COLUMBUS, Ohio — Penn State head coach James Franklin met with the media on Tuesday for his weekly press conference, previewing the matchup at Ohio State on Saturday.
You can find the highlights of what was said below.
James Franklin
+ They lost the turnover battle last game but won the sack, drive start, penalty, and third down battles. They won but most importantly got better on Saturday.
+ He has a ton of respect for Ryan Day and Ohio State as a whole. Offensively, they are doing a really good job as a spread offense and they will go tempo as well. Personnel wise, it starts with Marvin Harrison Jr. — everybody in the country is familiar with him. Cade Stover isn’t getting enough attention or love, he’s a very productive player and has elite ball skills. Defensively, Jim Knowles has done a nice job and has taken it to a whole other level this year. Franklin has a coach crush on Tommy Eichenberg. He is a really good football player and is fun to watch, he’s the quarterback of the defense.
+ On Drew Allar playing at home in Ohio, Franklin said he wasn’t going to talk to him about it but because everyone is focused on it, he is going to have a conversation with Allar. He wants Allar to do the same thing he has done all year, to prepare and practice the same way, and get better this week.
+ On Kyle McCord, Franklin said he has a big arm, is a good-sized guy, understands Ohio State’s system, and is surrounded by a ton of talent. His touchdown to interception ratio is really good. His high school coach is on Penn State’s staff, they have always had a ton of respect for him and continue to. “He will be a challenge of us on Saturday.”
+ They have to embrace the identity of their team no matter what the outside world is saying. The Iowa game was a good example of that. For him, staying true to their identity and what has gotten them there, while still knowing where they need to improve, is key. They can’t try and be something they haven’t been the last six weeks.
