Cotton Bowl Notebook: Opportunity for young coaches and minimizing change
Posted up in his Dallas hotel room ahead of the Cotton Bowl, James Franklin flipped through the bowl games on his television, making an observation as he watched some of his fellow members of the coaching fraternity navigate their postseason games.
“I was just in my room kind of watching all the bowl games that are going on, and a lot of bowl games being coached by people that weren’t coaching during the regular season, whether it’s [graduate assistants] getting promoted or whether it’s analysts being promoted,” Franklin told reporters at Penn State’s arrival press conference at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. “I think that’s one of the real strong cases that you can make for the analysts and the consultant positions that everybody has now.
“You see a lot of times those guys sliding into full-time positions the following year,” Franklin added. “You see them sliding into responsibilities during these bowl games.”
Kirk Campbell, previously an offensive analyst for the Nittany Lions, will coach quarterbacks in the Cotton Bowl, a byproduct of the kind of turnover Franklin was highlighting with his comments. Jeff Carpenter, previously an off-the-field analyst, is another example. He will slide into the graduate assistant spot vacated by Mark Dupuis, who followed former offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne to Old Dominion.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for young guys on your staff, whether they’re graduate assistants or whether they’re more experienced guys like analysts and consultants, to take that next step,” Franklin said.
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Minimizing change
Since Rahne left to become a head coach, Franklin has spent lots of time discussing how Penn State’s opponent in the Cotton Bowl, Memphis, deals with turnover on its coaching staff, and what the Nittany Lions can learn from it.
The Tigers, Franklin noted, have suffered between seven and nine coaching staff departures every season since Mike Norvell took the program’s reins in 2016. Now Norvell has left for Florida State, and Ryan Silverfield has taken his place — not that Franklin thinks that will pose many problems for Memphis.
“Memphis in some ways might have an advantage with this,” Franklin said.
“Their team is used to it. This is just kind of what they’re used to dealing with every single year during bowl times and the offseason. So we’ve had a little bit of it, but not nearly as much as them over the last four-to-five years.”
For the second time in three seasons, though, the Nittany Lions will have a replacement offensive coordinator for their bowl game, as second-year tight ends coach Tyler Bowen takes over the play calling duties from Rahne on an interim basis.
As the Nittany Lions try to absorb that transition, they’ll focus on themselves, relying on their leaders and keeping it simple.
“You’re not going to recreate your offense or your defense or your special teams in a couple weeks before the bowl game,” Franklin said. “So at this point in the season, it’s really about our players. It’s always about our players, but I think it’s magnified at this point, especially when you do have some changes like that.
“Both teams will have a few new wrinkles like you always do…But for the most part, we’re going to be who we’ve been.”
Gordon returns to home state
Cornerback Trent Gordon is the only scholarship player on Penn State’s roster from the football hotbed of Texas, joined by walk-on wide receiver Alec Berger.
Gordon told reporters that he expects 14 family members of his to attend the Cotton Bowl next week.
“It’s just a breath of fresh air being here,” Gordon said.
Gordon also added that he’s excited to be playing somewhere warm, after his first full season on the field in Big Ten country.
Franklin (jokingly) took exception.
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” Franklin said. “It’s 76 degrees in Happy Valley right now.”
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