Upon further review: Examining Penn State’s 20-14 win vs. Army
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State’s offense without freshman running back Saquon Barkley certainly isn’t for the better. In the two games Barkley hasn’t played in – okay so he had one carry against Temple—so the two games where Barkley hasn’t carried the ball at least twice, the offense put up 180 and 264 total yards.
Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin (12) beats Army defensive back Chris Carnegie (14) to make a fingertip catch of a pass from quarterback Christian Hackenberg. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
The trio of redshirt freshmen, Mark Allen, Nick Scott and Johnathan Thomas shared time in the backfield with Barkley and Akeel Lynch both missing the game due to injury. James Franklin said after the game that the Lions didn’t hold anybody out who could’ve played. Now, whether that’s true or not is anyone’s guess. Franklin continues to keep injuries close to the vest and also said on Tuesday that he thought safety Marcus Allen would play. Allen wasn’t dressed.
As for Barkley, who sported sweats on the sideline, Penn State’s ground game posted 3.2 yards per carry in his absence. The big-play capability was largely gone and it showed.
“The guy has the ability to make guys miss,” Franklin said of Barkley. “We had a few times tonight where we had guys one on one and we weren’t able to do that. … It obviously has a factor in the game.”
What is different about James Franklin’s role with the offense?
He said after the Temple loss he would be more involved with the offense, which he said meant offering suggestions throughout the week and on game days, but not necessarily calling plays. With the offense posting 264 total yards (they entered the game averaging 345.5, which was 110 of 127 FBS teams) Franklin reiterated that the offense simply needs to do better.
“He’s always kind of been with the offense, always on the offensive side of the ball at practices and stuff like that,” tight end Mike Gesicki said. “As in specifics and play calling I’m not really in on all that kind of stuff so I’m not really sure, but coach Franklin, he’s doing a good job with the offense and coach Donovan, we’re very happy to have him as our OC and definitely as our tight end coach. I love coach Donovan, he’s a great guy, a great mentor for myself and I’m just happy to get this win.”
Said guard Brian Gaia: “He comes to our meetings at least once a week now to make sure certain things he notices, and maybe coach Hand notices as well, are going well. He is another set of eyes that can help out.”
Said WR Chris Godwin: “He hasn’t really approached anything different. Our offensive coaching staff they do a great job preparing us each and every week and it’s just a matter of us executing at the end of the day.”
Said QB Christian Hackenberg: “I think he’s done a good job. He keeps our mental psyche in check at all times. He does a great job of finding ways to motivate people. People step up and people react well to what he does so I think he plays a major role in terms of getting us mentally prepared to go out and do what we need to do on a consistent basis.”
Penn State offensive coordinator John Donovan hasn’t been made available to the media since the team’s media day in early August.
Did you notice…
-Sophomore safety Troy Apke, playing in place of injured starter Marcus Allen, made his first career start.
-RB Mark Allen, filling in for Lynch and Barkley also earned his first start.
-RB Nick Scott scored his first career touchdown on an 11-yard run in the first quarter.
-RB Johnathan Thomas, part of the trio of redshirt freshman backs, recorded his first career carry as the backs rotated by series early in the game.
-TE Mike Gesicki’s 33-yard touchdown catch late in the third quarter was the first of his career. Saturday is also Gesicki’s birthday and he said the touchdown was his best gift thus far.
-Senior LB Ben Kline, who came in for the final play of the first half, saw his first game action since the 2013 game at Minnesota. Kline missed last season with an injury and worked his way back, running with the scout team a few weeks ago.
-Penn State missed a shot to catch Army in transition on 3rd and 4 at the Army 23 yard line in the first quarter. The Black Knights were running a 12th player to the sideline but nobody on Penn State’s side could snap the ball, or recognize the need to snap the ball, quickly enough. The play resulted in an incomplete pass intended for Nick Scott and Penn State converted the 4th down to DaeSean Hamilton before Scott capped the drive with his 11-yard touchdown run.
Injuries piling up
Center Angelo Mangiro hobbled to the locker room with his left knee heavily taped during the third quarter. He didn’t return to the field and in his place was reserve center Wendy Laurent. If Mangiro can’t go next week Penn State’s line would be dealt another blow. Left tackle Andrew Nelson has yet to return to the field since the end of the first half against Buffalo.
-Punter Chris Gulla also exited the game after trying to make a tackle in the third quarter and looked shaken up as he tried to get off the field.
-RBs Akeel Lynch and Saquon Barkley didn’t dress and neither did safety Marcus Allen or linebacker Brandon Bell.
Mr. Positive
Questions about Penn State’s offense and offensive coordinator John Donovan sounded to wear on Franklin in his post-game news conference.
Several “we need to do better” remarks were met by Franklin raising his voice at the last question of the day, one about how fans will respond with a six-point victory again Army, a team where Penn State was a heavy favorite.
“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,” Franklin said. “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.”
Franklin has come across as overly positive, so much so that it’s been questioned whether or not it’s at times genuine, since his arrival. Players said he’ll raise his voice in practice and such, but overall keeps the tone positive.
“I’m sure he finds his own ways to do it but he really doesn’t show it as much to us,” Hackenberg said of Franklin seemingly never being negative. “There’s times obviously where tensions are high at practice or whatever and he gets into it in the moment like everyone else.”
What’s Franklin like when he’s mad?
“The positive attitude that he brings is really almost 100 percent. It’s like 99.9 percent,” linebacker Jason Cabinda said.
Is it believable?
“Yeah, absolutely,” Cabinda said.
Audrey Snyder: asnyder@post-gazette.com and Twitter @audsnyder4.
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