Summarized questions and answers from James Franklin's teleconference with the media that wrapped up just moments ago. If anything isn't clear, please ask and I'll attempt to clarify as best as I can. Again, these are paraphrased, much like the radio show recaps I do.
Having conversation with players that are going to play or not play:
That’s obviously not a conversation you have. If a guy has a plan like that, he assumes they would have come and talked to them about that and would have already done it. It’s not something that they bring up to the players.
The schedule:
Typically, they like to get out there and do a full week of practice and prep out there. With the West Coast game, likes to go one extra day early to adjust to the time change. When you look at Penn State history, they used to go for two weeks. One week to relax and enjoy the area and then another to practice. Had never heard of that in his coaching career. Will do it with the week, plus one because of the West Coast game. You can’t wait until finding out to do that planning, so they do all of that planning in the summer.
Player understanding of Miami in Fiesta in ’87:
With this new generation of kids, they go back to about their ninth grade. There’s a tremendous history with the Fiesta Bowl, but at the end of the day it’s about 2017 Penn State vs. 2017 Washington. They’re getting better every year, has a great bunch of players and seniors that will be together for one more year. Looking forward to going out and playing. Just focused on what they see on tape.
Ricky Rahne playcalling:
He’s the offensive coordinator, so he’ll be calling the plays. Ricky is a rising star in the profession. They’ve been together for a long time. Knows him and his family personally. Knows him professionally and how passionate he is about this game. He’s recruited every QB on the roster right now. That was a big part of it, his relationship with the QBs, and can build on their exciting style of football on that side of the ball. What’s great about Ricky is his comfort in his own skin. They’ll keep the offense the same, but wants Ricky to run with it. Have had conversations to make sure they’re on the same page. They’re excited together, as well as the rest of the staff.
Continuity of staff:
It’s really important. Relationships are critical. Has a core group of guys he’s been with a long time. Trying to build it, not unlike Petersen in Washington. There’s always the sexy hire people get excited about from School X or Z, but at the end of the day you have to make the best choice for Penn State. When you hire outside, they’ll want to run their own offense or defense. His preference is to hire from within to build on the schemes they have that work. It’s about relationships. If he can hire a great coach that has been part of the organization, both for good and bad times, he’ll do that. Phil Galiano has done a great job over the last year. He’s from PA. All that is valuable. He’s got a lot of experience in NFL. Bringing back Bowen, who was a player for him, gained experience and is coming back, there’s value in that. Those are really important. Wants to build on what they’re doing here.
New roles for staff, and value in bowl prep:
There will be adjustments and feeling things out. Discussing today, will Ricky go from the booth to the sideline? Joe did it from the sideline, but that’s because he was comfortable with that from his head coaching. The players like the OC on sideline. There’s still some things to iron out. There’s still adjustments to be had, so it’s nice to have that extra time to work out some of the kinks.
Player reactions to Ricky:
That’s a big reason he did it, to be honest. You go out and hire someone new and you’re starting all over. Ricky recruited all those quarterbacks. So not sure if it’s fair to Trace to change the offense and start all over again. Same for Tommy and the young guys. Big thing was those relationships, and the rest of the team and what they’re doing right now.
Depth and quality of the conference, and how that prepares for Washington:
Can make argument their side of the conference is one of the best, if not the best, in college football. People forget the conference changed. East and West vs. Legends and Leaders. It’s a different conference from six or seven years ago. It’s a very challenging, difficult conference. It’s a tremendous opponent and opportunity.
Running back coaching duties/Fiesta Bowl finding out:
With the playoffs and waiting for that to come, you really have no idea. They had practice, came off the field with the players, things were buzzing on his phone, people congratulating for the Fiesta and that’s how he found out. There’s no sense worrying about Cotton or Fiesta because it’s out of your control. Thought it would be Cotton, Peach, or Fiesta or one of those types of games.
Rose Bowl experience helping:
It helps. No doubt about it. There’s challenges being an East Coast team going across the country. Will be great for players to see a different part of the country and play a team they don’t have a lot of experience with. It’s really about the teams that go on the field this year, making sure they’re prepared and execute.
Running backs coach:
At this point, one of the GAs is going to coach the running backs. And then when it’s the 10th coach Jan. 8, will hopefully have someone ready before that, but that’s when it can be official. Wanted to get back whole as fast as possible, and then bring in 10th when that’s possible.
Saquon Barkley Heisman contention:
Has not studied the field. He’s the best player he’s ever been around. Great player, great person, impacts the game on offense and special teams. Everyone he talks to at the next level says he’s one of the best running back prospects they’ve seen in a very long time. Hasn’t studied Heisman hopefuls or knows who they are. But, for himself, can’t imagine there’s a better, more dynamic player in the country.
