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Following are the highlights of James Franklin's Tuesday press conference:
Saturday's game: vs. Northwestern (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
Records: Penn State is 4-0. Northwestern is 1-3.
Last week: Penn State beat Central Michigan 33-14; Northwestern lost to Miami of Ohio 17-14.
Rankings: Penn State is ranked No. 11 by the Associated Press.
Main storyline: Penn State leads the nation with 41 pass breakups, and it's not close. The next closest FBS team has 25. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is tops in the nation with nine breakups. He actually got six in the season-opening win over Purdue and opponents have generally gone away from him since. "Joey's the guy everybody talks about, but all three (cornerbacks) are playing at a high level," Franklin said.
Against Central Michigan, Kalen King had four breakups, and fellow corner Johnny Dixon had a "big-time interception," Franklin said. He added that Marquis Wilson and Daequan Hardy are also highly-regarded. Franklin praised veteran cornerbacks coach Terry Smith for doing "a phenomenal job." He attributed PSU's high number of breakups this year to the emphasis on the passing game. "The game has changed," he said. "People are throwing the ball more than ever. A big part of that is the 7-on-7 (drills) and the emphasis on explosive plays and a major push on the spread (offense)."
Northwestern struggles: The Wildcats come in having lost three straight and nine of 10 dating back to last year. Pat Fitzgerald is 110-93 in his 17th season. "We have a ton of respect for Northwestern," Franklin said. "It starts and ends Pat Fitzgerald, who has had a significant impact not only on Northwestern but the Big Ten." Running back Evan Hull leads the nation in all-purpose yards at 181 per game, and NW has a potential first-round draft pick in offensive tackle Peter Skoronski.
Plans for Allar: Freshman quarterback Drew Allar, Sean Clifford's backup, has played in all four games but not as quickly as Franklin had hoped.
He has waited to get him a meaningful series in the second quarter of both MAC games, but it hasn't worked out that way.
"We've love to do that again this week," saying other positional rotations are similarly schemed but must give way to game circumstances. "The more experience we can gain, the better off we are."
Allar is 12-of-19 for 163 yards and two touchdowns.
Franklin accessed Clifford's season positively, saying the sixth-year senior is "much more even-keeled. He's not getting too high or too low, and he's reduced the number of plays we've like to have back."
A total of 59 players saw action against Central Michigan, which "continues a trend that has been positive," Franklin said.
Quick hitters ...
N Freshman Nick Singleton leads the nation in yards-per-carry at 8.95.
N Last week's team players of the week were King (defense), Kaytron Allen (offense) and Barney Amor (special teams). Franklin said freshman QB Beau Pribula was the scout team's offensive player of the week.
N Franklin said Smith Vilbert, who has not played this year despite three sacks against Arkansas in the Outback Bowl, was the scout team's defensive player of the week. He did not disclose why Smith-Vilbert hasn't seen action, preferring to speak with the player before confirming his status.
N Franklin opened the press conference by congratulating Mike Terrwilliger, one of his college coaches at his alma mater, East Stroudsburg. Terrwilliger is ESU's offensive coordinator and has been on the school's coaching staff for 500 games, dating back to 1974.
(Compiled by Neil Rudel of the Altoona Mirror. He can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.)