7/28/2022 football Edit

Biggest takeaways from Penn State's time at Big Ten Media Days

Dylan Callaghan-Croley • Happy Valley Insider

Editor

Penn State's contingent was at the Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday as Penn State head football coach James Franklin, athletic director Pat Kraft, as well as start football players Ja'yir Brown, Sean Clifford, and PJ Mustipher met with the media.

Here are a few of the major takeaways from the Nittany Lions' availability on Wednesday afternoon.

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1. James Franklin breaks down the Nittany Lions roster

Out of his 15 minutes of availability on stage, James Franklin spent most of that time giving his opening statement. A majority of that opening statement was talking about the Nittany Lions roster, the overall sentiment from the eighth-year head coach? The Nittany Lions are entering 2022 with some of their best depth of the Franklin era. "I love our overall depth," Franklin said. "I think our overall depth is good as it's been in a number of years."

A big part of that overall depth is the Nittany Lions' young talent that could be on display this season, "I think a couple of the things, you know that have factored into that is, we had a very well regarded recruiting class coming in," he said. "A combination of transfer student-athletes, and a junior college player. In this class what we've been able to evaluate since they've been on campus, is there's probably a larger number of those young men that we feel are going to be able to impact our program and our organization earlier in their careers."

Franklin spoke highly of sixth-year quarterback Sean Clifford and the overall depth at the position, "Four quarterbacks that we feel very, very strong about, we feel great about the competition in that room." He also praised the depth in the running back and tight end rooms, saying he would put both rooms up against any in the country.

Franklin knows however that the offensive line is the group under the microscope. "O-line is the group that we come and talk about every single year and I tell you this is going to be the year, for the next step at the position, I'm not going to do that this year," Franklin said with a smile during his opening statement. "I'm going to let them prove to you on the field but I've been very very pleased with that unit and the depth that we have created."

Despite the loss of Jahan Dotson at wide receiver, Franklin believes the Nittany Lions will be just fine out wide, "Our two deep and our three starters, I feel like have a chance to be as good if not better," he said in regards to the Nittany Lions' wide receiver room compared to last season.

On the defensive side of the ball, Franklin is confident in his defensive line and secondary room but knows linebacker, specifically middle linebacker is the big question mark heading into the season. "Linebacker is the question ... we feel really good about our two outside linebacker positions, at the middle linebacker position we're going to have a competition that will go deep into camp."

"We're excited we're about where we're at, we've had a great, great summer, we've had a great offseason, and really looking forward to coming into camp," he said as he finished up his breakdown of the Nittany Lions roster. The Nittany Lions will open up their fall camp on Sunday.

2. Chop Robinson, PJ Mustipher, and Adisa Isaac...

To build off the discussion of the roster, James Franklin spoke highly about Maryland defensive end transfer Chop Robinson as well as returning defensive linemen PJ Mustipher and Adisa Isaac. While Robinson may be the only transfer of the three, the returns of a fully healthy PJ Mustipher and Adisa Isaac can not go understated for the Nittany Lions entering the season.

"He's got a chance to come in and make an impact. He's come in and tested extremely well very athletic." Franklin said about Robinson. " I think he's got a chance to be a high production, low maintenance guy," he would go on to add. As a true freshman at Maryland in 2021, Robinson played in all 13 games, recording 19 tackles including 2.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks. He was also named to ESPN's Midseason True Freshman All-Amerian team.

Franklin didn't speak in length about Adisa Isaac but briefly mentioned the Brooklyn (NY) native. The redshirt junior defensive end is returning from an Achilles injury suffered in last year's fall camp. The 6-foot-4, 249-pound defensive end was expected to play a major role in 2021 as a pass rusher for the Nittany Lions. Now, fully healthy, he'll look to take over that role in 2022.

Mustipher, of course, is someone that will go down as one of the more beloved players of the James Franklin era. Franklin talked at length about the super senior defensive tackle on Wednesday. "Obviously been in the program and been a player for us for five years. Using the COVID year and is excited about what he's going to be able to do in leading our front," he said during his opening statement regarding the Owing Mills (MD) native. Later on, he would go on to add, "He's back and excited and ready to go. He wished that he was ready for spring ball, he wasn't, but the most important thing is that he's ready for camp. .. he's in great spirts, he feels both mentally and physically 100% because I think that's a big part of this, it's not just the physical aspect of it, it's the mental aspect of it as well."

3. NIL and student athlete-conference relations

NIL was a topic that was talked about quite a bit on Wednesday including by Penn State's new athletic director Pat Kraft. Kraft acknowledged during his time with the media that the university and athletic department are behind in NIL but "will feel better in three weeks." He, however, did not go into details about what he was alluding to.

Additionally, during his opening statement on Wednesday, James Franklin spoke briefly on Sean Clifford and the rumors of Penn State creating a players union and meeting with Big Ten officials. "The nature of college athletics and college football right now, that you better be willing and able to have discussions that maybe we haven't had in the past," he said. "There's been more changes in college football over the last three years than probably the previous 25 and those are great discussions and dialogue."

Franklin would go on to add, "At the end of the day, our players and specifically Sean, want what's best for college athletics and want what's best for Penn State, and want what's best for the Big Ten. I couldn't be more proud of them," Franklin, however, wouldn't go into details regarding specifics being discussed by the players, Penn State's administration, and the Big Ten.

4. Penn State isn't happy about opening up on the road...again

During his media availability on stage on Wednesday, James Franklin took a bit of a jab at the Big Ten and their conference scheduling for the Nittany Lions, "We've had pretty good practice over the nine years of opening the season in the Big Ten on the road" he said in regards to the Nittany Lions season opener on September 1 against Purdue.

He wasn't the only member of Penn State's contingent in Indianapolis to discuss the matter. During his own media availability, Pat Kraft told the media, "It stinks. I called the conference office and said this was unacceptable." The Nittany Lions this season will open their Big Ten schedule on the road for the eighth consecutive season.