Lions' defense swarming to the football, making 'effort plays'

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The clips could be from college games or the NFL, but the message accompanying them on James Franklin's Powerpoints and the theme he's stressing to the defense this camp is the same: If you run to the ball, good things are going to happen.

He calls them "effort plays" and said they're showing up on defense this camp.

"It's the backside defensive end that doesn't take for granted that somebody else is going to make the tackle and he sprints 65 yards downfield on an angle and right when that receiver sticks his foot down to cut back he's there to make the play," Franklin said Wednesday night following practice. "Or, somebody else is making a tackle and the ball comes out and now the defensive end is there to make the tackle. It's that."

Making plays on the ball showed up during the 15-minute portion of Wednesday night's practice was open to the media. As freshman quarterback Sean Clifford stepped in for his shot to try and get a leg-up on the third-strong quarterback job the energy on the far sideline -- the one stacked with all the defensive players -- was evident.