Penn State Football
James Franklin Postgame Press Conference
vs. Indiana – October 2, 2021
Opening Statement
First of all, I want to thank you guys for coming out like always. I truly appreciate the coverage that you guys give to Penn State football, our program, our players. I thought overall, it was an unbelievable environment—we've been fortunate, I think we've been over 105,000 each week, that's had a huge factor. On our success so far, I also think just the energy after last year, I think it's been great for everybody. It's been great for our community and I know it's been great for our football program specifically. So defensively, I just think we're playing really good complimentary defensive football. I don't know if we're overwhelming in any area but I think the defense is doing their job, the linebackers are doing their job, the secondary is doing their job, and I think the coaches are doing a tremendous job. We're just playing really good, complimentary defensive football. We make timely turnovers. I thought that the play that [Joey] Porter Jr. made was a big-time play. To be tracking the ball like that, receivers doing the same thing, you don't know if contact's going to occur to layout and make that interception. Super proud of him. And then obviously the blocked field goal, you know, I think it was [Arnold Ebiketie] that got his hands on it. If you watch, they collapsed the whole side of the line which was impressive. Offensively, we were able to get the running game going. That's a really good sign for us in our future. To me, it's also exciting because we haven't really put it all together yet on offense, but we're doing some really good things. The chemistry between Jahan [Dotson] and Sean [Clifford] is really good. They've been playing together for a long time, obviously, now in practice and in games, but we're doing some good things that we need to continue to build on. You got to continue to get Parker [Washington] and KeAndre [Lambert-Smith], our tight ends involved in the passing game as well. And then special teams, obviously it's great to hit that 50-yard field goal. Again, I think we're doing it really, in all areas and I couldn't be more proud.
Q: How close do you think you are to putting together all the pieces in the offensive end? What areas do you think are there versus what areas do you think aren't?
A: I think it's consistency, I think there's times where we do some really good stuff. We have to do it consistently. You know, we throw the ball really well at times. We run the ball well at times. We just got to be more consistent in everything we do. The details really matter. But I think we're close. I mean right now, you know, we found a way to be 1-and-0 this week. I'm proud of that. The film's going to be really important to jump on, though, I think you guys know I want to enjoy this win for a few hours, but I think we all realize Iowa is a really good football team, they always are, but they're playing on a different level right now and then going on the road is going to be challenging. So, we got to get some things cleaned up, and we're going to have to take another step.
Q: You talked about the complimentary aspect of the way you're playing. Can you talk specifically about when the defense stepped up after Sean [Clifford] threw the interception, that was a momentum shift there.
A: I thought that was a huge play. We spent a lot of time talking about that sudden change in events and covering every single Friday in our Friday situational practice that we do. And I think Brent [Pry] does a really good job of coaching the mentality of it. It's an opportunity, that's the way we look at it. When we look at our defense, it's an opportunity to go out there and do something special when momentum is swung and to swing back and then he decided to go for a fourth down and that was a big stop, so I agree with you, I think that was a huge play in the game. If they score there or pick up that first down, it may have been a different game. So, I agree with you, it was a huge play. We're playing really good defense right now. I'm really proud of them. The good thing is I think there's areas that we can still get better there too.
Q: How do you explain the penalty on the shuffle pass? What happened there was kind of strange.
A: As you guys know, I can get upset and be critical when I think it's wrong, but that was the right call. I haven't seen the film, but the way it was explained to me it was the right call. So Jahan [Dotson] covered the tight end up. We covered the tight end up and since we covered the tight end up, even though the ball was thrown behind the line of scrimmage, he's an ineligible receiver. It'd be no different than an offensive lineman catching the ball. So that's what wiped the claim. I do think the throw that Sean [Clifford] made on the backline is exactly how you want that to go. Those type of throws in the end zone you want to be a top-shelf type throw, and it's going to be called for a touchdown or out of the end zone, a safe throw, but that was a legitimate call. I have to see the formation on film, but the way it was described to me, we covered up the tight end so it makes him ineligible.
Q: What are the specific qualities of the defense that makes it so good in the red zone?
A: I don't know if it's qualities. I think defensively or general red zone can be challenging for people because it limits your playbook. So, I think our guys got a really good idea and understanding of what we want to do in the red zone, what the offense is going to try to do against us, and we've been pretty good against the run. You know, we've been 'bend but don't break,' but we've been pretty good. I think when you're able to take away what people are trying to do, whether it's running the ball or whether it's crossing routes or man concepts, we're doing a good job of it. To me, what you're seeing in the red zone is very similar to what you're seeing out in the open field, we're just playing good defense. Yeah, I know there's some people out there in the country that may be playing more suffocating defense just in overall, but you know our defense is something that I hope all of our fans and lettermen are very proud of.
Q: What is it about this combination between Sean and Jahan, that makes it click so well, more than just being together for a long time?
