Penn State would prefer to make it neither, and Nittany Lions coach James Franklin stated laid out why his team could do it on the first day of Big Ten Football Media Days.
“Last year coming into the season I felt like we had better depth than we had probably since COVID,” Franklin said of a squad that went 11-2 with losses only to OSU and Michigan. “We were back to a more healthy roster than we’re used to, and now I think we’re in a position to give us the best chance to compete in our conference as well as nationally. Just less question marks across the board.”
Franklin is entering his 10th season in Happy Valley, and skill players have rarely been a question mark for his teams.
The trenches have been another story, though, and that is the first place he pointed to when assessing his 2023 squad.
“I think we’ve got a chance to be better up front with our defensive line,” he said. “We are bigger. We are more athletic. We are physical. I think we have a legitimate three deep across the board. Linebacker was a big question mark coming into this season, a lot of unproven players. That is not the case anymore. I feel like we have a veteran linebacker unit that’s experienced and ready to play.”
On the other side of the ball, an offensive line that showed great improvement last season returns a handful of experienced players, including highly touted senior tackle Olu Fashanu.
“When I got to Penn State, we were in a much different position,” Franklin said. “I think we only had five scholarship offensive linemen in the program. I think we’re in a much better position now. Our depth and our talent is right where we need it to be.
“The experience that we got at the running back position last year and the production was impressive. We need to build on that. Tight end, I think our tight end room will be as good as it’s been.”
As for questions to be answered in the preseason, Franklin identified three.
His defensive backfield lost star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and safety Ji’Ayir Brown, and the top three pass catchers on offense are gone, too.
Then there’s quarterback.
Outsiders have anointed Drew Allar, a sophomore from Ohio who was a five-star recruit coming out of Medina High School, the next one for the Nittany Lions, but Franklin preferred to downplay his ascent for now.
He indicated Allar still has to beat out Beau Pribula, a three-star recruit in the class of 2020 from York, Pa.
“Then everybody wants to talk about quarterback,” Franklin said. “We’re still in a competition phase. Obviously there’s a lot of people talking about Drew and what he brings to the table. He was able to get a ton of experience last year — played in I think 10 games —so I understand why the excitement is there. He is 6-5, 242 pounds, can make all the throws, but Beau Pribula is a guy that everybody in the program has a ton of respect for as well. So that’s going to be an interesting competition throughout the entire camp.”
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