Penn State coach James Franklin talks realignment, QB competition, and the transfer portal

Two days after the Big Ten announced it will be expanding to 18 teams in 2024-25 with the additions of Washington and Oregon, James Franklin was asked about a summer defined by landmark change in college sports, particularly football.

“There’s probably been more changes in the last five years than the previous 50 and I don’t think it’s close,” Franklin said Sunday at Penn State’s local media day. “I think the game and the rules were the same for probably at least 50 years. And now in the last five, there’s been changes — and dramatic changes.”

» READ MORE: As Big Ten media days arrive, Ohio State, Michigan among favorites to win conference

While changes are coming thick and fast for the Big Ten and college football as a whole, Franklin has been a rare model of consistency in the sport, as he prepares for his 10th season as head coach of the Nittany Lions. The former Vanderbilt coach has amassed a 78-36 overall record since arriving in Happy Valley in 2014 and is fresh off leading the Nittany Lions to an 11-2 mark and a Rose Bowl victory last season.

Expectations are sky high again for Penn State as the Nittany Lions are ranked No. 7 in the preseason coaches’ poll and will be looking to break through and reach the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history. But Franklin, as he reiterated throughout his 30-plus-minute news conference, says his focus is on one thing: the Nittany Lions’ season opener against West Virginia at Beaver Stadium on Sept. 2. Here are the highlights from Franklin’s media availability:

In his opening comments, Franklin noted that through three days of practice his team looks bigger, stronger, and faster. He also believes this year’s group has the potential to be the deepest Penn State team of his tenure.

“We have a three-deep at pretty much every position and I’d probably describe it a little bit more in more detail as probably a two-and-a-half deep,” said Franklin.

“I just don’t remember us having that as consistently across the board. ... So I think the stability on the staff, the more depth, those things are good, and I think they typically lead to giving yourself a chance to be successful.”

In terms of particular positions of depth, Franklin pointed out both lines among the team’s biggest strengths.

“I think depth on the D-line and depth on the O-line, you know, is impressive,” said Franklin. “The amount of bodies, the amount of experience that I think are going to impact the team this year and have really good careers here at Penn State, I think that’s impressive.

“I would say the same thing at the tight end position. I’d say the same thing at the running back position. Those positions stand out. I’d say the same thing at corner. Having a three-deep across the board allows you to develop your entire roster when you feel like you’ve got legitimate guys to put out there, both physically and mentally.”

Anchoring the respective lines for the Nittany Lions will be offensive tackle Olu Fashanu and defensive end Chop Robinson, both of whom could be future NFL first-round draft picks. Junior corner Kalen King, sophomore running back Nick Singleton, and sophomore linebacker Abdul Carter, a La Salle College High grad, are also worth monitoring — all five were recognized on preseason All-America teams.

The biggest question for the Nittany Lions is who will be under center at quarterback now that four-year starter Sean Clifford has moved on after six years in the program. The competition likely boils down to last year’s backup Drew Allar and redshirt freshman Beau Pribula.

The sophomore Allar is seen as the front-runner, as the former five-star recruit was impressive in limited opportunities last season, going 35-for-60 for 344 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games. Meanwhile, Pribula is a former two-time Pennsylvania player of the year at Central York High School. While Franklin says the team is in no rush to name a starter, he did weigh in on his early observations.

» READ MORE: Penn State coach James Franklin isn’t calling sophomore Drew Allar his QB1 quite yet

“You know, Drew [Allar] and Beau [Pribula] obviously in year two,” said Franklin. “They look like guys that are year two in the same system mentally. They look like guys year two physically. They both have gotten stronger. They have both gotten leaner. They have both gotten faster. They have gotten more confident with their reads, their accuracy, their decision-making, those types of things. So they have been impressive. They really have.”

Franklin also name-checked freshman Jaxon Smolik when asked about the QBs.

“I’d say Smolik has been kind of the surprise at camp so far, specifically in the quarterback room,” Franklin said. “He’s one of those guys that although he is still learning the nuances of the position and the nuances of the offense in terms of in the meeting ... he’s just got a natural feel for the position on the field.”

While Franklin didn’t dive too much into the realignment conversation, one area he did address was the hotly debated transfer portal.

“I think it’s like the pendulum, right? I think the pendulum has overcorrected, but I would say there was a problem,” Franklin said. “Should head coaches have been able to have the power to deny kids from transferring to 10 different schools? They shouldn’t have been able to do that. That was not right. That was unfair.”

Franklin later explained that he hopes the NCAA and the conference commissioners look at the current landscape and make some adjustments.

“Do I think the players should have options and choices? Yes,” the coach said. “Do I think the coaches should have been able to restrict student athletes from transferring anywhere that the coach didn’t want them to transfer to? No. But I think we could have gotten to more of a middle ground rather than from one extreme to where we are now.”