Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1030409
READY TO RUMBLE James Franklin's approach puts a talented freshman class in position to succeed ames Franklin is a man with a plan. That's something we all know by now, but new intricacies of his ap- proach are continually coming to light. Franklin's influence is evident in nearly every aspect of Penn State's program. It can be seen in the team's in-house social media accounts, in the decisions about which photos and videos get posted and which don't. It can be seen in the push for facilities upgrades, in the decision to outfit players with cutting-edge meta- bolic monitors that they wear during practice, and even in the special effects inside Beaver Stadium on game day. Franklin recently called for a separate meter to flash on the video scoreboard counting how many opponent penalties the home crowd has helped to influence. His organizational acumen is also evi- dent in how he replaces assistant coaches when they leave for other jobs, an inevitable reality in today's college football. The guy keeps a binder full of names, phone numbers and profiles of potential candidates. He conducts inter- views just for fun and is known to hire experienced out-of-work coaches as consultants just so that he can bounce ideas off them. Sometimes, those con- sultants end up becoming assistant coaches. Franklin's reputation as a guy who sweats the details is perhaps best exem- plified by his approach to recruiting. From the start, he zeroes in on a group of elite players based on fit, then he takes an active role in their recruitment. When one of those players commits elsewhere – take quarterbacks Brandon Wimbush and Justin Fields, for example – he quickly pivots to the next in line, many times switching to someone who has flown under the radar. (See: Tommy Stevens and Will Levis.) All good strategies need a backup. Franklin will tell you that. And a good Plan B is still expected to work out in the end. He's always thinking, trying to stay one step ahead. Part of that effort involves making sure that his program is adapt- ing in the most productive way possible to changes in the rulebook. With the NCAA having recently changed its rules to allow freshmen to play in as many as four games without losing a year of eligibility, Franklin has a new way of helping build his team, and he is taking full advantage of the possibili- ties. He's discovering how to manage his personnel in ways that not only provide an immediate lift but also will help down the road. For example, when Daniel George ran a textbook stop-and-go against Kent State in mid-September, he found him- self wide open and ready to haul in a beautifully thrown pass from third- string quarterback Sean Clifford. Clif- ford's pump fake helped sell the route, and the play re- sulted in a 95-yard touch- down. Not only was it the longest play from scrimmage in school history, it was rep- JUDGMENT CALL J DROP ZONE Oweh sacks Kent State quarterback Woody Barrett. Photo by Steve Manuel