Having conversation with players that are going to play or not play:
That’s obviously not a conversation you have. If a guy has a plan like that, he assumes they would have come and talked to them about that and would have already done it. It’s not something that they bring up to the players.
The schedule:
Typically, they like to get out there and do a full week of practice and prep out there. With the West Coast game, likes to go one extra day early to adjust to the time change. When you look at Penn State history, they used to go for two weeks. One week to relax and enjoy the area and then another to practice. Had never heard of that in his coaching career. Will do it with the week, plus one because of the West Coast game. You can’t wait until finding out to do that planning, so they do all of that planning in the summer.
Player understanding of Miami in Fiesta in ’87:
With this new generation of kids, they go back to about their ninth grade. There’s a tremendous history with the Fiesta Bowl, but at the end of the day it’s about 2017 Penn State vs. 2017 Washington. They’re getting better every year, has a great bunch of players and seniors that will be together for one more year. Looking forward to going out and playing. Just focused on what they see on tape.
Ricky Rahne playcalling:
He’s the offensive coordinator, so he’ll be calling the plays. Ricky is a rising star in the profession. They’ve been together for a long time. Knows him and his family personally. Knows him professionally and how passionate he is about this game. He’s recruited every QB on the roster right now. That was a big part of it, his relationship with the QBs, and can build on their exciting style of football on that side of the ball. What’s great about Ricky is his comfort in his own skin. They’ll keep the offense the same, but wants Ricky to run with it. Have had conversations to make sure they’re on the same page. They’re excited together, as well as the rest of the staff.
Continuity of staff:
It’s really important. Relationships are critical. Has a core group of guys he’s been with a long time. Trying to build it, not unlike Petersen in Washington. There’s always the sexy hire people get excited about from School X or Z, but at the end of the day you have to make the best choice for Penn State. When you hire outside, they’ll want to run their own offense or defense. His preference is to hire from within to build on the schemes they have that work. It’s about relationships. If he can hire a great coach that has been part of the organization, both for good and bad times, he’ll do that. Phil Galiano has done a great job over the last year. He’s from PA. All that is valuable. He’s got a lot of experience in NFL. Bringing back Bowen, who was a player for him, gained experience and is coming back, there’s value in that. Those are really important. Wants to build on what they’re doing here.
New roles for staff, and value in bowl prep:
There will be adjustments and feeling things out. Discussing today, will Ricky go from the booth to the sideline? Joe did it from the sideline, but that’s because he was comfortable with that from his head coaching. The players like the OC on sideline. There’s still some things to iron out. There’s still adjustments to be had, so it’s nice to have that extra time to work out some of the kinks.
Player reactions to Ricky:
That’s a big reason he did it, to be honest. You go out and hire someone new and you’re starting all over. Ricky recruited all those quarterbacks. So not sure if it’s fair to Trace to change the offense and start all over again. Same for Tommy and the young guys. Big thing was those relationships, and the rest of the team and what they’re doing right now.
Depth and quality of the conference, and how that prepares for Washington:
Can make argument their side of the conference is one of the best, if not the best, in college football. People forget the conference changed. East and West vs. Legends and Leaders. It’s a different conference from six or seven years ago. It’s a very challenging, difficult conference. It’s a tremendous opponent and opportunity.
Running back coaching duties/Fiesta Bowl finding out:
With the playoffs and waiting for that to come, you really have no idea. They had practice, came off the field with the players, things were buzzing on his phone, people congratulating for the Fiesta and that’s how he found out. There’s no sense worrying about Cotton or Fiesta because it’s out of your control. Thought it would be Cotton, Peach, or Fiesta or one of those types of games.
Rose Bowl experience helping:
It helps. No doubt about it. There’s challenges being an East Coast team going across the country. Will be great for players to see a different part of the country and play a team they don’t have a lot of experience with. It’s really about the teams that go on the field this year, making sure they’re prepared and execute.
Running backs coach:
At this point, one of the GAs is going to coach the running backs. And then when it’s the 10th coach Jan. 8, will hopefully have someone ready before that, but that’s when it can be official. Wanted to get back whole as fast as possible, and then bring in 10th when that’s possible.
Saquon Barkley Heisman contention:
Has not studied the field. He’s the best player he’s ever been around. Great player, great person, impacts the game on offense and special teams. Everyone he talks to at the next level says he’s one of the best running back prospects they’ve seen in a very long time. Hasn’t studied Heisman hopefuls or knows who they are. But, for himself, can’t imagine there’s a better, more dynamic player in the country.
