Penn State QB Christian Veilleux 'Pretty Far Along' for a Freshman,' James Franklin Says
Penn State coach James Franklin has learned one vital point about offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich during spring drills: Don't show him any more game film.
"I don’t think there’s a play or a scheme that he doesn’t like," Franklin said. "I've got to kind of watch. The staff will see something, like an NFL cut-up of a certain play that’s been successful, and I’m almost whispering to them on the sideline, 'Don’t show Mike that, because we’ll have that in the next day.'"
In Week 2 of Penn State's spring football practice, Franklin is referring to Yurcich as his "mad scientist" on offense. Franklin noted once again how he had been tracking Yurcich's career from Shippensburg to Oklahoma State to Ohio State to Texas. And when their paths finally aligned this offseason, Franklin and Yurcich finally joined forces.
So far, Yurcich has grabbed control of Penn State's offense. He has been impressed with quarterback Sean Clifford, as has Franklin, who said the two-year starter has been "impressive so far." As has Yurcich, who is standing out on and off the field.
"Getting him here, he’s what I thought," Franklin said during a post-practice media session Wednesday. "He’s an aggressive personality as a coach, he’s an aggressive personality as a play-caller. He has a proven track record of success and, what he believes and who I would like to be stylistically, it aligns. He’s got almost a mad scientist way about him, which I like."
Franklin said that Clifford has proven himself to be a veteran quarterback this spring, integrating himself well with his third offensive coordinator in three years. But Yurcich and Penn State also are working to develop a defined No. 2 quarterback between redshirt freshman Ta'Quan Roberson and true freshman Christian Veilleux.
Franklin said he expects that discussion to last into preseason camp. Before spring drills began, Franklin said that he's open to bringing an experienced transfer quarterback onto the roster.
"Ta'Quan has really done some nice things since he’s been here and this spring as well, but it’s about consistency," Franklin said. "... Most of these guys make really good flash plays or a big-time throw or decision or whatever it may be, but it’s really about consistency.
"Ta'Quan is showing more of that right now. Veilleux is pretty far along for a true freshman in terms of being able to operate what we’re asking him to do. That’s an important thing for us to figure out. We have to make sure we have a 2 and a 3 that we feel good about, and also you’d like to get to a point where your No. 2 is truly competing and pushing your starter. All those things are important, and I think this spring will help with that. But if I had to guess, that will go into fall camp."
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