How James Franklin Plans to Address Penn State's Run Game
Penn State strayed from the run game too often last season, including in the Outback Bowl, and needs to understand why, head coach James Franklin said. That will be an offseason study project.
"There are things you look back at the end of the season and say, 'Okay, so here's a strength, here's a weakness, we need to work hard on getting this weakness fixed and resolved,'" Franklin said during his season-wrap press conference Wednesday. "And then I think there's also a little bit with the run game where you have to be patient. ... You have to be careful with throwing the ball and explosive plays and the excitement that comes with the way college football has really evolved, as well as the NFL. If you're not careful, you become too throw-heavy.
"And I just want to make sure that we have the ability to do both. That's through developing our players, that's through recruiting, that's through scheme, that's through fundamentals, that's through all of it. And that will be an emphasis this spring, an emphasis the summer and next season as well."
Penn State in 2021 labored through one of its least successful rushing seasons under Franklin, one that ended with a fizzle in the Outback Bowl. The Lions averaged 108 yards rushing per game, the second-lowest total in school history, and better only than the sanction-era average of 101.92 ypg in 2014. They ranked 118th nationally in rushing yards per game.
The Lions did not produce a 100-yard rusher for the first time since 1978 and averaged just 3.21 yards per carry, which ranked 12th in the Big Ten. Further, the Lions lost running back Noah Cain, who is transferring to LSU.
Franklin noted several times last season that he wanted Penn State to stick with the run game more, even when it was inconsistent and ineffective. That included in the Outback Bowl, when the Lions scored a season-low 10 points in a 24-10 loss to Arkansas.
Penn State rushed for 48 yards in the second quarter, which wasn't staggering, but the offense was getting production from Keyvone Lee and Cain. Then offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich called option runs to quarterback Sean Clifford on the first two plays of the third quarter. Clifford eventually led the team with 11 carries. Lee and Cain had five each.
Reflecting on that, Franklin was reminded of the Cotton Bowl, when Memphis gave the Lions passing looks and couldn't stop the run. Penn State responded by rushing for 396 yards, averaging 7.5 per carry, and Journey Brown set a program bowl record with 202 yards rushing.
Franklin wants to see that again.
"I think that, if you look at the [Outback Bowl], we got away from the run," Franklin said. "And we should have run the ball more. We were having success doing it, and we should have done that."
Penn State's rushing offense will look different next season without Cain and John Lovett in the backfield and Rasheed Walker, Eric Wilson and Mike Miranda on the line. But the Lions have young line talent, notably Landon Tengeall and Ola Fashanu, and two ready-to-contribute backs in freshmen Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
But Franklin and Yurcich must fuse that talent with a scheme that draws the best from it. As a result, this is an important offseason for them and the offense.
"There's going to be games where we're going to need to run the ball to win, there's going to be games or we need to throw the ball to win," Franklin said. "And we have to have the ability to do that throughout a season and throughout games. And yeah, that's part of my responsibility as well in the offseason studies, making sure that we're committed to doing that during spring ball and we're committed to doing that during the summer and we're committed to doing that during the year.
"And I think that's also my job during games as well. ...I think that's where I can help as the head coach. There's a lot of things that you look back after games, whether it's in the NFL or college or high school, and you say, you know, we weren't as good in this area and we need to be better in this in this area. And you learn from that and you try to adjust for the season."
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