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down the road for players who presum- ably have NFL aspirations; one of the aspects of Sanders' game that most ex- cited scouts was that he had taken con- siderably fewer hits than most college backs. For a position with such a short shelf life, that's invaluable. But on the other hand, it may be tricky for any of the four to 0nd a rhythm if they only play for a drive or two at a time. Plus, will players become frustrated if the car- ries are split but the team isn't winning? It's also valid to examine how the backs 0t within the o2ense. Franklin and o2ensive coordinator Ricky Rahne have been candid about their focus on reaching explosive play goals each game. In Penn State's 0rst three games, only Brown and Ford had runs of more than 13 yards, with pickups of 85 yards and 81 yards, respectively. Slade had been held largely in check, with a long run of 5 yards. When Penn State's o2ense reached its peak in 2017 – when it boasted an aver- age of 41.1 points per contest – Barkley was a big part of the passing game. He 0nished his 0nal season ranked second on the team in receptions with 54. Obviously, it's unfair to ask any of the current ball carriers to even approach that number. But one can surmise that if any of them show a propensity to catch the ball out of the back0eld and poten- tially ease Cli2ord's inevitable growing pains, that player will see more snaps. Against Pitt, Slade had a 40-yarder to set up a 0eld goal late in the 0rst half. The bottom line is this: Brown, Cain and Ford have all shown 1ashes in 2019, and Slade was e2ective when he played in 2018, 0nding the end zone six times. But with none of the four making an ob- vious case for more touches, Franklin will have to navigate this situation with smart coaching and a bit of diplomacy. "I don't think that picture is cleared up a whole lot more than it's been in the 0rst couple weeks," he said. "I think you'll see all four of those guys play… and we're excited about all four of their futures." ■ FORD TOUGH Making his first appearance as a Nittany Lion, Ford scored on an 81- yard run against Idaho. Photo by Steve Manuel 111 E. Beaver Ave s State College, PA 16801 www.The-Phyrst.com 814.234.4406 137 Elmwood St. s State College, PA 16801 www.HappyValleyBeer.com Wood-fire Grill 12 Beers on Tap 200 Year Old Barn 821 Cricklewood Dr. s Toftrees, State College www.AmericanAleHouse.net 814.237.9701 s Piano Bar s Sommelier 814.238.1406 814.234.7700 s 1611 Atherton St. s State College 814.941.7788 s Plank Rd. Exit s Altoona www.ChampsSportsGrill.net s Best Game Bar s Large Groups Welcome c lc e W We s p u o r G e g r a L s a e B m a st G e B s S n S h 1 A 1 6 1 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 me co r a l l C S r G s rt o p S s p m a h C . www s t i x . E d k R n a l P s 8 8 7 7 1. 4 9 . 4 1 8 S s . t n S o t r e h t 1 A 1 6 1 s 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 t e n . l l i r na o o t l A e g e l l o C e at t S

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