Penn State coach James Franklin stays fixated on figuring out the kinks forward of his second-ranked workforce’s recreation towards Villanova on Saturday afternoon in College Park, Pa.
The Nittany Lions recorded 35- and 34-point victories of their first two video games, however Franklin solid a vital eye when he met with reporters Monday at his weekly press convention.
The coach mentioned he wished to see extra explosive performs and a greater conversion effectivity on third downs. He then addressed a “next-play” mentality as a way of stopping one missed alternative from affecting future performs.
Working example, quarterback Drew Allar was demonstrative in his frustration after misfiring on a number of throws within the first half of Penn State’s 34-0 victory over Florida Worldwide final Saturday.
“I feel (Allar) acquired annoyed, and it lingered,” Franklin mentioned. “What occurs is while you’ve acquired folks that have invested the quantity {that a} man like Drew and most of our workforce have invested, that is simpler mentioned than achieved, to maneuver on to the following play and never get annoyed and upset with your self.”
Nicholas Singleton additionally was singled out by Franklin for “considering an excessive amount of” towards the Panthers. Singleton, nonetheless, rushed for a 5-yard landing simply over two minutes after fellow working again Kaytron Allen scampered 67 yards for a rating within the fourth quarter.
Allen (3,064) and Singleton (3,007) every eclipsed the three,000-yard plateaus of their careers on Saturday. They turned the primary FBS teammates to perform the feat since Louisiana’s Trey Ragas and Elijah Mitchell in 2020 and the primary Energy 4 rushers since Georgia’s Nick Chubb and Sony Michel in 2017.
Franklin on Monday was fast to credit score his offensive line.
“I noticed an enormous step final week,” he mentioned. “… Clearly there are such excessive expectations for that group coming into the season, and deservedly so. That performs a component in it.”
Whereas Penn State (2-0) has cruised to victory in its video games, Villanova had a harder time in its season opener final week.
Nicholls State graduate switch Pat McQuaide fared properly in changing the now-graduated Connor Watkins, throwing for 299 yards and a landing within the Wildcats’ 24-17 victory over Colgate on Saturday. McQuaide’s passing complete marked essentially the most by a Villanova quarterback in his first begin, passing Watkins’ report by 1 yard.
McQuaide additionally had a 28-yard dashing landing.
“It is not a mirrored image of me,” McQuaide mentioned of his gaudy stats, per the Philadelphia Inquirer. “The offensive line is unimaginable. I do not suppose there was a sack. The stats go to me, which they should not, as a result of that was these guys that did the work.”
Luke Colella had 5 receptions for 124 yards, whereas former Villanova lacrosse participant Lukas Kopecky reeled in a 56-yard scoring strike.
“Nicely, being 1-0 is unquestionably higher than the choice, so we’re actually completely happy and enthusiastic about that,” Villanova coach Mark Ferrante mentioned.
-Subject Stage Media
