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James Franklin fields questions on PSU's offense, John Donovan and more

By Audrey Snyder/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 8 years ago

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- James Franklin met with the media following Penn State’s 20-14 victory against Army. Here are some of the highlights on the offense, the offensive coordinator, injuries, fan expectations and more.

Q: Can you evaluate the offense from the start of the season to now?

James Franklin: “Not where we need to be. There’s no doubt about it. Not where we need to be. We’re inconsistent. What’s killing us is penalties. We get ourself in too many long yardage situations. I do think the weather has had a factor in some of that, but that’s not the reason. That’s been a factor, one of many factors. The penalties, we’re not in a position to overcome long yardage situations on third downs and things like that. We did pick one up on a screen and we almost picked up another one obviously handing the ball off on a run play so we got a lot of work to do in that area which is obvious to everybody.” 

The offense is in the bottom 10 in the country now. [Lions entered ranked 110 of 127 FBS teams] What is your evaluation of [offensive coordinator] John Donovan and are you confident him and this offense can get this thing turned around?

Franklin: “Just what I just said. We’ve got a long ways to go. I’m not happy with where we’re at.”

Thoughts on the receivers struggling to get separation against Army:

Franklin: “We gotta be better. We gotta be better in all those areas there’s no doubt about it. I think we’ve got to throw the ball consistently and take more shots to give those guys opportunities, whether they’re getting separation or not I’ll check the film to see that. But you look at Godwin he’s coming down with contested catches and making it with people on his back, so whether you get separation and run away from people, or whether you catch contested catches the most important thing is when you have an opportunity to make a play you make it. It’s great to see Mike Gesicki get involved , we got to continue growing there.”

You said you’d be more involved with the offense after the Temple game. Have you been that involved in the last three games, if not will you be getting more involved for next week’s game?

Franklin: “Yeah, I’ve been more involved. Yes.”

Q: Any of the kids who didn’t play today could they have played with better weather conditions?

A: Franklin: “I think it depends who you talk to. If you talk to the kids, yes. Talk to the trainer, no. They weren’t ready to play this week it wasn’t like we were holding anybody for anything. They weren’t able to go this week so hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to get the guys back. The kids always say that. You ask the guys, ‘You ready to play?’ ‘Oh yeah, I can play coach. I can do it. Talk to the trainer, ‘No, no you can’t.’ We’re always going to put the safeties of our players first to make sure they’re taken care of and we’ve got really sharp, trained professionals that are able to do that.”

Q: This is a big picture-question. After the Temple loss you seemed to have a pretty good feel for maybe how frustrating that might be for the fan base. This was a four-touchdown point spread, expectations from you fan base aren’t 20-14 wins over Army. I know you’re being positive and everything, but what would you tell your fan base after a game like this where weather and injuries aside, you come out and really struggle and almost lose as a four-touchdown favorite?

A: Franklin: “Okay. First of all I have no concerns about point spreads. I couldn’t tell you what they are. I don’t know a coach in the country that does, so I’m going to come in here every single week and be positive even if it kills you guys and you want me to be negative.

I love our players, I love our school, I love our colors, love Penn State, love Happy Valley, love our community. Do we need to get better? Yes. But you guys can ask me every question in the book and try to get me to be negative and I’m not going to do it. I’m not gonna do it. Love our guys, love our staff, love the opportunity that we have here—gotta get better! I know it, you know it, the fans know it.

Point spreads and all those things I don’t even understand them. I lost $20 in Atlantic City when I was like 24 years old after college and I almost threw up. That was the last time I gambled. I couldn’t tell you anything about it.

I’m worried about making sure our guys go to school, get an education, make great choices I the community and find a way to win games. That’s what we’re going to do. We won today. We’re 1-0. We’re 1-0 and we’re going to do everything in our power to be 1-0 next week and I’m going to come in here and I’m going to be positive. I’m going to be positive and I’m not going to go down that road with anybody. Love our players, love our coaches, love our media, love everybody. Love everybody.”

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