Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 15 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M "The program is on its way to a national championship. Coach Franklin has set the foundation. Now, they just have to finish." — Harrisburg (Pa.) High running back Messiah Mickens, a four-star prospect in Penn State's 2026 recruiting class, on the program's future under James Franklin "I love this coordinator, I love the personnel, I love some of the veteran leadership they have at all three levels defensively. I think this could be one of the best groups Penn State has had on defense in quite some time." — ESPN analyst Greg McElroy, ranking Penn State third behind Texas and Ohio State in his list of the nation's top defenses this season "It's about understanding. It's about an- ticipation for the quarterbacks. It's about the prep and any kind of stress or anxiety going into an install or going into a game plan. All of that is gone for all our guys. There's no 'What does this look like?' It's not new at all anymore. It's totally rehearsed. They get it. Then, they just get a deeper understanding of everything we're doing. Some things might not be noticeable, but at the end of the day, the only thing anybody notices is winning and losing. We just want to be on the right side of the path." — Andy Kotelnicki on the comfort level of Penn State's players heading into Year 2 of his tenure as offensive coordinator "They're national title contenders because of the backfield. It would be hard to find a better overall group than [Drew] Allar and the two backs. … The Troy receiver [Devonte Ross] gives them some additional speed and opens them up. … This is the season James Franklin's entire coaching career could be judged by. If they can't change their big-game problems with this group, it's not happening." — An anonymous opposing Big Ten assistant coach, quoted by Athlon Sports, on Penn State's outlook in 2025 "Under Franklin's watch, the Nittany Lions have won at least 10 games in six of the past nine years. Franklin's '25 squad at Penn State is loaded for another deep playoff run, as quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Kay- tron Allen and Nicholas Singleton and defen- sive end Dani Dennis-Sutton announced their return instead of a departure to the NFL." — Athlon Sports, ranking James Franklin second behind Texas' Steve Sarkisian on its list of coaches who have a chance to win their first national championship this year "We had a terrific 2024-25 academic and athletic year, and next year looks to be one of the best in our history. Because of those successes, Penn State enters this new era of college sports in a position of strength and ready to attack this new collegiate landscape. While change can be difficult, it also can provide new opportunities, and I assure you, we will embrace every opportunity this new model creates." — Athletics director Patrick Kraft on the House vs. NCAA settlement, which clears the way for revenue sharing between schools and athletes They Said It "None of us, my age or older, got into this business because of money. It was because you love the game of football and you wanted to help young people grow and mature. I worry a little bit now that, because of how the sport has changed, people are being attracted to the sport for the wrong reasons. … Young people and families are making decisions based on a transactional experience rather than a trans - formational experience. "For us, we're one of a handful of programs that want it to be as transformational an expe- rience as possible. I think that aligns with Penn State and what our values are and how we want this program to be run." — James Franklin on the changes in gover- nance that are transforming college football PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS