Live Updates: Day 2 of Big Ten Football Media Days

Penn State football coach James Franklin takes the podium Wednesday at Big Ten Football Media Days in Las Vegas. Franklin will represent the Nittany Lions with quarterback Drew Allar, center Nick Dawkins and safety Zakee Wheatley in previewing the anticipated 2025 Penn State football season.

We're updating the sessions live from Las Vegas, where six Big Ten coaches are scheduled to speak, including Oregon's Dan Lanning. The Ducks visit Penn State on Sept. 27 for the annual Penn State White Out.

Check out our recap of Day 1 of media days, which included some interesting remarks from Indiana coach Curt Cignetti and Maryland coach Mike Locksley. In addition, Nebraska coach Mike Rhule had some high praise for Franklin and Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft, who was his boss at Temple.

Big Ten Network will carry the press conferences live beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET Wednesday. Franklin is scheduled to address the media at 3:45 p.m. ET. Here's the entire schedule for Big Ten Football Media Days.

The fellas looking sharp for Big Ten Media Day!#WeAre pic.twitter.com/g2RcS21aPR
— Penn State Football Communications (@PennStFBComms) July 23, 2025

James Franklin says Penn State has its "best combined personnel" this season

Entering his 12th season at Penn State, Franklin made a bold statement. "This is the best combined personnel that I think we've had at Penn State. When I talk about personnel, I'm talking about players and staff — from a depth and talent standpoint and from an experience standpoint. We're very excited about that."

Franklin was referencing the significant retention plan Penn State put in place this offseason that produced the returns of quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen and defensive stars in tackle Zane Durant, end Dani Dennis-Sutton and cornerback A.J. Harris.

Franklin also was referring to two key staff hires in defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and running backs coach Stan Drayton. That has led to expectations, which Franklin addressed.

"There's a ton of conversations that are happening nationally, and we embrace that," Franklin said. "We've earned that based on what we've been able to do and what we've got coming back. There's a lot of people excited on a national level who are talking about us."

Washington's Jedd Fisch endorses Big Ten playoff model

The second-year Washington coach followed in lockstep with Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti, endorsing the conferrence's proposal for four automatic qualifiers in an expanded College Football Playoff.

"We can’t leave it up to chance with a 5-11 combo," Fisch said, referring to the SEC proposal.

Oregon's Dan Lanning has a theme for 2025: 'Double down'

Referencing Las Vegas, Lanning said the Ducks have dedicated this year to a "double down" theme. The Ducks entered the College Football Playoff as the unbeaten top seed after beating Penn State in the Big Ten Championship Game buy fell prey to the bracket and Ohio State.

"We lost to a great team, but I don't think we played our best football," Lanning said of the playoff game vs. the Buckeyes. "... Like I said, double down."

Oregon enters 2025 with a much different roster, notably on offense, where quarterback Dante Moore takes over for Dillon Gabriel.

"The thing with Dante is, he doesn't want to be in a microwave society," Lanning said. "You have the opportunity to sit back and mature to learn from experiences that you don't necessarily have to be on the field to feel."

Wisconsin's Luke Fickell says 'last year was not the standard'

Wisconsin went 5-7 last year, finishing with five straight Big Ten losses after starting 5-2. That run began with a 28-13 loss to Penn State and continued against Iowa, Oregon, Nebraska and Minnesota. Like every coach who slumped last year, Fickell fell on the sword.

"Last year was not the standard," Fickell said. "It's pretty obvious to say, and it's partly the way we finished. What last year does is give us an opportunity to self-reflect."

That led Wisconsin to the portal, where it signed quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. from Maryland. The graduate student steps into a minefield schedule that includes trips to Alabama, Oregon, Michigan and Indiana and home games vs. Ohio State and Illinois.

"This isn't the Big Ten West anymore," Fickell said. "... Everybody knows what they signed up for and what the stuck around for."

Minnesota's P.J. Fleck filibusters from dais

The Big Ten gives head coaches 15 minutes on the stage. Most spend a few minutes on their team and take questions. Fleck instead exhaused his time with an energetic barrage of slogans and catch phrases. He managed to take one question.

Fleck needed to explain his phrase that Minnesota wants to "be delusional" this season. The Gophers went 8-5 last season, but Fleck positioned his team as a Big Ten contender through that phrase.

"It means no cap on the job, no limitations, dreaming big," Fleck said. "If we’re delusional enough to know what we can do that, we can get there."

Minnesota also has one of the conference's more unique player in sophomore safety Koi Perich, who was first-team All-Big Ten last season and will play offense this year as well. In fact, Fleck said that quarterback Drake Lindsey traded numbers with Perich, from 5 to 3, and the two have been studying film together this offseason.

"One word to describe this team in 2025 are multipliers." @Coach_Fleck speaks highly of his @GopherFootball squad heading into the new season.#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/zQ27jzhsIA
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) July 23, 2025

Northwestern's David Braun hits reset after disappointing 2024

Braun was the Big Ten Coach of the Year in his 2023 debut, when he led the Wildcats to an 8-5 record in the aftermath of Pat Fitzgerald's firing. But last year was a slog. Northwestern went 4-8 and won two Big Ten games, prompting an offseason of reflection. Braun said he was "humbled and frustrated."

"A frustrating 2024 campaign ultimately provided the opportunity for everyone, including me, to evaluate everything," Braun said. "In chaos there's opportunity."

The Wildcats visit Penn State on Oct. 11 with what Braun called "endless reasons to excited about Northwestern football." The coach particularly noted defensive end Anto Saka, an honorable mention all-conference player last season. "Anto Saka truly will be one of the best defensive ends in the country this season," Braun said.

Braun also peered ahead to 2026, when Northwestern will open its $850 million rebuilt Ryan Field. Braun said it "truly will be the best football venue in the country."