Takeaways From Penn State Coach James Franklin's Week 1 Press Conference

The Nittany Lions coach provided insight on the depth chart, a few injuries and more ahead of Saturday's opener vs. Nevada.

Penn State football coach James Franklin answers a question at a press conference at Beaver Stadium. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State coach James Franklin took the podium Monday afternoon to kick off Week 1 of the college football season. As the Nittany Lions move closer to Saturday’s opener against Nevada, questions continue to brew over position battles, how the team is performing and more. 

Franklin addressed that and more in his first weekly press conference of the season, which included a few surprises. Here’s what the Penn State football coach had to say.

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Two freshmen earn the “green light” 

Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Daryus Dixson (5) goes for the tackle vs. running back Tikey Hayes during the Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Edge Chaz Coleman and cornerback Daryus Dixson are the first two freshmen to earn the green light from Franklin to burn their redshirts this season. Franklin said he expects both to play meaningful snaps, though Coleman, the freshman surprise of training camp, could be featured more extensively since he’s part of a shallow defensive line group.

Franklin also listed freshman receiver Koby Howard among the top-6 at his position. But as with other freshmen, Franklin said he wants “more out of him” on special teams. The head coach added that more freshmen could move into the playing rotation as they grow more consistent.

“Two [players] that are green-lighted right from the beginning are Chaz Coleman and Daryus Dixson; two guys that have been very, very consistent physically, mentally, and emotionally,” Franklin said. “We’ve got some guys that I think could play for us this year physically, but they've shown too much immaturity, or mentally have had too many missed assignments and mistakes. So those things have to continue to evolve. There are other guys that could be in the green situation after these first three games. That will be part of the evaluation process.”

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Who is the middle linebacker?

Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Dominic DeLuca (0) celebrates after defeating the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Franklin cleared the air on the middle linebacker situation, saying that both North Carolina transfer Amare Campbell and fifth-year senior Dom DeLuca will split time there. Campbell and DeLuca, who also will play outside linebacker, each will have helmets fitted with the communications device.

DeLuca will have a second helmet without the green dot, signifying the speaker system, in case he and Campbell are on the field at the same time. Franklin said that will be a challenge.

“How do we make sure he has a second helmet if he’s on the field and you don’t have two green dots on the field?” Franklin said. “That’s some of the gymnastics we have to do based on the rules to make sure we don't get a silly penalty with two green dots on the field because now Deluca is at Will linebacker.”

Franklin also noted that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will be in the booth relaying calls through the game. Linebackers coach Dan Connor took over that role from former defensive coordinator Tom Allen last season. 

Who is the other starting safety?

Penn State Nittany Lions defensive back Antoine Belgrave-Shorter (23) goes for a tackle vs. the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Safeties King Mack and Dejuan Lane have garnered plenty of attention this offseason, but neither will start the opener vs. Nevada. Instead, Franklin, a bit surprisingly, confirmed Monday that Antoine Belgrave-Shorter, a cornerback who switched to safety last season, will start next to Zakee Wheatley. 

Belgrave, a redshirt freshman from Jacksonville, Florida, played in seven games last season on defense and special teams. Though Franklin said that Lane and Mack will play, the head coach was emphatic about Belgrave-Shorter: “He has earned that spot.”

“We feel like we’ve got four safeties we can win with,” Franklin said. “Belgrave is probably a guy that there wasn't a lot of conversations [about] going on outside of the Lasch Building. But he led us in interceptions and turnovers this training camp. [He’s] been very, very consistent [with] how he's gone about his business, so he’s earned that spot. But the other two guys will play a lot, and we need them to play a lot.”

Who will be the kick and punt returners?

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) returns a kickoff vs. the Maryland Terrapins. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Beyond running back Nicholas Singleton, there were questions this offseason about who would join him on kickoff returns. Though new receivers Devonte Ross and Trebor Peña have experience there, Franklin said that Mack will join Singleton on the rotation. 

On punt returns, Franklin said he feels good about cornerback Zion Tracy, Ross and Peña, who will all get opportunities. 

“We'll see how that goes,” Franklin said. “But I see all those guys getting touches and getting opportunities.”

Franklin expects to rotate 6-7 offensive linemen

Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Nick Dawkins (53) against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Penn State’s offensive line has put the country on notice this offseason with its goal to win the Joe Moore Award. Franklin emphasized that Monday, saying the Nittany Lions expect to play as many as seven linemen consistently this season.

“We’ve got a number of guys that we’re expecting big things from when you talk about [Drew] Shelton, Vega [Ioane], [Nick] Dawkins, [Anthony] Donkoh, [Nolan] Rucci, [Cooper] Cousins and [T.J.] Shanahan,” Franklin said. “I would say right now [they] are the seven guys that we view as starters. And then there's another group of guys that I think we can win games with in the Big Ten, and I think there's some guys that are on the cusp that hopefully by Game 4 or 5.”

Franklin continued to say that his group is one of the “better groups in the country” and “one of the better groups that Penn State has had.” Additionally, he views the room as having seven starting offensive linemen, which is invaluable in college football. 

“We'll probably use different packages to get those guys on the field, whether it's six offensive linemen or seven offensive linemen,” Franklin said. “We'll do some things with those guys, as well as rotating them as much as we can to keep them fresh and healthy, but not too much that it impacts the chemistry of that group working together.”