Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524108
A U G U S T 2 0 2 4 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M T he message from Penn State head coach James Franklin was straight- forward. Reconvening with his team at the start of winter workouts in February, Franklin issued a directive. "This will be a player-led team," he said. "You guys have got to hold every- body to the standard." The team to which he spoke is differ- ent now. Players have come and gone. Development happens daily. And, for months, Penn State has concentrated on growing and evolving as a program. But even through the dead of winter training and spring practices, Franklin acknowledged the continuity of his message into the summer months. Looking to improve on their 10-3 campaign in 2023 with a berth in the expanded College Football Playoff this fall, the Nittany Lions continue seek- ing strong leadership from within their player ranks. "I think head coach or leadership 101 is, if the coaches or the head coach are always the ones who are driving the standards and driving the accountabil- ity, then you'll never reach your true potential," Franklin said. "The best teams that we've had, the players have led." Therein lies the problem for Penn State as its 2024 campaign quickly ap- proaches. Because, distant as it may seem now, Franklin and the Nittany Lions were having this same conver- sation 18 months ago following the departure of captains Sean Clifford, P.J. Mustipher and Jonathan Suther- land. Franklin identified those players as three of the stronger leaders in his ca- reer as a coach. In their absence, Penn State turned to a broader coalition of players to set standards from within. That took shape in 2023 but left Frank- lin still calling for more this offseason, particularly in the program's need for players to hold each other accountable. "If you're a junior or senior, it's easy to hold the freshmen accountable. Will you hold a peer accountable?" Franklin said. "We've been talking about it a ton. … I don't think that's as common in today's student-athletes. And then also, obviously, the only way you can do that is if you're living up to it every single day. Because if you try to call people out and you ain't living it, then people look at you and call BS." Through the summer months, Franklin and others have specified some of the strongest voices. On the offensive line, redshirt senior Nick Dawkins has won universal praise. The defensive line has a similar presence in sixth-year senior Dvon J-Thomas. And, as recognized by junior quarter- back Drew Allar, junior safety Kevin Winston Jr. is one of the strongest leaders in word and deed in any phase of the game. In combination with ju- niors Zane Durant, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, the picture is again being painted of a team spreading its leadership around. "We have a lot of leaders. You defi- nitely need it. The best teams are al- ways the player-led teams," Allar said. "You can be a really solid team if you're a coach-driven team. But if you're a player-led team, I think you can make that jump from good to great and to elite." The reality, of course, is that Allar himself is critical to the conversation. A year removed from PSU's purposeful avoidance of needing his leadership, he is in a position to command the respect of the entire team. It has required hard work and devel- opment to reach that end, though. Acknowledged by Franklin as a "good-hearted kid" with whom tough conversations don't come naturally, Allar has put in the effort to take on a more vocal role on the team. Self- described as being "more edgy" in his leadership through the team's spring practices, he stopped short of trying to become something he's not. "There have been some great leaders that take pride in yelling at guys. That's just not me," Allar said. "But I think it's really up to the person and their per- sonality. And I'm developing more of that just because I think it's necessary at quarterback." Pushing to expand the circle of play- ers who can verbally exert influence over teammates while backing it up with action, Franklin has seen small signs of progress this offseason. But he knows, in his intent to publicly and pri- vately encourage a stronger presence from the team's leaders, that the fate of the Nittany Lions' 2024 aspirations is in the balance. "I see more of that right now," Franklin said. "But that's going to have to continue. We need a few guys to be a little bit more vocal." For a team fighting to close the gap on the thinnest of margins between the disappointment of last year and its hopes for the future, it's a necessity. ■ Quarterback Drew Allar has put in the effort to assume a more vocal role on the team this year. PHOTO BBY STEVE MANUEL O P I N I O N NATE BAUER NATE.BAUER@ON3.COM HOT READ PSU's Leaders Will Need To Find Their Voice