Penn State football coach James Franklin not looking past Ball State

Penn State football is heading into this weekend’s matchup against Ball State as a 22-point favorite at Beaver Stadium, but coach James Franklin is once again making sure his team isn’t looking ahead to next week’s White Out game against Auburn.

Franklin tweeted out his weekly “1-0” message this week, a contrast to previous seasons when he would name that week’s opponent. Nonetheless, the point remains the same.

“The message hasn’t changed,” Franklin said. “In the past I would say ‘Wisconsin’ 75 times and then ‘Ball State’ 75 times because the message was about out our entire focus needs to be on this game, this opponent and being 1-0. The problem is our Penn State fans understand that, the media understands that, but the opponent that we’re playing that maybe follows me for maybe the week, doesn’t. So they think it’s a slight or they think it’s a shot. … I never mean to seem disrespectful to an opponent, ever.”

The Cardinals would make for an easy opponent to overlook. They’re not a Power-5 program, they only beat their Week 1 FCS opponent Western Illinois by 10 points and a White Out game with a big name opponent is looming.

Those are the perfect ingredients to create a trap game, but Franklin is working to his ensure his team doesn’t fall into that trap against Ball State.

“Our routine and our process is really important to me,” Franklin said. “That’s why we won’t talk about anything else but the game at hand. … I do believe in trap games, if you’re sending mixed messages, if you’re inconsistent in your approach. It’s subtle things (that cause inconsistency). It’s little subtle things that you say in the press conference that the fans and the players pick up on, that your staff picks up on. It’s subtle things about your demeanor and your approach out at practice.”

Ball State isn’t a usual nonconference opener. The Cardinals won the Mid-American Conference last season and have brought nearly every starter they have back from that team. Their roster has 21 returning starters along with 16 super-seniors — seniors last year who took advantage of the NCAA granting student-athletes an extra year of eligibility due to the covid-19 pandemic.

Their experience alone makes them a major threat to any Power-5 team they face.

“Got a lot of respect for (Ball State head) coach (Mike) Neu and what he’s been able to do there at Ball State,” Franklin said. “…It’s going to be a tremendous challenge. We look forward to the opportunity.”

Franklin also provided some insight into two positions this week that saw some changes Saturday afternoon.

First, Jordan Stout beat out Jake Pinegar for the short field goals and extra point job during camp, according to Franklin. The do-it-all special teamer added that to his plate alongside long field goals, kickoffs and punting. His performance Saturday as a punter earned him recognition as the Big Ten special teams player of the week.

“Punting, I think had a huge impact on the game,” Franklin said. “…(Stout) had a huge, huge impact, kickoffs and punt.”

While Stout struggled as a kicker, missing a short field goal and an extra point in the game, Franklin said that sample alone won’t dictate whether or not he remains the guy at those positions.

“Each position, whether that’s the starting quarterback or the starting kicker, you compete for it every year, you compete for it every camp, you compete for it every week,” Franklin said. “And we track everything, literally every kick. … Based on all the numbers of training camp (Stout) won the job. … We won’t make that determination off of one game. We’ve got to get those things cleaned up, there’s no doubt about it.”

Franklin then said the starter at left guard would be determined based on the film from last week’s win over Wisconsin and how practice goes this week. Eric Wilson and Anthony Whigan are vying for the spot.

Whigan started Saturday’s game, but split reps with Wilson in the first half. Wilson then took over the job and played the second half.

“We thought Eric played well, we thought Whigan did some good things, too,” Franklin said. “We’ll decide (the starter) this week, based on last week’s game and then obviously what we do this week as well. So it’ll be a combination of those two things to determine who will start or who will play more on Saturday.”

• Penn State linebacker Ellis Brooks will be out for the first half after he was called for targeting in the second half of the game against Wisconsin and Franklin said the way targeting is being called is making things difficult for defenses.

• Franklin said part of the reason redshirt senior quarterback Sean Clifford ran the ball less was because the team emphasized working further into his progression before taking off. “I think the biggest thing, and (offensive coordinator) Mike (Yurcich) has done a good job of this, is make sure that you’re going through your progressions,” Franklin said. “And not going progression one, progression two, run. Make sure you’re going progression one, progression two, progression three, step up in the pocket, climb in the pocket and hit a checkdown or keep your momentum going and stay on the move and go get us some positive yardage. That’s what you want to see at your quarterback position.”

• Hakeem Beamon, Keaton Ellis and John Lovett were not available for Saturday’s game against Wisconsin and did not travel. Franklin said the trio’s status is to be determined heading into the matchup with Ball State.