Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/399784
t Penn State, Sundays are no longer for rest. It's one of the new routines that James Franklin and his coaching sta& have brought to the program. Whether they're playing in Ireland or in the con%nes of Beaver Stadium, the Nittany Lions wake up the following morning – although they're allowed to sleep in an hour or two – with a work day ahead of them. It normally begins with a defense meet- ing in the morning when bumps and bruises from the day before are still fresh. O&ense goes next, then special teams. The day ends with a walk-through on the Lasch practice %elds and a strength- training session. The coaches' goal is to ensure that everyone learns from the pre- vious day's performance, regardless of whether the result was a win or a loss. Then on Monday – the players' day o& – they put it behind them and begin turning their attention to the next opponent while taking extra time to physically recover and catch up on schoolwork. First, however, long before the players make their way toward the Lasch Building for Sunday morning meetings, the coach- ing sta& has already been watching hours of %lm, meticulously evaluating the game that was. Franklin wants each of his assistant coaches "to be the head coach of their position." So, as early as Saturday night, they individually review the game %lm with a speci%c emphasis on the players within their unit. The coaches, usually on their own, go back through and watch every single snap. Linebackers coach Brent Pry, for instance, might watch a play more than a dozen times, so that he can individually evaluate his Sam, Mike and Will linebackers. It's another new wrinkle that's been added to Penn State's football program since Franklin and his sta& arrived. Pre- vious sta&s thoroughly broke down game | A THIS IS A TEST Pry and his fellow coaches have been grading play- ers using a three- point scale throughout the season. Photo by Tim Owen