Odds and ends: Thoughts on Penn State's TEs, the plan for the freshmen and more

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The return of the regular season means the return of routines and that was in full swing Tuesday as defensive tackle Austin Johnson and safety Marcus Allen fielded questions on conference calls and James Franklin held his first weekly news conference of the season.

Purdue's Ricardo Allen, left, tries to stop Penn State's Adam Breneman as he runs down the field with the ball during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Centre Daily Times, Abby Drey)

Following Franklin’s availability quarterback Christian Hackenberg and linebacker Nyeem Wartman-White met with the media for the first time since the team held media day Aug. 6. Here is my notebook from Tuesday with lots of items in it. Also, here are my three keys to the season as well as a story about cost of attendance stipends (Hint: It includes what LaVar Arrington’s go-to Wendy’s meal was when he was in college).

We’ll go through more player conference calls Wednesday and catch the final 10 minutes of practice in the evening.

For now, here are some extra thoughts as Wednesday gets rolling.

What to make of Adam Breneman’s availability and Kyle Carter’s spot on the depth chart?

Breneman, a redshirt sophomore, said earlier this summer he felt better than ever and he was practicing with the team even up until last Wednesday when he was spotted running on the side with strength coach Dwight Galt.

With Breneman left off Penn State’s Week 1 depth chart and his history of injuries, it’s unclear what’s next. Franklin didn’t go into great detail when asked why Breneman wasn’t on the depth chart, but Franklin did say the redshirt sophomore who missed last season with a knee injury has “some challenges that he needs to overcome on the football field.”

There was no timetable given and when asked if Breneman will be available later this year.

“I can’t speak on that. I’m not sure,” Franklin said.

Breneman was a key piece of Penn State’s 2013 recruiting class along with Christian Hackenberg and I remember asking Franklin about Breneman in the middle of last season and the coach being upbeat about all the possibilities a healthy Breneman would give the offense. We’ve seen the offense operate with (2013) and without (2014) Breneman and while I think Mike Gesicki, the listed starter who turned heads since he arrived on campus last summer is in for a breakout year, Breneman’s availability—whatever it is or isn’t-- is certainly a concern.

I also found it interesting that redshirt junior Brent Wilkerson was listed on the depth chart ahead of fifth-year senior Kyle Carter. This isn’t a slight to Wilkerson, rather just interesting when looking at the way things have gone for Carter the past few years.

Carter, who dealt with his own share of injuries throughout his Penn State career, was second on the team in receptions back in 2012. While the tight ends where heavily emphasized in Bill O’Brien’s offense, Carter’s production since he burst on the scene that year has decreased.

Here are the numbers:

2012 (through nine games): 36 catches, 453 yards, 2 TDs

2013 (through 12 games): 18 catches, 222 yards, 1TD

2014: (through 13 games): 16 catches, 153 yards, 1TD

“Hopefully we stay injury free and don't need to either, you know, have to burn a red shirt or something like that, but we feel good about the three that we have,” Franklin said of the tight ends. “There's no doubt that you'd love to have Adam available for this week and you'd love to have his play-making abilities, as well as his maturity.”

Plan for the freshmen

Penn State plans on using four freshmen off the bat this season with receivers Juwan Johnson and Brandon Polk, plus cornerback John Reid and running back Saquon Barkley. That much we knew.

How much they play this season, especially Saturday against Temple, remains to be seen. For now Barkley is fourth on the depth chart at running back and is listed second on kick returns (behind Koa Farmer). Johnson is third behind receivers Chris Godwin and Saeed Blacknall. Reid is listed as CB Grant Haley’s backup. Polk is listed behind receiver DeAndre Thompkins and Polk is also listed third behind Mark Allen and Thompkins on punt returns.

Easing the freshmen into their roles is the plan and by the fourth game Franklin said he expects these players to then take the next step.

“What you're really hoping for with these young players is that not that they're, you know, 100 percent ready to play against Temple, that they have a role against Temple, but by game five, these guys aren't freshmen anymore,” Franklin said.

We heard plenty about Barkley during camp and Mark Allen—or ‘Little Mark Allen’ as good friend and teammate Marcus Allen said on his conference call when I asked him about the 5-foot-6, 181-pound back-- is Akeel Lynch’s top backup. What type of role Barkley has this year will be determined as the season progresses, which is always the case with any true freshman who sees the field. Once they get their footing and the game slows down a bit for them—ideally by the time conference play starts— then the players in the yellow or maybe category can step up if they are given the green light and begin their acclimation process.

Talking smack

Austin Johnson said the players like to talk trash to one another to fire each other up during practices. So who are some of the trash talkers and who does it well?

“Jordan Lucas talks. Geno [Lewis] hands down likes to talk a lot,” Johnson said. “DaeSean [Hamilton]. Some of the guys on the outside and I mean I talk to the linebackers sometimes here and there so I mean the front seven we just pretty much talk smack to each other here and there. It’s a lot of the guys on the outside like Jordan, Geno, DaeSean, Grant [Haley], John Reid, all those guys. It’s a very competitive atmosphere.”

Reid has only been on campus since late June, but from everything we’ve heard about the guy he likes to compete so it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that he’s talking and by the sounds of it is backing it up too.

“He is very good at that corner spot,” Johnson said. “He talks to everybody about what he sees. … People might think, ‘Oh he’s a little small and stuff like that,’ but thery’re not going to say that once the ball is snapped.”

Audrey Snyder: asnyder@post-gazette.com and Twitter @audsnyder4.