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Penn State practice notes: In, out and a QB comparison

By Audrey Snyder/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 8 years ago

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Running backs Akeel Lynch and Saquon Barkley were not present at the 10-minute portion of Wednesday’s practice that was open to the media.

Their usual backups, redshirt freshmen Mark Allen and Nick Scott who came in to play in the second half against San Diego State when both Lynch and Barkley were sidelined with injuries, took reps with the offense. James Franklin said last week that players don’t necessarily need to be available in practice all week in order to play, but does that extend to freshmen who are still acclimating to the offense?

“Each situation is unique and different,” Franklin said following Wednesday’s practice. “Obviously if you’re a senior and you’ve played a lot of football and you haven’t practiced much that week you can play. As a freshman it’s much harder to do that.”

Franklin, who keeps injuries close to the vest, said that redshirt freshman running back Johnathan Thomas, who dressed for the first time this season last Saturday, is the team’s No. 3 running back. Franklin then quickly back peddled and said “I probably shouldn’t say No. 3, he’s one of three backs that we plan on evaluating this week and then seeing who is going to give us the best option on Saturday.”

Franklin added that Penn State “still has the opportunity” to maybe get Barkley and Lynch back Saturday for the noon kick against Army. Lynch wasn’t able to put much weight on his left leg as he exited the field Saturday with the help of trainers and Barkley jogged on the sideline after landing awkwardly on his right ankle.

While the offense worked on the near side of the field the defense was on the far side, both starting safeties Marcus Allen and Jordan Lucas were participants. Allen exited Saturday’s game and returned to the sideline with his right arm in a sling. Lucas, the team’s most experienced starter on defense, didn’t dress for the game. Lucas practiced Wednesday with his right shoulder heavily taped.

Left tackle Andrew Nelson who has yet to play since sustaining a knee injury against Buffalo also was not at practice.

Defensive tackle Anthony Zettel was at practice after returning home to Michigan following Saturday’s game for a memorial service for his father who passed away last Friday. Franklin, defensive line coach Sean Spencer and some of Zettel’s closest teammates attended the memorial.

Does Hackenberg have similarities to NFL great Troy Aikman or FXFL QB Josh Freeman?

ESPN NFL Analyst Trent Dilfer said Wednesday on ESPN that QB Christian Hackenberg has similarities to Troy Aikman and that Hackenberg’s situation at Penn State, which Dilfer said “is not a good situation,” is part of the quarterback’s problem this season. Dilfer said scouts and NFL general managers will still drool over the Penn State junior, despite his numbers this season.

“It’s our job to play well,” Franklin said Wednesday when asked about Dilfer’s comments. “We’ve got to play well. … I’m worried about the people in our locker room and the people in our building.”

Is there any quarterback that Hackenberg reminds Franklin of?

“Me having an opinion about a guy I watched on TV 14 times in my life and not at practice every single day or coaching in the locker room it’s hard for me to get into those things,” he said. “Troy Aikman is awesome.”

Franklin then said that Josh Freeman, who he had as a recruit and then as a freshman and as a sophomore at Kansas State, had similar arm strength to Hackenberg. Freeman threw six touchdowns to 15 interceptions as a freshman, completing 51.9 percent of his passes. As a sophomore he threw for 3,353 yards and 18 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, before wrapping up his collegiate career as a junior with 20 touchdowns to eight interceptions, plus another 14 rushing touchdowns.

Freeman was selected in the first round (17th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After bouncing around the league with stints with the Bucs, Vikings, Giants and Dolphins Freeman signed with the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) where he will play this season with the Brooklyn Bolts.

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