Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M O n the printed transcript, the line doesn't catch your attention. Ut- tered more than 15 minutes into a speed walk through Penn State's campus with James Franklin, it could be dis- missed as a throwaway comment. The audio playback is another story, though. And in the cinematic flashback of my memory, it's even worse. "I'm being nice with my pace right now," Franklin said. "Come on." Another 10 minutes later: catastrophe. "We're not going to do the whole thing. Turn here," he said, pointing back toward the Lasch Building. "My wife is the same way. When you've got to walk at a pace, that's what gets you." I hobbled alongside Franklin past some shared acquaintances, and that's when he delivered the kill shot. "We cut it in half!" he yelled. "We don't ever come this way. We go that way. He's got shin splints already!" How did we get here? For me, the an- swers are twofold. First, pride met its match when I was offered extended interview time with Franklin — on the condition that it hap- pen on a walk. I knew his reputation for pushing new hires around campus, so there was no misunderstanding: I would need to keep up. Second, I wore the wrong sneakers. For Franklin, entering his 12th season leading the Nittany Lions, a summer afternoon ripping through the university is routine. He's carved out a route around Beaver Stadium, through the arboretum, cutting across campus, into downtown State College, and back again to the Lasch Building. He calls it "an old man workout." At 53 years old, Franklin can easily convince you otherwise. In the coming weeks, Penn State will begin its 2025 campaign in old-is-new territory. The Nittany Lions came out of spring practice rated by some media as the best team in the country. And while preseason polls are still to come, the chorus of the college football world has landed in agreement: Penn State should be great. Senior quarterback Drew Allar is a potential first-round NFL Draft pick. His classmates in the backfield, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, form argu- ably the best running back tandem in the country. The offensive line — position coach Phil Trautwein's labor of love — has reached its peak strength. And Andy Kotelnicki, an offensive coordinator charged with sparking the Nittany Lions' previously underperforming unit, has proven he belongs. On the opposite side of the ball, a pair of seniors — edge rusher Dani Dennis- Sutton and tackle Zane Durant — head- line a defensive front that can be domi- nant. Junior cornerback A.J. Harris and redshirt senior safety Zakee Wheatley are two of the best in the country at their positions. And the roadblock to Penn State's success against Ohio State the past two seasons, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, will be in blue and white this year. To sum up, the Lions boast returning star power, proven depth at nearly every area of the field, excellence throughout the coaching staff, and valuable College Football Playoff experience. It's a proven formula, one that worked for Michigan in 2023 and Ohio State last year. Those two teams used senior-heavy rosters to reach the pinnacle, and the Nittany Lions can compete at the highest levels this season, just as their two Big Ten rivals did. Of course, competitiveness isn't the goal, and never has been. By every met- ric, that baseline has already been es- tablished through Franklin's tenure with the program. Inheriting a mess in 2014, he's led Penn State to ranked finishes in seven of the past nine seasons, includ- ing five top-10 placements. The elusive CFP burden was lifted last year with the Lions' first, paired with a second Big Ten Championship Game berth. Securing the fifth-best winning per- centage in college football the past three seasons is an accomplishment in itself. But Franklin has pushed Penn State's players, coaches, staffers, administrators and fans to aspire to be the best. And, maybe more important, for everyone to recognize the unrelenting pace needed to get there. Acutely aware of the effort it took to elevate the program to the level it now occupies, Franklin remains focused on the future. The current moment in col- lege football demands attention to the big-picture elements that can sustain success now more than ever before. Playing for and winning a national championship is one of the universally acknowledged objectives at stake for Penn State's players and coaches this season. A Big Ten championship would be compelling, too. The Lions aim to run it back — all the way back. Franklin has always played the long game, steering the program toward alignment and consistency. There's another step to be taken, one in which Penn State wins the biggest games in the biggest moments, but it's a path Franklin knows well. ■ Getting ready for his 12th season on Penn State's side- line, James Franklin has built what many regard as the best team of his head coaching career. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL O P I N I O N NATE BAUER NATE.BAUER@ON3.COM HOT READ In Pursuit Of Greatness, Penn State Picks Up The Pace