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‘A ton of work to be done’: James Franklin talks next steps for Penn State football post-spring

Following Saturday’s Blue-White Game, James Franklin discussed in detail how Penn State football will navigate the next few months.

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Penn State Football, James Franklin
April 15, 2023. James Franklin takes the field before the Penn State Blue-White Game. Credit: Gracie Carella // Basic Blues Nation.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — College football in 2023 never stops. From recruiting, roster development and retention, monitoring the transfer portal, and game prep, being a college football coach is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year profession. It’s enough to make your head spin. Like any major corporation, running a Power Five football program takes tremendous planning, organization, and intention. Following Saturday’s Blue-White Game, James Franklin discussed how the Penn State football program will navigate the next few months. Franklin’s answer, equal parts CEO and football coach, offered extremely valuable insight into the operational structure of Penn State football.

James Franklin discusses roster development and feedback following spring practice

Developing and maintaining a college football roster doesn’t stop because spring football is complete. In many ways, the post-spring evaluation process is just as taxing for coaches as the spring practice window. During media availability after the Blue-White Game Saturday, James Franklin discussed Penn State football’s player evaluation process following spring ball.

“Monday and Tuesday all day, the players will be meeting with their position coaches,” Franklin said. “They will get feedback from their position coaches. The coaches will get feedback from the players. We have them [the players] fill out a document beforehand to come in and answer some questions. There are some questions for the position coach to discuss with them; so they get really good feedback from their position coach.”

All the players will then go through a similar process with the Nittany Lions’ strength and conditioning coaches, as well as other members of the staff. Following these sessions, all of the information from each player’s development plan is rolled up, and Franklin starts his evaluation process. According to Franklin, this is an insightful but arduous exercise.

“…one of my favorite things to do — and one of the things that I disliked to do — is I have to meet with every single player on the team. There’s a ton of value in it, but it’s a grind,” Franklin said Saturday. “… I’ll meet with every single one of those players, review the document from the strength staff, review a document from the academic staff, the training staff, their position coach, so they understand kind of holistically where they’re at. And then I give them specific feedback as well.”

Franklin’s evaluations offer insight into the Penn State football staff as well

In addition to evaluating each player, Franklin also evaluates the Penn State football staff following spring. Once again, this process will start this upcoming week with player interviews.

“…I also get feedback [from the players] on the staff,” Franklin noted.” What do they think about their position coach? What do they think about the coordinator? What do they think about the strength staff?…that feedback is important and I kind of tally it all up. You know, who’s your favorite staff member and why?”

All told, this is a massive undertaking. But when approached correctly, Franklin believes this process sets Penn State football up for success later.

“… there’s a ton of information that we’re able to get that is a part of my evaluation process, not just for the players, but for the staff. So that’ll be a grind,” Franklin said. “But I think that’s what we’re gonna have to do. We just have to be very intentional as coaches, as players, as individual positions, as a side of the ball, and grind on this stuff.”

Penn State football shifts its focus to the fall

There are 140 days between the Blue-White Game and Penn State’s season opener against West Virginia. For the Nittany Lion faithful, this can feel like an eternity. But inside the Lasch Building, there isn’t a moment to spare. “We have to be very intentional about what we do between now and West Virginia,” Franklin stated on Saturday.

Obviously, preparation for the 2023 season starts with a debrief from the spring. According to Franklin, this is where the identity of the 2023 Penn State football team takes shape. “We’re gonna go through the tape from spring. Make all the cut-ups, so we get off the road from spring recruiting, we’ll go through the cut-ups from spring ball,” he said. “We’ll start to come up with what is our identity going to be now on offense, defense, and special teams, based on what we did well this spring.”

But even as the post-spring evaluation is in full gear, the coaching staff will begin to look toward the schedule. Franklin noted that on Monday, the program’s analysts and graduate assistants will start breaking down film on Penn State’s first four opponents. This preparation can’t begin soon enough. September could be a make-or-break month for this Penn State football team. Beyond the season opener with the Mountaineers, the Lions also have three cross-divisional Big Ten matchups against Illinois, Iowa, and Northwestern. Stumble out of the gates, and Penn State’s college football playoff hopes could be over before the leaves are off the trees.

There will be no touchdowns, sacks, or stat sheet stuffers in the next four and a half months. No games will be won or lost. There won’t be filled Beaver Stadium crowds or national TV audiences to watch. But out of the public’s eye, the 2023 Penn State football team will start to form. Running a college football program takes immense effort, and for James Franklin and his staff, it’s time to go to work.



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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New Penn State football commit says PSU can win national title

The newest Penn State football commit is gunning for a national title.

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Penn State football, Deryc Plazz, national title, 2024 recruiting class
Jan 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin celebrates with the trophy on the podium after the Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the Utah Utes in the 109th Rose Bowl game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Today, Penn State football made an exciting addition to its 2024 recruiting class by securing the commitment of three-star offensive tackle Deryc Plazz from Florida. Shortly after joining the team, Plazz expressed his bold aspirations for Penn State’s future, confidently proclaiming that the program is poised to claim a future national title and more.

A future national title for Penn State football?

Freshly committed to Penn State football, Deryc Plazz wasted no time in immersing himself in the pursuit of the team’s first national championship since 1986. This promising three-star prospect from Florida showcased his ambitious mindset by sharing his optimistic vision for the future of football in Happy Valley.

“The current class is amazing and it’s truly a blessing to be a part of something this special,” Plazz said, according to Steve Wiltfong. “Looking to load this class up and bring a Natty to Happy Valley.”

