Penn State head coach James opens Training Camp with Media Day Press Conference

press conference start right appreciate everyone joining us for Penn State football local media day uh we have Coach Franklin here first we'll start with an opening statement from him and then we'll open it up for questions first of all uh welcome back Opening Statement it's uh great to have everybody here uh we are going into day three of practice uh first two days have been good specifically day two was better than day one um and today obviously is the first day uh for pads for us and some hitting So that obviously changes some things um having the three new coordinators it's been really good been a ton of work put in from the time that they got on board uh with the staff getting everybody on the same page and with the players uh but that's been good that's been good ton of uh carryover for things that we've done in the past but also a lot of new ring and things like that so so it's been really good um but looking forward to opportunity to be able to get you guys out there so you guys can get a glimpse of it and get some pictures uh obviously we got media day as well um in terms of interacting with the returning players as you guys know we don't have the first year players available um but everybody else will be available and the staff uh and look forward to exciting year with you guys an exciting season so open up the questions start over here with Mark and then them Rich James with the uh the house settlement how is that going to House settlement impact on scholarship limits for 2025 impact you guys from a scholarship perspective numbers wise do you have to re-evaluate how many you're going to give every year and that sort of thing you talking about for next year moving forward yeah because they're the kids you're actually recruiting at this point yeah to to be honest with you I think everybody is working on kind of plans based on what we know but not everything has been settled um and I think the other thing is every school and every program is going to handle it a little bit differently what they think is best because I think everybody understands there's no more limiting number of scholarships they limiting roster sizes is how they're handling it so every school you know will have the flexibility within that to do what they think is best but there's still some things um that we're still waiting to get resolved and details worked out but but we have some time for that up here in the front Rich he rich how has Julian Fleming looked so far in Julian Fleming assessment and wide receiver assessment these few practices and and where how far did the wide receivers have to go to get where you want them to be yeah so um I I would say I'd say solid you know he's he's he's been he's been solid he's been um I think they've all been good at times it's still obviously a small uh number of practices and number of plays to to truly evaluate I thought I thought our entire you know staff as well as team felt like the wide receivers took a big jump in in day two compared to day one um and I know a lot of the coaches and and players J Reed actually spoke to the team after practice about it so I thought that was that was a real positive but it's just kind of a small pool right now to really base that off of uh I'll have a better idea you know a week from now but but so far solid and um and uh obviously there's still some steps that need to be taken there for that entire room obviously that's a big been a big question mark uh for the media and some of the fans I think I think the coaching staff and I think the players um have a I would say a good amount of confidence in what that room has the ability to do and the amount of work that they've put in with Bo and Drew all summer over here on the right Bob hey James how you doing good how are you I'm good James when you just look at your defensive end room and you get past Defensive end room depth assessment Abdul and deny guys I know that have a chance to have some really big ears for you who are some of the guys behind them that you're you're excited about and can maybe take a step forward for for you and you're counting on maybe in August and moving forward and you said deny and Abdul yeah when you get when you get past those two guys obviously they're kind of known quantities behind them who are the guys you're kind of excited about and maybe who are the guys you're counting on to take another step in August yeah so first all I wouldn't even say behind that um you know a mean vanover is a guy that I don't think enough people are talking about we have a ton of confidence in a mean and then I think the other guy that and I get I I get why but a lot of people aren't talking about is Smith vilbert you know Smith vilbert is a guy that that we have a lot of confidence in as an organization and as a program he's missed he's missed obviously a lot of football so you guys haven't had a chance to see him the way we have uh but you talk about big strong physical experienc mature so that gives us really three defensive ends that have played a ton of football in my mind in terms of games and practice with vanover Deni and vilbert uh and then you got Carter who's new to the position but still has played a ton of football and then we got Mason Robinson who's going into year two in the program that we're going to need for him to take a significant step forward for us um and then there's after that there's there's a bunch of guys whether it's m whether it's Williams whether it's um um M mayor whether it is Granville there's there's other guys kind of in the mix there but I would say for us you know you got van over Carter Deni vilbert mapo and and Mason Robinson probably the six guys that that we know the most about right now if that makes sense m middle left Todd hey coach how you doing today good how are you uh good generally speaking do you see more progress in the guys from Spring Do you see more progress physically or mentally from spring to fall camp? practice to Camp physically or mentally and the ones that kind of jump off the page maybe mentally does it show itself in command of the Playbook or the way that they communicate with their teammates or just the way they carry themselves confidence-wise are there any guys that kind of fit that mold so far that you've seen just to be clear compared to what no just just compared just fit just what they looked like an individual from the spring to now whether you you know the physically you can kind of see them the differences but mentally how do you see guys progressing do you generally see more physical or mental progress and mentally I got how do you how do you see it yeah I I think it's it's probably both maybe not the answer that you want um but probably both I mean you see changes a guy that right away to me when we went out in their field out on the field on on the first day was Tamir Tamir looked different he really looked really looked good you noticed that right away I think every kind of had noticed Roos already obviously you know the numbers uh that have been reported and just looking at him he obviously looks different as well another guy that a lot of people aren't talking about but but we're excited about um that is really kind of changed his body is well is is Boer you know I I want to say boer's put on 35 40 pounds and um is is really doing some nice things um but I would say that's probably the biggest change in terms of physical appearance and then in terms of mentally obviously there's a big jump at the quarterback position uh grun is is really doing some nice things we think he's got a very very bright future um and is is really taking a step uh I think smolik Jackson smolik has been really impressive uh in terms of what he's been able to do mentally um um maximizing what he's able to do right now that that's been impressive as well I think it's it's just combination some guys have a lot of room for growth mentally uh some guys have a lot of room for growth physically um but there there's a few examples the right Tyler hey James how are you good Tyler how are you good you Max Granville joining program early mentioned Max Granville as one of those guys that you're looking to learn more about we we all are um can you kind of peel back the curtain as much as you're comfortable with doing and when you realized it was a possibility he could be on this roster and kind of the final moments with him and his family where this was the outcome and what you can realistically expect from a freshman who didn't get here until the final week of July yeah he's already flashed in the first two days um athletic quick a lot of things you saw in the high school tape but you just you know you don't know if those things are going to show up when they get here um but that's already happened uh he also tested really well with our Baseline testing with coach losy and that staff um soon as he was cleared and able to do that in terms terms of the process we really kind of had no idea um until really very late in the process um that this was even something they were thinking about and then there's one thing to be thinking about there's another thing to actually be able to do it um you know I think he was taking summer classes to be able to ensure the fact that he'd be able to come at Mid semester and then I think once he got the classes done I realized he could qualify now and graduate now um that they brought the option up to us and I think that also triggered to us that that they're very serious about Penn State because they're having these types of conversations with us but it was it was pretty late in the process so then it was a ton of work that had to happen for him in terms of the application process and all that for us in terms of getting all that documentation and then also getting him here like I think the same week and his brother got married U so they had to wedding and then we're driving here so there was a lot of um stuff that we had to get done in a short period of time and because of the wedding he couldn't it's not like he could even come a coup a couple days early like was getting here right at the last minute but so far first impression really good um but you obviously there's a there's there's a big difference between running around you know in shorts and a t-shirt than there is in in in full pack so we'll see that today a better idea today in the back Ally hey coach how are you hey allly jaywan and Ty talked at the Getting the ball in the hands of your best players end of last season about getting the ball in the hands of the best players regardless of who that was how does Coach K subscribe to that mentality and how are you anticipating seeing that play out with guys like uh Drew and Bo Nick and KRON kind of that third-year class of guys um how do you think Coach K is going to handle just the number of offensive guys he has yeah so um you know I think really you can kind of take two different points right here talking points from a conversation standpoint is explosive plays to me goes hand inand with getting your best players the ball um I felt like you know the last couple games of the year you saw a significant change there um so obviously with that that kind of went through the interview process that was a big part of the interview process is um production of explosive plays and and the data to back it up not just