have been games that Penn State could have won. He said, however, there is hurt and frustration in the locker room, but that his leaders have been through adversity.
Starts with Me
Franklin said that two disappointing games are not going to overshadow the growth of Penn State football in the 12 years that he’s been in charge. However, he did say that the reality is that the past two weeks have simply not been good enough. Franklin said it all starts with him since he recruited the players, hired the staff, etc.
End of Half Struggles
Franklin got a little defensive when asked about not using his timeouts at the end of the half, while also allowing UCLA time to kick a field goal. He said that you can’t make both arguments at once, alluding to the idea that his team would have used the timeouts if they had converted for a first down in those closing seconds of the half. He also said that the team should have had players ready to rush the punter who was taking the safety at the end of the game.
Not Productive Enough
Franklin said simply the offense had been hindered by slow starts and hasn’t been productive enough. He did point out that on Saturday the offense only had three first-half possessions and scored easily on one of them. He said the offensive performance and efficiency that Penn State showed in the second half is more what he things he team is capable of doing.
Staff Changes?
Franklin said everything started with him in promoting a place where athletes and coaches can be successful, before acknowledging that results do matter. He said that starts by moving forward with the Northwestern game. So, no?
Running Back Rotation
Another question, this one specific, about who decides which back gets more carries: the answer is that the staff discusses rotations each week. Franklin said that the staff agreed that Allen needed more touches.
Moving Forward
Franklin said his staff needed to stick together and not point fingers. He said everyone is taking ownership and trying to remain positive. He did note that the defense didn’t execute their fundamentals well enough on Saturday.
Needs to Do Better
A direct question about what James needed to do better and the answer was find a way to beat Northwestern. More specifically, he said that fixing the fundamentals and studying the things that need corrected are important.
Believing in Penn State
Franklin said he still has confidence in himself and the players/staff at Penn State to improve, starting with giving a motivated effort against Northwestern on Saturday. He followed up with another answer saying that Penn State needed to tune out the noise.
Defensive Letdown
Asked about if he was surprised with the defensive performance on Saturday, Franklin said he was surprised with where his defense was at right now – though he followed up by saying he’s surprised that all three phases are where they are right now.
On Northwestern
Franklin was asked why there was no Northwestern scouting report. He ultimately gave one, the typical stuff about guys who stand out and background of coaches. But, it was notable that Franklin was still clearly focused on the UCLA loss.
Obviously Count: 25
