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ented this state is. I know how important football is here. "So that is the first thing we're going to do. We're going to work very, very hard and put a staff together that will help us dominate the state of Pennsylvania. " It's apparent that Franklin wants Penn State to excel at in-state recruiting the way Ohio State does. Franklin made it clear that the Nittany Lions' first priority will be to sign players from within the 300-mile radius of University Park that Penn State has long considered its recruiting base. But he also knows that if he wants to win Big Ten titles, play in the conference's championship game and eventually be a part of the newly formatted NCAA playoff system, he has to recruit on a national level. "I think you sell yourself short when you don't do that, he said. "We could " have a Penn State alum in California whose son always grew up wanting to go to Penn State. So having the ability to recruit nationally so that we're aware of where all the great players are in the country, I think, is important. " It didn't take long for Franklin to show what he meant when he said he plans to recruit nationally. Just 72 hours after being named head coach, he verbally offered 2015 Rivals100 defensive end Russell Ude of Westminster High School in Atlanta, Ga. Ude has been rated the seventh-best strongside defensive end in the country by Rivals and the 76th-best overall prospect in the Class of 2015. When Ude landed his verbal offer from Penn State, he tweeted the following: "I've been offered by Penn State, all glory to God." That doesn't mean Penn State is in the driver's seat, but it does indicate that Franklin believes the Lions can expect some success recruiting on a national level. Believe it or not, this is the same recruiting philosophy that Paterno used throughout the 1980s and most of the '90s. After Penn State lost to Alabama, 14-7, in the 1979 Sugar Bowl, Paterno changed his approach to recruiting. He expanded Penn State's territory to encompass nearly the entire East Coast, from Massachusetts to Florida. And it worked. Penn State enjoyed remarkable recruiting success in Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia, signing a number of key players, including D.J. Dozier, Tim Johnson, Ray Roundtree, Michael Timpson, Gary Wilkerson, David Daniels, Keith Goganious, Darren Perry, Sam Gash, Richard McKenzie, Wally Richardson, Bobby Engram, Reggie Givens, Shelly Hammonds, Courtney Brown, David Macklin, Willie Smith, Bhawoh Jue, James Boyd and Shamar Finney. All played key roles in Penn State's success throughout the 1980s and '90s. What's more, all were drafted into the NFL. Franklin, just like Paterno in his prime, knows that being able to recruit successfully at the highest level is the key to success in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The other impressive aspect of Franklin's first Penn State news conference was his description of his offensive and defensive philosophies. "I don't believe that one offense or one defense or one special teams philosophy is the end-all-be-all," Franklin said. "It's all about taking advantage of the assets that you have, and that's what we're going to do. "We'll be pro-style, multiple pro-style offense-defense, and we'll be aggressive in everything we do. "When we get off the bus, we'll be aggressive. The way we call the game, we'll be aggressive. I think that's very, very important. I think the fans want to see an exciting style of defense. I think the fans want to see an exciting style of offense and special teams. " Paterno was the right man in the right place at the right time for Penn State's football program. Bill O'Brien was the perfect coach to lead the program during a period of crisis. From what I heard and saw of Franklin at his introduction, he appears to be exactly what Penn State needs as it begins to shake free from the NCAA sanctions: a head coach who embraces every facet of the Lions' remarkable football heritage while at the same time representing the university in a foI cused and energetic way.

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