saying you know in interview I want to be explosive the data to back it up um but then also philosophically how are you going to get your best players the ball how you going to get them touches how you going to get them touches early in the game those types of things was a big part of it and then again it's one thing to talk about those things in the process it's another thing to go watch the film it's another thing to study the data and make sure that those things are happening um you know sometimes easier said than done depending on the position the guy plays but um but so far so good and been a ton of discussions in the offseason about that uh and then I think you know from him being able to watch us you know during Bowl prep um and then winter workouts and then Spring ball and all these types of things I think he's got a pretty good idea of of the guys we have the weapons we have the experience we have and and then I think the other thing we're going to have have to do um back to the development of of some of these positions um is hopefully by game three we feel like there's other guys that you guys are all talking about our best players and that we're talking about in terms of people we have to get more touches too over here on the right and in the front John James how are you hey John uh how many guys do you plan on playing at corner this fall and who is standing out right now as potential How many players do you plan to play at corner? starters of that position yeah you know Terry's the model I mean Terry's the model in terms of recruiting and in terms of development um you would say typically when you have a year where you essentially lost two corners to the NFL that you would feel like that was a big question mark going into the season and feel like that was um an area where maybe you know you had some some concerns um but we actually feel like that position from top to bottom could be better this year athletically um now don't again don't miss interpret what I'm saying they still got to do it on game day and and and obviously when you when you've lost the amount of production that we've lost at that position we we understand that but in terms of you know in terms of I'd say seven guys that went through Spring ball and went through summer and now we're in training camp we feel really good about those seven guys um and specifically six guys a three deep on either side right now it's hard to really say cam Miller has got the most experience here at Penn State you guys know how we feel about AC DAV and Collins and and what he's been able to do all off season been a ton of conversation maybe the most improved guy on our roster since the end of the season um Kimbers come in and really developed and and changed his body in our strength and conditioning program and has played a lot of football in a very good conference um you know Harris there's just there's just a lot of guys that we feel good about Tracy who you know we got a ton of confidence and and Washington who we got a ton of confidence in and all those guys have for the most part either played whether it's played here or played at other places so uh Terry just does a really good job in terms of um rebuilding and retooling that position and I don't think it's a position that as coaches you know we have a ton of concerns about back now to just to be you know again to answer your question I just don't know I don't have enough practices to feel like it's these guys I think we got a a group of players that we feel really good about now somebody's got to separate themselves and and and be the guy or we're going to be rotating a lot of high quality players that we feel good about back left Andrew hey coach uh Can you walk us through the timeline of installing a new offense? can you guys are putting in obviously a new offense with Coach C Nikki can you walk us through what the process of installing an offense looks like and where are you on that timeline and are you happy where you're at on that timeline yeah and I I think you guys have heard me say this before you know we're really not in a position in year 11 in the program to to start all over um we have not done that so I think you guys have heard me say this before so um in terms of all three coordinators were hired based on what they had done well in their careers but also what are you able to do and how comfortable are you honestly comfortable keeping the same and what needs to change I would say on offense there's probably more change uh than on defense and special teams um but probably not as much as you guys would think um so I think Andy's done a a really good job of that that takes a ton of confidence that takes a ton of intelligence um and I think it also takes enough experience that you feel like you're able to do that and again that's so that we don't have 50 players learning a completely new system we have you know kind of a blend combination of of one coordinate and then the things that need to change so um I think we're in a good spot there um I think some of the rule changes over the last couple years that allow you to have essentially OTAs in the off season where you're actually able to coach that's helped because I think in the old days when you hire a new coordinator and you could do no coaching and football when other sports could that those those transition those changes are more significant uh it's less significant now because you get spring ball you get Summer OTAs um and we've been able to get a ton of done so I think I think we're in a pretty good spot I think our most importantly I think the players are confident with what we're doing and how we're doing it back right Johnny hey James how are you hey Johnny