Penn State's Offense Takes Shape Despite Limitations
On his radio show debut Sept. 3, Penn State coach James Franklin described how "painful" he found college football's opening weekend and discussed his devotion to maintaining virus-prevention protocols in practice.
But Franklin also talked football, actual football, providing a welcome relief and some interesting insight. Particularly into the offense and its quarterbacks.
Franklin said that coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca's installations have seen some "really good" progress in limited on-field work, which included four training camp practices and a series of walkthroughs before and after.
Penn State is in the second week of its return to practice after the Big Ten suspended the 2020 fall sports season. The Lions are allowed to use five of their 12 weekly hours of drills on skill instruction, during which receivers and backs can go full speed. As a result, Ciarrocca is getting some opportunity to see his offense work in a modified 7-on-7 format.
Without tackling, of course.
"The time that me and Kirk spent talking on the front end [during the hiring process and the offseason] has really helped, because we have a lot of similar views and philosophies," Franklin said. "I kind of knew what I was getting with Kirk, and he kind of knew what he's getting with me, and I think that really helped.
"It's funny watching him out there. He's a fiery guy. He really is. And he's not the biggest guy. So you screaming at [offensive tackle] Will Fries, and Will Fries is 6-6, 3-5, and you go this little guy pointing up at him, screaming and yelling. But it has gone really well. The guys have embraced it."
Penn State is working all four scholarship quarterbacks through drills, including redshirt freshman Ta'Quan Roberson and true freshman Micah Bowens. Franklin sounded particularly pleased with Roberson, who played in one game last season.
"He’s got really good perspective on the position," Franklin said of Roberson. "He's got a really good understanding of the biomechanics that go behind playing the quarterback position: where you can create the most power and be as efficient as you possibly can in your movements."
Returning starter Sean Clifford and Ciarrocca have been developing a rapport since the Cotton Bowl, but Franklin said that getting backup Will Levis enough work during the walkthroughs has been vital as well.
"Sean is really doing some nice things right now, and we've been very, very pleased and impressed with him," Franklin said. "And I feel the same way about Levis. Levis is really starting to come on and get more comfortable, and it's important that we get enough reps."
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