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Following are the highlights of James Franklin's Tuesday press conference:
Saturday's game: at Northwestern (noon, BTN)
Records: Penn State is 4-0. Northwestern is 2-2.
Odds: Penn State is a 26.5-point favorite.
Rankings: Penn State is ranked No. 6 by the Associated Press.
SUBHD: Main storyline
Penn State used 97 plays to dominate Iowa, 31-0, on Saturday night. In doing so, the Lions inflicted a slow death on the Hawkeyes.
Franklin has been talking about PSU's lack of explosive plays all season, and though the Nits beat Iowa the way he wanted them to, he still sees the need to establish a deep passing threat.
Drew Allar has two pass plays over 30 yards -- one a 72-yard touchdown to KeAndre Lambert-Smith vs. West Virginia, the other a 33-yarder to Liam Clifford at Illinois.
Neither Nick Singleton nor Kaytron Allen has a run of longer than 19 yards.
"We've shown the ability to run to win and we've shown the ability to pass to win," Franklin said. "But we need to show we can be explosive to win as well."
Part of the issue is that "Iowa was not going to give up the big play," he said.
SUBHD: Paying recruits?
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith last week asked Congress to create NIL legislation to create uniformity throughout college sports.
Smith suggested recruits "asking for $5,000 just to visit has become common."
Asked for his reaction, Franklin admitted he's experiencing similar requests.
"We're all dealing with the same challenges and issues because most of us are recruiting the same guys," he said, declining further comment.
SUBHD: Scouting Northwestern
David Braun is serving as the Wildcats' interim head coach after longtime leader Pat Fitzgerald was fired in July following an investigation into a hazing scandal.
Franklin said Braun, who spent the previous four seasons as defensive coordinator at North Dakota State, "has a really good reputation and resume," Franklin said.
He said NW quarterback Ben Bryant "probably is the best pure thrower we've seen this year," adding Bryant is a three-time transfer -- from Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, back to Cincy and then NW. "They want to throw the ball."
Down 31-10 in the fourth quarter on Saturday, the 'Cats rallied to force overtime against Minnesota and then beat the Gophers, 37-34.
"When you think about how Minnesota likes to play," you wouldn't think that was possible, Franklin said. "But they found a way."
SUBHD: Success on fourth down
The Nits are 8-of-9 on fourth down, often using a tightly-aligned scrum with tight end Tyler Warren pushing Allar into the pile.
"It helps that Drew is 240 pounds and 6-foot-5 and Tyler pushing," Franklin said.
He also wondered if the play is going to be legal much longer.
"It's been good for us," Franklin said. "I'll be interested to see if the rule changes. For a while you couldn't do it."
He said the Lions "need a complement" in the formation to be less predictable as the season unfolds.
SUBHD: Field-goal percentage
Franklin said the Lions' specialists need to become more consistent. They're 5-for-9 in field goals.
Masking the statistic, he said, is "we have gone for it on fourth-and-short that could have led to chip-shot field goals."
SUBHD: Notable ...
n Following Iowa's early fumble, the Lions ran 80 of the game's next 96 plays, "which is amazing," Franklin said.
n Penn State leads the nation in time of possession (37:06), turnover margin (+11) and total defense (219.5).
n The Lions' streak of 11 games with 30-plus points is the nation's longest.
n For the second time in three weeks, the Lions' kickoff, though noon Eastern, will be at 11 a.m. local time.
(Compiled by Neil Rudel of the Altoona Mirror. He can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.)