from the How would you asses the growth of Drew Allar since last season? end of last season till now how would you assess the growth that Drew has kind of underwent both on the field and then also in the Lash building working with Andy and working with Danny yeah I I would really say the whole group you know Drew um Bo grunk um smolik I I've been as impressed with smolik's growth and how he's handled this situation as as anybody um I think the dialogue is is really good um I I typically sit in the in the quarterback meetings and I think the dialogue and discussions are really good um I think and with 19 years of of experience as a play caller uh and really being able to float which is really what he wanted to do coming here to be able to float as an offensive coordinator almost like a lot of the NFL organizations do and then have someone like Danny um even before the rule changes as a ga Andy was able to get comfortable with Danny and and I think that that helped as well um but the dialogue in that room has has been really good um I think the players got a ton of respect for Dany um as a as a former player that's walked in in their shoes um and I think we have a system now that is going to put not only our best players in in position to be successful but I think Andy's background as a former line coach I think helps too because typically on offense everything you're doing is is about how do you make things as challenging on the defense as possible obviously but also how do you limit the complication of things for your o line and for your quarterback um you want to try to keep things as simple for those two positions as you possibly can in two positions that aren't very simplistic um and I think he's done a really good job of that sometimes I think coaches say that because that's coaching 101 interview process and things like that but the execution of that I think I think Andy's done a really good job again experience matters 19 years as a play caller that you've learned not only things that have worked but but things that you would do differently that that experience really um you know counts so um Drew obviously has been able to lean into to to Danny has been able to lean in to Andy but I also think some of the things systematically that we're going to do um and I would say even some of these things we're going to do you guys are going to look at and say I don't know if that's something I would imagine Drew doing but by him doing just enough of it opens up and creates opportunities for other things and our offense and makes us difficult to defend so um I think it's really good you know I think it's I think it's been it's been really good it's interesting though kind of to your question too you know when you watch just the Kansas film from the last two years you know Bo was pretty excited but but when you look at over 19 years buffalo different types of quarterbacks and and just the overall knowledge of offense um there's a reason for all New season with new opponents, rules and a road opener those guys in that room to be excited a front Neil hey James hey Neil um a new era of college football uh with the playoff I wonder if if that affects at all your your approach to an overall season and also um having a tough road opener how does that um change or affect preparation yes sir uh I I I would say the first thing is um the length of this season I think you guys know we've always talked about trying to create depth was always important playing in a conference like the big 10 um so that was philosophically something that we've always believed in but I think your point is a good one it's magnified now right you have the potential of 17 games so how are you going to do that I think that coupled with some of the rule changes over the last couple years where um you can play in four games save your red shirt but then you also get to be able to play in all of the postseason games uh and and not burn your red shirt um I think that's that factors into to Strate you know strategy and how we do these things um and then you know just making sure we're doing a really good job of rotating and playing guys for the fourth quarter for late in the season and now a a playoff run all all those types of things so I guess what I to answer your question it's not very it's not really dissimilar to what we've done in the past I just think it's heightened if that makes sense um and then your other part of your question was what again opening oh yeah opening at what Virginia fortunately we've done a decent amount of that um you know U going to Auburn we opened I think at Al Purdue in 20 yeah I know it was Purdue Wisconsin we've open it Wisconsin yeah when was when what game of the season was Auburn when we went to Auburn game game uh three game it wasn't first game game three excuse me game three excuse me um but Purdue is a great example going on the road we've done a few of these things before I think is has been helpful for us um and I I think it it it it gets everybody's kind of attention uh I have probably more respect for for West Virginia than anybody just cuz I played there so many times and I know what Mountaineer football means to the state of West Virginia I know what that environment is going to be like played there a ton of times um and in some ways you know um there's a GE Geographic you know um component to this as well um there's some historical you know factors there as well in terms of a you know being a bordering state or whatever however you want to describe it so um I think it's going to be a great game I think it's going to be a great environment and then on top of that the way they ended their season right you know they um I think they ended up