A: I think the first thing is Jahan's good. That helps. Then, I think the combination of Jahan's talent, and the time that Sean and Jahan have spent together, whether it's on the practice field, whether it's watching film, whether it's in meetings. And then, they've played a lot of games; I don't know what the number is. It would be a good thing to kind of talk about, but those two have played a lot of games together, and that helps. I also think Sean's ability to extend plays and make plays with his feet puts the defense in conflict. He steps up in the pocket, you got to decide "Am I going to stay with my man or am I going to cover Sean?" And then, Jahan really has got a good feel of how to get open in those situations and the thing I love about him, he's always working towards the sideline. As a quarterback, you want to step up in the pocket. You want to go to a check down right away, whether it's a running back tight end over the middle of the field. And then, once you extend the play, your eyes need to go to the sideline. I know everybody gets excited about this stuff you see where guys are throwing across their body, back in the middle, Maholmes doing all this crazy stuff, but more times than not, those are going to get you in trouble. Sean's doing a really good job at, so is Jahan, of stepping up in the pocket looking for check downs. I think we can do a little bit more of that. But then when he's extending plays, he's looking for people consistently on the sidelines. And I think when you do that you got a chance to do some good things on offense.
Q: What does it mean when guys like Dotson and Clifford break a record set by Todd Blackledge going back to the 80s? What does that mean for them as players, but also just where you guys are?
A: As you guys know better than me, especially some of you guys have been covering Penn State football for a long time, we have played good football here for a long time. A lot of quarterbacks. A lot of receivers. There's been really good football played here for a long time, so when you can break a record or do something that's never been done here before, to me, it says something, so that's a great stat. It's also really cool that we did it when Todd was here, so I think he'll probably look at it the same way, but I didn't know that. It's awesome.
Q: I don't know if that's just to see at least a minute or two of the game last night, but have you ever heard of a team that has seven turnovers in a game, and what does that mean for how secure you guys have to be with the ball?
A: Yeah, I did get a chance to really follow it on social media. I was in Philly, and then couldn't get back and at the car service, so I didn't get back until late, so I didn't get a chance to actually watch the game, but I followed it on social media. I have had a chance to see them a couple other times just on TV. They're playing really good, and they're able to run the ball. They're playing great defense, and they have. That defensive coordinator has been doing a really good job. And what's amazing is, you've turned on the tape from yesterday, turn on tape from six years ago, you turn tape off for 12 years ago, they do what they do, and they do it well. The fact that they're always in zone coverage and they always have eyes on the quarterback. They have these massive defensive linemen that are able to get pressure and bat balls down. They're a good team, so I'm going to try to enjoy this one for a few hours. I haven't been doing a great job of sleeping in on Sundays. I usually wake up to go to bathroom around 4:30 in the morning, and my mind just starts going about things from the previous game, and then things for next game, so I get back to bed. I lay there for an hour. It's not fun. Then, I usually go get doughnuts with the girls, but it's too early, so now I have just been going to get doughnuts and leave them on the doorstep, and then come into the office, and get working on it. That's going to take that, again, I think this week. There was a lot of things we've got to correct from this game, and we got a tremendous challenge on the road. There's not a whole lot I look forward to going to Iowa City. I am looking forward to the hospital, and waving to those children, but that's the only thing I'm looking forward to, but it will be tremendous challenge.
Q: When you look at the short-yardage situations, where do you think you guys are in terms of getting the run game to convert more in those situations?
A: Yeah, we got to be better. I think that's the point you're getting to. I think it may have brought it up last week throwing the ball. We obviously could do that as well. From a mentality standpoint, I think it's important to be able to run the ball in the little red zone. I think it's important to be able to run the ball in short yardage situations, to be able to kind of impose your will on people. I think that's an important aspect of your program, so there's some things that we got to get cleaned up. I'm going to take the positive approach that we took a step, a big step today in the running game. Obviously, there's still some areas like that we got to get better at.
Q: To get to where you are right now with the schedules in play, you have to have a team that's both mentally and physically tough. What's there to like just about the toughness of this team right now?
A: Yeah, I agree with you, I mean to go on the road to Wisconsin to open the season, and then having the Auburn program here, and obviously a Ball State team that were returning champs. We've been tested, early on, we really have. I do think we are mentally tough. I do think we think we are physically tough. I do think we've been tested, but I also think this team that trusts and cares about each other a great deal. I think they trust the coaches. They can trust their teammates. You don't see guys outside of the system trying to make plays. They're doing their job at a very, very high and consistent level. It makes it fun. It really does. It's their long hours, but it's fun to come to work together with what I think is the best staff in America. It's fun to come with these guys, these young men. They are busting their butt. I don't think the last two weeks. We put complete weeks together of preparation. I thought that last week was better than the week before, but I still think we can be better. That's going to be important for us this week but, I'm proud of them. I am proud of where we're at. We got to continue battling and taking that step.