of social issues, problems that we have
right now in our society, making great
choices and just trying to reinforce that
over and over again."
Of those 33 freshmen, only nine have
seen the playing 9eld this season. Other-
wise, most of them are relegated to the
scout team, with some being used as tack-
ling targets for linebacker Mike Hull, others
doing what they can to cover DaeSean
Hamilton. It can be a thankless grind, so
the coaching sta; takes steps to ensure
that the voices of the freshman class are
heard.
"Something I noticed when I was an
assistant was you recruit these guys, you
love them up, you bring them in and then
90 percent of them redshirt and they kind
of just get pushed o; to the side," Franklin
said. "Then I'd see that you have attrition.
You'd have a bunch of guys leave, guys
struggling with the transition."
Attrition is one of the last things Penn
State needs as it approaches the 2014-15
o;-season. Much has been made of the
Nittany Lions' inexperience – there were
only four senior starters vs. Ohio State
and Maryland – meaning the scholarship
roster is back-loaded with underclassmen.
And the team needs almost every one of
them to return next season and beyond.
A couple days a=er the overtime loss to
Ohio State, PSU football's o