winning nine games and and the quarterback ended up playing really well and and finished the season on a real high note so they got a ton of confidence coming into this year because of that in the middle Mex hey James I started getting nervous about geography like when I said bordering State and but no I think I think you got that one right I was a little concerned EAS rburg psychology um when we talked in June you mentioned that there wasn't anybody that had stood out enough to be named a Leadership status after summer captain yet to this point I'm just curious with the start of fall camp where you feel the leadership of your teams at yeah we we feel good about it um we typically I think you know for for mostly the people in the room that have been covering for us covering us for a while we we typically wait on that again unless there's just an obvious person that that everybody is identified players most importantly and and staff that you feel like going into the summer this person has separated themselves and and everybody views them as such and you want to name them to have that leadership going in this summer there's also the aspect of holding it uh as long as possible that then there's multiple guys that are working their tails off to to become leaders on our team um and the reality is you know when you're talking about a team of 125 or whatever the number may be uh we're going to need we're going to need more leadership than just the captains so I think we're in a good spot there um I see this team being more vocal uh myself and Chuck Losi and and and Coach Palco spent a ton of time talking about this um I I see these guys being more vocal in in challenging their teammates holding their teammates accountable um I think I think those things have been pretty evident in the summer workouts and and so far in Camp um so I think I think we're in a good place but but we're going to need it you know we're going to need a ton of it um and you know we'll probably he you know probably in the next two weeks we'll we'll probably name captains um but then we're going to need more leadership than just those guys too in the middle Audrey sorry how are you good how are you I'm good thanks um just kind of a little housekeeping thing is Danny O'Brien still a ga I mean obviously the rules change doesn't matter but like is he still a ga or not so the if the rule changes don't matter Is Danny O’Brien a GA or not at this point? then why why because he was listed on the website as a g I'm just genuinely curious if he still is or not sometimes you guys ask me questions and I I I I can't really answer them yet okay um you guys follow our websites much closer than I do um but right now he is he is a ga um but to your point Audrey which I think is a fair one there's really no difference anymore with the rule change between a ga um and an analyst we had Danny that's one of the reasons why this worked out well is we had a guy that's still qualified to be a ga because the rules say you have to be within seven years of either graduating school or playing so we felt like he had the experience and the knowledge to serve that role but still fell under the ga rules where if he was an analyst he wouldn't be able to coach so it ended up working out really well but now with the rule change it doesn't matter so now it comes down to master's degree do you want to get a master's degree do you want that time dooring the season uh to take classes um but right now he is currently a graduate assistant um and for a number of reasons that's probably his far I can go with answering this question at this time we got time for one more in the back Shane hey coach hey you you have another kicking competition this year Kicking competition preview sander obviously won that competition last year and then you know things happen against West Virginia how do you see him coming into this year and that in that competition overall so I probably shouldn't say this because this will skew the numbers but first of all I love the question on Specialists I was with the specialist just a minute ago they have an over under going every year based on how many of you will actually talk to them on media day they have they have a 10 push-up wager going on I'm not going to tell you what the number is um but back to your question um it's been it's been really good and I think the competition is is really important um having three guys there two of which that have kicked in college games I think is really important a young exciting player that has really done a nice job in practice um but as we all know I don't care what position is there sometimes there's a difference between practice and games um so the game reps carry a lot of weight for us um I think if it's close between two guys at the end of training camp and we're talking about naming starter you probably give the edge to the guy that has game experience to go with someone that has no game experience then the the the competition the the Gap needs to be significant enough to make up for that um but I just think the competition is important I think sometimes at those positions there's not the same level of competition maybe there is for the defensive end or the corner position and we've tried to create that as much as we can so um Sanders grown a lot and learned from that experience in terms of just pure talent of kicking the ball he's impressive I mean he's he's very very impressive so we'll see how this plays out but the competition has been really good um but I think the game experience will could and will factor into the decision process did I answer your question yes sir thank you very much coach we'll have uh coach Allen next thanks guys have a good one