James Franklin Weekly Press Conference Notes: Indiana Week

Opening Statement

• Great win, great team win over Iowa. Thanks fans for team and environment. Energy from hotel to drop-off point during entire bus ride.
• Praises offense against stout Iowa defense
• Offense has protected the football well
• Congratulates Troy Apke on first career INT
• Started fast offensively, have emphasized that in recent weeks
• Creating a lot of explosive plays
• Defensively, stopped run. Held Iowa to 1.2 yards-per-carry
• Lots of maturity and physicality in front seven
• Won field position battle, praised special teams
• Saquon Barkley, Defensive Line Unit and Kickoff Team were players of the week by staff
• Congratulated Connor McGovern for winning B1G Freshman of the Week
• Playing Indiana this week (Indiana...Indiana)
• Tightly contest games of late with them
• Praises Indiana HC Kevin Wilson as an offensive mind
• Defense is much improved under new DC Tom Allen
• Asks fans to travel well and fill away stadium with white

Questions

• On Paris Palmer’s journey from high school to Penn State: Really neat guy. Able to get involved with his recruitment and the coaching staff at Lackawanna. Talks about “home visit” at a Texas Roadhouse where Palmer wrote out his commitment on his phone, which was “so well written, and so mature.” Very proud of him.
• On Tommy Stevens: Real rushing threat. Will have a lot of friends and family in attending against Indiana in home state. Didn’t discuss potential package involving him more on offense.
• On team coming together: You get to know your group very well, but sometimes you don’t branch out as much. So the locker room is broken up by positions and class to mix guys up and getting them to interact with each other. Does a share session where players, coaches and administrators share something about their lives with the rest of the team.
• On Right Tackle situation: Ended last week with Palmer and Chasz Wright, doesn’t have more information at this time. Working on some other variables regarding who goes into the game when if they face things such as minor injuries, uniform issues in order to avoid burning a redshirt for one play.
• On Punt Returner: Still working that out. Staff feels good about John Reid, DeAndre Thompkins and Gregg Garrity. Wants to get someone back there who can be like Saquon Barkley where the crowd is on the edge of their seat when the returner touches the ball. Limiting Reid’s returns because of how much he’s playing on defense.
• On personal satisfaction over quieting critics: Indiana x15.
• On football’s effect on the community: Electricity in the town. Can feel it around the faculty, the board, the student-athletes etc. But Franklin’s focus is on his team and preparing them for the upcoming game with Indiana. Says football and THON allow community members to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
• On personal foul calls on Cabinda against Iowa: I don’t like them, but you put them into categories. There are focus penalties that are avoidable that drive you crazy. There’s another category that are aggressive penalties. The ones against Cabinda are aggressive penalties that could or could not be called. It’s a hard deal for players to keep from making a mistake with the penalty of making a mistake by missing a tackle if the quarterback stays in bounds.
• On media training for younger players: Will give them cameras, different questions, rephrasing of the same question to try to make young players comfortable with media. Show players dining etiquette should they be out at a banquet, nice dinner etc...
• On Saquon Barkley limiting negative plays: Improvement is coming from the offensive line. Older, more mature, better fundamentals and technique and now have depth. Ability for McSorley to keep the ball helps open up plays as well.
• On receiving balance: Depth showing and a number of guys who can get in and make plays. Want to keep guys fresh and healthy throughout the games and throughout the season. Keeps defense from keying on particular players.
• On controlling Indiana passing game: Need to stop the deep ball and chunk plays. Hoosiers want to get the ball out quick, have to try to avoid that.
• On Chasz Wright: Started to be some signs in Spring. Had a really good summer. He passed the conditioning test the first time at 6’7, 335 pounds. Has a lot of positional flexibility. Has built on his performances each week.
• On Saquon Barkley high step: Fine line because it is a game. Wants players to have fun and enjoy it with one another. Just have to be careful you don’t go too far and not show good sportsmanship. Need to avoid being flagged at the 2-yard line and having the touchdown called back.
• On Mahon and Nelson injuries: Can’t comment on Mahon. Nelson has done a great job and tried to carve out a role on the team without being able to play. Has helped coach up younger guys.