James Franklin’s Eye-Opening Quotes About Oregon From 41-Minute Penn State Presser

Through the first four games of Oregon’s 2025 campaign, head coach Dan Lanning hasn’t faced a true test. That changes Saturday, Sept. 27, when the Ducks step into Big Ten play with a marquee showdown against the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Beaver Stadium will have its annual 'White Out' game, which is considered to be one of the greatest advantages that any program's tradition can give a home team, with its ludicrous deep look of snow in the stands and inaudible atmosphere.

Penn State Nittany Lions coach James Franklin spoke with the media, preparing the universe for what is being deemed the potential college football game of the year. The press conference was a marathon 41 minutes long. Here are the most notable quotes on Oregon, coach Dan Lanning and quarterback Dante Moore.

Sep 13, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin watches the replay of the final play of the game following the end of the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Image | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Oregon's offensive coordinator Will Stein has been using junior tight end Kenyon Sadiq all over the field, as a pass and a run blocker, plus a pass catcher, in all different types of scenarios. This is something that Franklin did last season with now Indianapolis Colts' Tyler Warren.

"That is the best way I would describe (Will Stein's) offense; multiple personnel groups, multiple tempos, multiple schemes. They're able to run the ball with power. They're able to spread you out as well... I think the tight end (Kenyon Sadiq) really makes them go. Obviously, with what we were able to do with Tyler Warren last year, they're getting that out of their tight end position. He's a matchup problem in the passing game. He's physical in the run game, extremely explosive, mainly an 11-personnel team, but they'll go 12 deep."
Penn State coach James Franklin

It has been a seamless transition for Oregon’s offense from going from now Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel to redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore running the show. Franklin believes Lanning is using him more on the ground than any other quarterback that he's worked with in the past.

"I don't think it's a whole lot different. He's a throw-first guy, very accurate. They both had the ability to extend plays. I would say that Dante (Moore) runs a little bit more than they had in the past, but Dillon (Gabriel) was a really good athlete as well. So I think it's still very similar. And I think that Dante sitting behind Dillon for a year was really valuable for his development."
Penn State coach James Franklin

Moore is one of the current favorites to win the Heisman Trophy, having thrown for 11 touchdowns, one interception, and 962 passing yards on a 74.7 completion rate this season thus far. He's not one-dimensional, having the ability to find ways to move the ball down using his feet and move out of the pocket while avoiding any pass rushers (87 rushing yards on 14 carries).

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore carries the ball as the Oregon Ducks host the Oregon State Beavers Sept. 20, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Franklin has now become more familiar with Stein's offensive style, but already was with Oregon special teams coordinator Joe Lorig, having been together at Penn State from 2019 to 2021 and with the Idaho State Bengals in 1999.

“A guy that knows us very well, my guy, Joe Lorig. He was with us here for three years, so he knows our coaching staff, our personnel, and our team very well. He was my old roommate at Idaho State in Pocatello, Idaho. We had a heck of an apartment there. Joe does a really good job. He is an experienced coordinator. He's from Oregon. This was an opportunity for him to get back home, so I was happy for him and his family. Doing a nice job.”
Penn State coach James Franklin

Oct 8, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks special teams coordinator Joe Lorig against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Oregon's defense is a nightmare for opposing teams, especially with that enormous and swift front seven. The Ducks rank No. 12 in total yards given up per game at 228.5 and tied for No. 9 in points given up per game at 9.3.

Franklin had problems with that group as a whole during the 45-37 Big Ten title game loss at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, but seems better prepared given all the gathered intel he now has.

"They're running the system that Dan (Lanning) is familiar with from his Alabama days. Tosh (Lupoi) also has a similar background to Dan. Those two guys are hand in hand, multiple base, front, four down, three down, a little bit of five down, primary coverage. They'll mix up between the middle of the field, open and middle of the field, close quarters, cover one... We've been impressed with their outside linebacker (Matayo Uiagalelei), the defensive lineman (A'Mauri Washington), outside linebacker (Teitum Tuioti), the transfer safety (Dillon Thieneman), and inside linebacker (Bryce Boettcher).
Penn State coach James Franklin

In last season's Big Ten championship loss to the Ducks, the Nittany Lions' defense gave up 469 total yards and 45 points. Franklin expressed that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has become more comfortable with his group since then, adding to the scheme outside of the man-to-man coverage.

"I think last year, we didn't have enough tools in our tool belt. And what I mean by that is we were a majority of the time a man coverage team, and sometimes they were able to get match-ups that were in their favor. And if we're not able to solve that issue with a sack or pressure, then we had some challenges. I think being able to play man is definitely one of our weapons, but also being able to have zones and zone pressures and a lot of those different things that we're now doing more of now is valuable."
Penn State coach James Franklin

Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, has a 106,572 seating capacity, which is the second-largest stadium in the United States. Franklin explained how he hopes to see everyone standing up for the entirety of the game against Oregon.

"We need this place rocking. Need to have a distinct home-field advantage. I'm expecting this to be an environmeent ike no one has ever seen.... We want to make it clearly obvious to everybody what the most challenging environment to play in is, in all of sports, let alone college football. I know a good portion of our fans like to sit down, except for third downs, the red zone, and what they consider critical times of the game. This is a four-quarter, one play at a time game that we need to be on our feet, screaming a collective battle cry in the stadium. So we're going to need everybody's help."
Penn State coach James Franklin

Nov 9, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Fireworks burst overhead as the Penn State Nittany Lions take the field prior to a White Out game against the Washington Huskies at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The rematch of the Big Ten title game and 'White Out' matchup in Pennsylvania can be viewed on NBC or Peacock at 4:30 p.m. PT. No. 3 Penn State and No. 6 Oregon will have the eyes of the entire world on them.