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Following are the highlights of James Franklin's Tuesday press conference:
Saturday's game: vs. Ohio State (Noon, FOX)
Records: Penn State is 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten. Ohio State is 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the Big Ten.
Last week: Penn State defeated visiting Minnesota 45-17; Ohio State defeated visiting Iowa 54-10.
Rankings: Penn State is ranked No. 13 by the Associated Press. Ohio State is ranked No. 2.
Main storyline: Ohio State can't be on the schedule without retracing Franklin's 2018 comments after a 27-26 loss to the Buckeyes in which he called the Ohio State "elite" and vowed for the Lions to become an elite program. Of course, he was asked the status of that timetable. "A lot of things have changed since then," he said. "We talked a lot this offseason about a new president, Dr. (Neeli) Bendapudi, and a new athletic director, Pat Kraft, that factors into all of this. There's no doubt about it. I think there are things within our program that you look at, whether it's from a development standpoint, whether it's a facility standpoint, whether it's a nutrition standpoint, whether it's recruiting; all the things that you talk about in terms of building a program, I think some areas, we have made significant progress in, and others we still have work to do. In a lot of ways, we've taken some steps in the right direction. But there's still some areas that we need to get resolved. And, that's why I've voiced this over and over again, the excitement I have for the leadership that we have in those two positions, and that's with total respect and appreciation for the past as well." When it came up again with a reporter asking for more specifics, Franklin deflected it, saying his attention is on Ohio State this week. Franklin is 1-7 vs. Ohio State with the lone win coming in 2016 - Penn State's Big Ten championship season.
Standing by his man: Franklin made a point to emphasize that Sean Clifford, who was booed during pre-game introductions last week and a couple other times against Minnesota, was named the Big Ten offensive player of the week. Clifford completed 23-of-31 for 295 yards and four touchdowns. Franklin announced he was the league's offensive player of the week, followed by a pregnant pause for effect. Asked later why he paused, Franklin cracked: "I think that may have just been your WiFi." The Lions punted on their first two offensive series against Minnesota, and then Clifford threw an interception. To which Franklin said: "We need to start fast on offense -- that's in practice, jog-throughs and games."
Scouting the Buckeyes: Ohio State averages 49.2 points per game, second in the nation and tops in the Big Ten, and averages 517 yards per game. Quarterback C.J. Stroud leads the passing attack and has a bevy of receivers, including Marvin Harrison Jr., Julian Fleming -- both Pennsylvania products -- and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is coming off a hamstring injury. Stroud has completed 70 percent of his passes (133-190) for 2,023 yards, 28 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Smith-Njigba, whose older brother Cannon played for the Curve and now the Pirates, set a Rose Bowl record with 347 yards receiving on 15 catches last year against Utah.
"You can make the argument that's (secondary) is the strength of our defense," Franklin said. "We're going to need it (to be). Their triggerman makes them go. He's leading the Heisman race for a reason."
SUBHD: Study in leadership
Franklin emphasized how the Lions regrouped from their lopsided loss at Michigan and turned in maybe their best performance of the season last week by routing Minnesota.
"I was very pleased with how our entire organization responded," he said, then singled out senior defensive tackle PJ Mustipher in particular for vocal leadership.
He said Minnesota led the nation in fewest penalties along with third-down conversions. Penn State's defense held the Gophers to 2-of-13 on third downs.
Minnesota also committed nine penalties, and Franklin credited the Beaver Stadium White Out crowd for its role, saying, "It's going to be important that we have a significant home-field advantage (Saturday)."
SUBHD: Tunnel that won't end
Penn State and Michigan players had words in the tunnel at halftime while heading toward the locker rooms at Michigan Stadium on Oct. 15.
Franklin said last week the one-tunnel access "is a problem and has been. We're not the first team to get into a jawing match with Michigan" and called for better protocols.
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh fired back on Monday.
Though he said, "I've got bigger fish to fry than Coach Franklin's opinion on the halftime tunnel from a game ago," he also accused Franklin of being "the ringleader of the whole thing."
Harbaugh said, "It just seemed like a sophomoric ploy to try to keep us out of our locker room," and called Franklin's comments last week "whining."
Given a chance Tuesday to respond to Harbaugh's remarks, Franklin acknowledged that he was aware of them but passed on further comment.
"No, I don't," he said. "Nope. (My focus is on) Ohio State."
Quick hitters ...
* Franklin opened the press conference by expressing his condolences to the family of former Penn State linebacker Bani Gbdayu, who died from pancreatic cancer early Saturday at the Hershey Medical Center. Gbdayu played for the Nittany Lions from 2007-10. He was 34.
* Ohio State leads the series, 23-14. The Buckeyes have won five straight and nine of the last 10.
* LaVar Arrington will serve as honorary captain. The former linebacking great is set for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in December.
(Compiled by Neil Rudel of the Altoona Mirror. He can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.)