By: Pasquale Tartaro, GoPSUSports.com
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Though he is working through the early stages of spring practice, head coach James Franklin has a glimpse of where his team stands heading into next season.
Here are three takeaways from Franklin's midweek press conference.
Early Enrollee Running Backs
While the Nittany Lions retain a fair share of experience in the backfield, the additions of freshmen running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen will only serve to raise the level of competition.
"They're impressive. Those two guys are going to make it ultra competitive in that room," offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Yurcich said. "And what's impressive to me is that they came out of high school and physically, they're at a stage where they can do all things."
Singleton, who was named the 2021 Gatorade National Player of the Year and the Maxwell Football Club National Offensive Player of the Year, rushed for 2,059 yards and 44 touchdowns in his senior season at Governor Mifflin.
"He's got tremendous burst. [He's] powerful, strong in pass protection," Franklin said. "We've been impressed so far."
Moreover, Franklin believes that Allen's experience at IMG Academy has "put him ahead" throughout the transition to the collegiate level.
"Kaytron's very football smart," Franklin said. "In terms of college level learning, experience, and understanding defensive protections and things like that."
The running back room also features returners Keyvone Lee, Caziah Holmes and Devyn Ford, who bring valuable veteran presences to this exciting group of newcomers this spring.
"You don't have to worry about what down it is with those guys," Yurcich said of Allen and Singleton. "They can play on all downs because of their physical strength and their maturity."
"They're not like normal true freshmen," offensive lineman Juice Scruggs said. "When they put those pads on, they show it."
Offensive Line Vying for Improvement
While the number of offensive linemen currently available for practices may be low, it hasn't stopped a number of players from standing out in the trenches.
Franklin pointed to sophomore Olu Fashanu at left tackle, Scruggs at center and redshirt junior Caedan Wallace at right tackle as the linemen he "feels best about right now."
Fashanu, who stands at 6-foot-6, 310 pounds, made his first career start at left tackle against Arkansas in January's Outback Bowl.
Though this upcoming season will be his first as a full-time starter, Franklin notes that Fashanu has been "really impressive" thus far.
When asked about his counterpart up front, the first word that came to Scruggs' mind was "special."
"You all might think that I throw that word around a lot, but you'll see it real soon," Scruggs said.
Scruggs, who began last season as the team's starting right guard, transitioned to center toward the end of the year.
"He looks comfortable," Franklin said. "I think his best position is at center."
"I feel like everybody is doubting us, and we love that," Scruggs said. "We're just going to come in, work hard, and prove everybody wrong."
Diaz's Defense Beginning to Take Shape
Though Penn State's defense has seen a lot of turnover throughout the past year, Franklin is optimistic for the future with first-year defensive coordinator Manny Diaz at the helm.
"Obviously, there are some changes and with that, there's some growing pains… but I've been really impressed with him," Franklin said about Diaz. "I think he's got some wrinkles that I think will be really good for us, some subtle adjustments that I'm excited about."
Similar to how former Nittany Lion Jesse Luketa moved from linebacker to defensive end to last season, former safety Jonathan Sutherland has shifted over to linebacker.
Sutherland's versatility, which Franklin believes allows him to excel when he's near the ball, has been a luxury for the coaching staff as Diaz continues to gradually implement his scheme.
"I'm going to be playing a lot closer to the line of scrimmage," Sutherland said. "Having opportunities to blitz and play in the box a lot."
With Sutherland's move to the front seven, in addition to the departures of defensive backs Jaquan Brisker and Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State's secondary has lost some of its experience.
However, Franklin believes that safety Ji'Ayir Brown, who tied for first in the country with six interceptions last season, has seamlessly stepped into a leadership role this spring.
"Tig, I've seen probably the biggest difference of all the guys in our program," Franklin said.
On the defensive line, moreover, Zane Durant has established himself as an early candidate to play a significant role in generating pressure from the interior.
"Zane Durant is flashing at a position that's usually hard to flash at as a freshman at defensive tackle," Franklin said. "He's just strong and explosive. He's got great lateral movements."
