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UNIVERSITY PARK -- Following are the highlights of James Franklin's Monday press conference:
Saturday's game: vs. Washington (8 p.m., Peacock. Note: Peacock requires a paid subscription.)
Records: Penn State (7-1 overall, 4-1 in Big Ten), Washington (5-4 overall, 3-3 in Big Ten).
Odds: Penn State is a 13.5-point favorite.
Rankings: Penn State is ranked No. 6 by the Associated Press. Washington is not ranked.
Series: PSU leads, 3-0, having beaten the Huskies in the 1983 Aloha Bowl and the 2017 Fiesta.
The aftermath
Not surprisingly, almost the entire press conference was devoted to follow-up questions on the Lions' 20-13 loss to Ohio State Saturday.
It started with the Buckeyes' goal-line stand in which the Lions tried three straight runs from the 3 in the fourth quarter. The first two gained one yard, and the third was stopped before a fourth-down incompletion into double coverage.
Franklin said one regret was not making sure tight end Tyler Warren got the ball. He didn't.
"In critical moments, you got to think players not plays," he said. "Maybe in one of those three downs at least you got to make sure Tyler Warren touches the ball ... whether it's wildcat, in the passing game, or whether that's as a ball carrier."
Franklin did not call a timeout - the Lions had all three but were saving them in case they didn't score (plus the two-minute warning) - during the sequence.
"There is really no discussions on a headset during a play call," he said. "Those things lead to second guessing. Those things lead to delay of games. The last thing you want to do is the person that's calling the game, that the head coach or somebody else is interjecting in those critical moments and making that coordinator hesitate. Obviously after you run the ball vertical two times and get stuffed, everybody is telling you to be creative. If you're creative in those moments, and they don't work, then everybody is telling you (that) you got too cute and you should've ran the ball north and south."
He did say the plays weren't successful because the offensive line was beaten and defended the runs by Kaytron Allen.
"We didn't get movement up front," he said. "We got two of the better running backs in the country. You want to try to feed those guys (Allen, Nick Singleton) and allow them to get downhill. They've done a really good job of it, not only this year but throughout their careers. I think that's the right thing to do."
Coaches subscribe to sentiment that if you can't gain a yard when it matters most, you don't deserve to win.
"Hindsight is 20/20, but at the end of the day you got to create movement and score when you need one yard," he said. "We got to do some things better scheme-wise, but also we got do little bit better job fundamental and technique-wise to make sure we get the movement we need."
The staff held a long meeting Sunday morning to regroup, and Franklin reiterated that although he preaches a 1-0 mentality, this game weighed more heavily.
"Again, the buck stops with me," he said. "Everybody is in that room to beat that opponent and opponents like that. So the 6-0, 7-0 leading up to that is awesome. We appreciate it and don't take it for granted and all the hard work that goes into it, but we've done that. The reality is everybody in that room is (judged) based on those type of games. That's why you're there. I want to make sure everybody clearly understands that. Trust me. I clearly understand that."
Taunted in the stadium and on social media for his eighth-straight loss and 1-10 record vs. OSU, Franklin was reminded "again," that "these are the type of games that we're ultimately going to be evaluated on. We embrace that and don't hide from that."
He said the staff and players "did a good job last night and yesterday of making the corrections and then moving on to Washington."
He said the new 12-team playoff is a "cool thing" for college football and gives the Lions a chance "to do the things we talked about in the beginning of the season and what our fans want so badly and what the lettermen want and alumni want so badly."
If that is, as he said, "we make sure that one loss doesn't turn into two."
SUBHD: Run game emphasis
Nick Singleton has tailed off the last three weeks, and Franklin said the Lions' "traditional run game we've got to get going."
"There are some things we got to do in terms of scheme to make them defend the field and spread the box out as much as possible," he said.
After consecutive 100-yard games to start the season, Singleton has rushed for 90 total in the last three games.
SUBHD: Receiver struggles
Singleton was the Lions' leading receiver with six catches against the Buckeyes, and the wide receivers caught a total of three passes.
No PSU wide receiver has scored a touchdown in a Big Ten game this year.
"I think we have improved (over last year)," Franklin said. "But there is still more work to do. That last game is an example of that. We have got to be able to threaten people. Got to be able to stretch people. Got to be able to make plays and create separation and make tough catches."
Trey Wallace was outfought for a touchdown pass that became an interception Saturday.
Franklin said everybody involved, including him, needs to evaluate whether the play was worked on enough in practice.
SUBHD: Fan interaction
Franklin was asked if his interaction with a fan, who was hollering obscenities at game's end, was regrettable.
He didn't say so.
"Someone screaming at me and my daughter within a couple feet as we're walking off the field, I'm good with that," he said. "That comes with the territory. I asked the young man what his name was. To me it's like posting something. If you're going to post something, post it with your picture and name and own what you post. If you're going to say something, own it. I just asked the gentlemen what his name was. He starts stuttering, backed up and didn't say his name. Critiques and opinions come. That's part of the territory. I get it. I asked the young man what his name was."
SUBHD: Kelce trouble
Former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce attended the game and made news by smashing the cell phone of someone who made an off-color remark about his brother, Travis.
"I wanted him (Kelce) to have a wonderful experience," Franklin said. "I didn't get a chance to meet him or see him. I saw something that I wasn't very proud of. I wish that didn't happen. But there is also in 2024, I love that that person (instigator) — there was a consequence to his action. You know, so can it go too far sometimes and we talk about the passion and all those things being great? Yes. But that also doesn't excuse bad behavior at times."
SUBHD: Praiseworthy ...
N Franklin singled out cornerback Zion Tracy, whose interception return for a touchdown gave the Lions their only touchdown, for his play in the secondary and on special teams.
N He also credit kickoff man Gabe Nwosu and placekicker Ryan Barker, who is 8-for-8 in field goals.
SUBHD: Talking to
Franklin said he spoke with the players who have been hit with unsportsmanslike penalties (Jaylen Reed and Elliot Washington) in the last two weeks along with a stern reminder to the entire team.
Washington's taunting penalty sustained one of Ohio State's touchdown drives.
Franklin did not submit Washington's taunting penalty to the Big Ten office even though "I see that five or six times in every game," and because "technically, by the rules, there's justification for making that call."
SUBHD: Notable ...
n Franklin said he was pleased with the Lions' defense "except for two drives" and Ohio State running out the clock, starting with a quarterback sneak that went for four yards from the Buckeye 1.
n Kickoff for the Nov. 16 game at Purdue will be at 3:30 p.m., it was announced Monday. CBS will televise.
(Compiled by Neil Rudel of the Altoona Mirror. He can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.)