Dec. 4, 2016
Penn State Rose Bowl Teleconference - James Franklin
December 4, 2016
On the schedule moving forward with bowl game preparations
Franklin: We do all the schedules and all the calendars for all the bowls in preseason, in the summer. We already have those all set and ready to go so we have a pretty good understanding of what's going on. We'll go back and make some slight adjustments to it but all those things are pretty much set ahead of time. Really, I didn't have to say a whole lot to these guys. We had talked about it earlier in the week that we had an opportunity to go out and play this game and play well and find a way to get a win at the end of the game. Wherever they would have sent us to go, we'll go. Obviously, our guys would have liked to compete in the playoff for the national championship but they still also know that it's a tremendous honor to play in the Rose Bowl and they're excited about that too.
On what the program has been through in the last five years and what it means to have the opportunity to go to the Rose Bowl.
Franklin: I can really mostly speak about the last three years. There have been challenges. Lack of scholarships - 65 scholarships, 75 scholarships, a lot of turnover in personnel, a lot of turnover when it comes to coaches and things like that. There have been a lot of things going on. The fact that we've been able to never have a losing season and then for us to take it to another level and win the Big Ten East and then the Big Ten Championship. It's special. It shows how special this place is - this is one of the few places in the country that can handle the adversity that we've had.
Penn State and USC are two of the more historic teams - on what the thoughts are from a historical standpoint and the standpoint of being among two of the hottest teams in college football.
Franklin: They're hot. I think if you watch any coverage of college football, people are talking about USC and that they're one of the scarier teams in the country. A lot of confidence - they made a quarterback change and since then it has really sparked them. They're obviously very talented. They have been recruiting at USC at a high level for a very long time. They're playing with a lot of confidence right now. It's going to be a real challenge and yes, two of the more storied program in college football. Again, that history is not going to get a point for either one of us, it's going to be about going out on the field and executing.
On what he has learned about himself over the last few years as a coach.
Franklin: I think a couple things. Having a group of guys, in terms of players, in terms of coaches, who are all pulling the rope in the same direction. The importance of working on chemistry in the locker room, making sure everyone understands the plan and the message and why those things are so important. Those things are a part of every program but with all the personnel changes and all the coaching changes we've had with the challenges, scholarship reductions and things like that, there is probably more on our plate than most places. So probably it makes it that much more satisfying because we know what we've been through to get here.
On the messages that he has received following the Big Ten Championship wins.
Franklin: Probably the messages from parents of our players. They are really the ones that hit home the most - very appreciative, very thankful. They have been great. We have a strong relationship and that has been really important. Former players, seeing all the letterman come back, seeing some of my old football players come back - I think we had six or seven former Vanderbilt players come and visit. The head baseball coach at Vanderbilt came and visited. It's nice, again, it's about all of those relationships. Getting text messages from friends and people all over the country is one thing but former players and Penn State letterman sending me messages, that makes it special.
On what the feeling was like following the Michigan loss and what was the resolve?
Franklin: Really, nothing different than what we've been doing all year long and what we've been doing for the last three years. Grading the film, making corrections and finding ways to put our guys in positions to be successful the following week. Working hard in meetings and in practice to get better every single day and keep taking steps in the right direction.
On the mood of the plane ride home and the warm welcome from fans in Happy Valley.
Franklin: The plane ride back was pretty calm. It was night game and most of us didn't get much sleep. I was up for most of the night and back up early this morning. Everybody was pretty much knocked out on the plane. I'm fighting that right now to be honest with you, getting ready to get on the road recruiting. It was quiet. Pulling back into State College and people blowing horns and on the side of the right. Pulling back into campus, having a number people there waiting for us, I think our guys understand how much support we have here and not to take advantage of it.
How important are the next few days in terms of recharging batteries, academics and resting?
Franklin: I think everything you said is accurate, we need to give them some time off to get them as healthy as we can to get them to as close to 100 percent as we can for the Rose Bowl game. They are a talented team. We're going to need everyone we have to be ready to go. Also academics. Our guys have been balancing and juggling two worlds, academics one and football two. So having some time off and focus completely on academics and getting ready for tests, exams and projects is one thing that is wonderful. So, a combination of all those things is important.
On what James' schedule will be like recruiting-wise and how the players will have time off
Franklin: They'll have down time right now. Which we need or we needed right now. Myself, I will be leaving this evening and I won't come back until Saturday.
On what it has been like to see the team grow and having everything culminate in the Rose Bowl game.
Franklin: It's special. This is why you do it. You come together as a family and you go out and play the game and try to put guys in the position to be successful and have an opportunity to be successful in one of the more bowl games ever. Also being able to play against one of the great storied programs like USC. I think it's going to be great. It speaks to our resilience and shows that if you keep getting better each week you have the potential to get better every year.
On whether or not the team will take time to develop scout team and younger players with so much time remaining until the bowl game.
Franklin: Yes, we will not focus on USC for probably - we'll get a bonus maybe week and a half total. The bonus three days and we'll spend the bulk of that time in player development, working with the younger players. Getting them reps, allowing them scrimmage, play against each other and have some fun. That will be important for their development as well as the coaches being able to evaluate them.
On the specifics of the halftime adjustments that have been so effective this season
Franklin: Obviously, we've spent a lot of time talking, some of the challenges we're having. Depending on which analytics company you look at, we're the sixth youngest team in the country, we're only graduating like five starters. We're young and one, on offense. A lot of times for us, it's getting a young offensive line settled down long enough for different new looks that they haven't seen. We felt that if the o-line could just strain a little bit longer, we like our match ups at tight end as well as wide receiver in the secondary. Our o-line in the second half and late in the first half was able to strain and give Trace [McSorley] some time to go make some plays.