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P E N N S T A T E F O O T B A L L >> one of the players Parker wanted to meet was a young quarterback named Tommy Stevens. And the visitor whom Dixson was so eager to wel- come? Yep, you guessed it. "I became the sub pretty quickly because Coach Franklin came in," Parker recalled. The two coaches crossed paths again when Penn State found itself seeking a new assistant following David Corley's dismissal. Franklin knew about Parker from his time at Purdue, and Penn State running backs coach Ja'Jaun Seider had worked with him when they were both at Marshall in 2011 and '12. When they sat down in January to talk about the job opening, Parker "crushed the interview," Franklin said. Penn State announced the hiring on Jan. 10, just in time for him to hit the road and help finish off the Class of 2019. Now, the sixth-year Nittany Lion head coach is hoping Parker will crush the rest of it. Franklin said his new assistant has more than just the ex- pertise needed to teach the position; he also has the people skills to get the most out of his players. "You're talking about a guy who is going to be able to build confidence," Franklin said. "The fact that he played the position, I think, helps. It's not mandatory, but I do think it helps. "We actually rushed for more yards per game and more yards per carry last year" than in 2017, he continued, "but we dropped significantly in the passing game. We didn't make the plays that we had been making, and we dropped too many balls. There are a lot of factors that go into that. There's not one answer for that; there are a number of them. "So I'm looking at it as a great opportunity. I know he's looking at it as a great opportunity. We've got some talented guys, and we're excited to see what they're going to be able to do this spring and going into the summer." If Penn State's receivers are able to regain their stride in 2019, this is a move that could work out for everyone involved. The Nittany Lions already have the cache to lure elite receiver prospects; six of the nine wideouts who are expected to be on the fall scholarship roster received either four- or five-star ratings from Rivals.com com- ing out of high school. If Parker can develop them into elite college players, the Lions will get some of their offensive mojo back, and their new assistant coach will be one step closer to attain- ing his ultimate career goals. That process starts in earnest this spring. Class is in session. ■ RISE AND SHINE Franklin oversees a practice session during Penn State's prepa- rations last December for the Citrus Bowl. After fin- ishing 9-4 in 2018, the Nit- tany Lions have turned their full attention to the upcom- ing season. They began spring drills on March 13. Photo by Paul Burdick

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