Penn State blocking out noise of big-game losses, has focus on another run to playoff
LAS VEGAS — New year, new slate, no outside noise.
That’s the mantra in Happy Valley, despite James Franklin being saddled with a 4-20 mark as coach at Penn State against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 10.
“Coming to Penn State, I came here to win Big Ten championships and win a national championship,” Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley said Wednesday, the second of three Big Ten media days. “The beginning of every year, that’s expectations. Whatever happens, happens. But that’s how I go into the season every year.
“Coach Franklin does a great job of making sure we’re laser focused on the task at hand.”
Right now, the task is to open camp with a fresh mindset and zero in on the season opener Aug. 30 against Nevada.
Forget his collective 101-42 mark at the helm or the two College Football Playoff victories before falling to Notre Dame in last year’s national semifinal. As Franklin enters his 12th season leading the Lions, with 10 trips to the postseason in 11 years, the 53-year-old never seems to escape the narrative of losing big games.
Nittany Lions fans might be happy to know Franklin feels he has the best combined personnel he’s ever had at Penn State, from players and staff, to depth, to talent and experience.
“We’re very excited about that,” Franklin said. “There’s a ton of conversations that are happening nationally. We embrace that. We’ve earned that based on what we’ve been able to do and what we’ve got coming back.
“We were a game away from playing for the National Championship, and you could actually make the argument a drive away from playing for the National Championship, but it didn’t feel that way, right? Because the expectations at Penn State are really high. We embrace that.”
Wheatley, a fifth-year senior, agreed, saying it’s the best atmosphere he’s been around since landing on campus.
“The amount of film work and amount of extra work being put in, the energy around the building right now is electric,” said Wheatley, whose 16 tackles in the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame tied for the third-most recorded by a Penn State player in a postseason game. “With the amount of veteran guys we got coming back and leadership we got going on, it kind of flows from freshmen to seniors. Everyone feels good right now.”
