How Bill Belichick Could Help Shape Penn State's 2023 Season
STATE COLLEGE | The New England Patriots had just finished a practice during OTAs in June when head coach Bill Belichick asked some guests to address the team. Penn State's James Franklin and Manny Diaz paused to ponder the request. Diaz asked Belichick if he was kidding. Franklin was speechless as well.
"What the hell does Belichick want us to say to the Patriots?" Franklin asked, recounting the moment in early August.
For two days in June, several members of Penn State's staff, including the head coach and defensive coordinator, made a two-day trip to Patriots minicamp, where they attended practices, sat in on team and position meetings, and even spent time at the training table, all to glean a few sparks that might inspire the 2023 Nittany Lions. Following a 11-2 season that culminated with a Rose Bowl victory, Penn State seeks to sharpen itself into a College Football Playoff contender. Every edge helps. Thus, the visit to New England.
"It's a place whose singular focus is on winning," said Diaz, Penn State's second-year defensive coordinator. "You're always looking for the fine margins, and to get to where we want to go, the last few steps are the most difficult but they're also the least obvious. ... It's anything you can do to try to give yourself that edge."
Coaching staffs in NFL and college commonly visit other programs to share best practices and insight, and Penn State's staff has taken several of these offseason tours. The New England visit began with Diaz, who struck up a relationship with Belichick while coaching at the University of Miami. Diaz had been to Patriots camp twice before, including last summer during his first season at Penn State, and approached Franklin about returning this year. Diaz was thrilled when Franklin said he wanted to go as well.
So the two coaches and several other staff members — including Frank Leonard, an offensive analyst and former Patriots scout — headed to Foxboro, where former Penn State coach Bill O'Brien made his return to Patriots camp as offensive coordinator. Diaz focused on New England's defense, while Franklin spent most of his time with the offense (which includes his former stars Mike Gesicki and Trace McSorley). Franklin said Belichick and the Patriots generously provided time and insight, which led to a few changes at Penn State camp. Franklin notably implemented one this August.
Franklin noticed at Patriots camp that players who jump offside or commit false starts lose the rep and run a lap. The Lions now are doing the same. Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, who wasn't on that trip but visited another program during the offseason, said the players have "owned" the drill. Tackles Caedan Wallace and Olu Fashanu proudly noted that they had not committed a false start, at least through the team's first three practices.
"It's a good rule, we embrace it," Wallace said. "I'm not trying to miss reps to run, so I'm going to follow the cadence."
Added Fashanu, "It gives us another reason not to jump offside, another reason to make us focus on the small details."
After visiting New England last season, Diaz brought back some notes that he used in third-down situations at Penn State. He picked up some more insight this year that he expects to deploy in the Lions' defense. Beyond that, Franklin said the visit delivered a message to his team.
"We are asking them to improve," Franklin said. "I want them to understand that we are trying to improve every single day and we're lifelong learners, not only in football but in life — trying to get better and trying to be the best versions of ourselves every single day for our families, for our wives and children, but also for our players."
Wallace said the message was received.
"I never thought that my coaches were those types of one-dimensional, old-school kind of guys," Wallace said, "but just knowing that when they have the time they're going to different facilities and picking up on different things, learning different techniques, learning different ways to coach us, that’s awesome. They come back and apply it, and it shows us they really care about us and care about having the best team they can."
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