Deryc Plazz, Penn State gunning to go above and beyond in the years to come

Plazz doesn’t just want to win a national title during his time at Penn State football, he believes that the Nittany Lions are on track to do so in the near future.

“What’s most exciting about the program is that we’re on track to win a National Championship and that’s the purpose of playing,” Plazz continued. “The opportunity to win a National Championship was the biggest thing. Just knowing that we will constantly be competitive in the college football playoff while and with this 24 class loading up I know we will definitely win it.”

A glass ceiling that needs to break

Currently, Penn State football is showing promising signs of being a strong contender for the Big Ten title and a spot in the College Football Playoff this upcoming season. Preseason polls from various outlets consistently rank the Nittany Lions within the range of No. 5-10, which is well-deserved considering their impressive 11-2 record and Rose Bowl victory under the leadership of James Franklin last year.

However, many projections still anticipate Penn State falling short against formidable opponents like Michigan and Ohio State, which would likely result in another New Year’s Six bowl appearance for the team.

While such a season would still be commendable, as being a top 10 program is an achievement in itself, it is encouraging to see the aspirations of Deryc Plazz and the rest of the 2024 recruiting class. Their desire to strive for greater success in the Blue and White during their tenure is a positive indicator of the program’s ambitions and the determination of its players, commits, and the team’s culture in the years to come.



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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Penn State WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith joins PA-based sports talent firm

The Penn State WR is the third Nittany Lion to sign with the firm since May.

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Penn State WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Penn State Football, PA sports talent firm
Jan 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (1) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Utah Utes in the 109th Rose Bowl game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

On Saturday, it was announced that Penn State WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith had signed with Inch & Co. Sports, a new PA-based sports talent firm. Lambert-Smith becomes the third Penn State football player to sign with the firm in the last month. The founders of Inch & Co. Sports, John and Jeff Inch, and their larger network of PA-based companies, have become increasingly involved in Penn State’s NIL and athlete representation landscape over the last year.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith signs with PA-based sports talent firm

On Saturday evening, Inch & Co. Sports announced via its social media pages that the organization had signed KeAndre Lambert-Smith. The Penn State WR is coming off a budding end to the 2022 season, where he hauled in 8 catches for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Nittany Lions’ final two games. Reporting out of spring practice indicated that Lambert-Smith had separated himself from the pack of Penn State receivers.

“He’s been really good so far this spring,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said. “We need him to be THE guy, a true number one [receiver], not just at Penn State but really in the [Big Ten] and a guy that people are talking about nationally.”

Inch & Co. Sports establishes itself in the Penn State football NIL landscape

Inch & Co. Sports is a York County, PA-based sports talent firm. The company’s founders, brothers John and Jeff Inch, are credited with starting “one of the fastest growing real estate construction companies in the U.S.” According to the firm’s website, its mission is “Representing our athletes with integrity and originality…Whether it’s giving back to the underprivileged, monetizing their image, or guiding them through a professional decision; building trust through honesty is our goal.”

KeAndre Lambert-Smith is the third Penn State football player to sign with the organization since May. The firm first signed QB Beau Pribula, who was a standout at York Central High School, on May 16. Inch & Co. added CB Johnny Dixon later in the month.

Over the last several months, the Inch & Co. network of companies has been establishing itself in the Penn State NIL landscape. In December, the company made headlines when it provided Teslas via a NIL partnership to four Nittany Lions – QB Drew Allar, LB Abdul Carter, CB Kalen King, and OT Olu Fashanu. Pribula was added to the partnership several weeks later.



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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New Penn State football quarterback set to enroll early next spring

New Penn State football quarterback commit Ethan Grunkemeyer is set to enroll early next spring.

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New Penn State football quarterback commit
© Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

All Blue and White fans are clamoring about new Penn State football quarterback commit Ethan Grunkemeyer, who committed to the Nittany Lions late last month. Now, new reports are suggesting that Penn State’s new quarterback intends to enroll in the university early next spring and get extra time with the team and coaching staff ahead of the 2024 season.

Ethan Grunkemeyer set to enroll early

Ethan Grunkemeyer has been a heavily discussed topic among Penn State football fans. At first, a number of fans and talking heads jumped to conclusions, all voicing disappointment due to his three-star rating. However, upon closer observation, it becomes clear that this new 2024 QB may turn into something special as time goes on.

Grunkemeyer, like Drew Allar, committed to Penn State as a three-star but is expected to become a four-star or even better when all is said and done. In fact, Grunkemeyer earned a bid in State College last month and will be competing with the nation’s top quarterbacks at the Elite 11 finals.

“I’m just really excited to be surrounded by great people — Coach Franklin, Coach Yurcich, Coach [Danny] O’Brien,” Grunkemeyer told 247 Sports in a recent podcast interview. “I’ve built a really good relationship with all those guys. And I know Drew, and he loves his experience there so far. So I’m really happy where I landed, and I’m really excited to start to work with those guys.”

Penn State football has something special with new 2024 quarterback

According to the most recent composite rankings, Penn State football quarterback commit Ethan Grunkemeyer remains a three-star recruit. He is currently ranked as the No. 751 recruit in the nation, the No. 46 quarterback in the 2024 class, and the No. 24 recruit in the state of Ohio. While he may not be the highest-ranked recruit in Penn State’s class, the Nittany Lions have a special player with a bright future ahead of them.



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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