UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Getting back on track after back-to-back losses seems to be going well for the Nittany Lions and if it isn't, James Franklin isn't exactly going to call in the reinforcements.
Members of Penn State's ROTC lined the practice field Wednesday night ahead of Saturday's Military appreciation game against Rutgers and while Franklin challenged one cadet to try and catch passes from receiver DaeSean Hamilton, the Lions have plenty of depth at wide receiver.
However, the same can't be said at left tackle and defensive end for the time being.
COACH VS CADET@coachjfranklin pulls a cadet out of the crowd and decides to play a little defense on him after the cadet says “I️ play IM football, so if you ever need a wide receiver...” pic.twitter.com/HSCj9rPM3X
— Waiss David Aramesh (@waiss_aramesh) November 8, 2017
"I thought yesterday's [practice] was good, I thought today was good from what I've seen so far. I've been pleased," Franklin said Wednesday night. "I think we got a few little wrinkles on defense, a few little wrinkles on offense, did some more self-scout studies, things that I thought could help us. I like where we're at."
Left tackle Will Fries continued taking reps with the first-team offense Wednesday night while the Lions looked locked in with their defensive line plan, one that figures to be the same one they used last week against Michigan State. Thus, left tackle Ryan Bates and starting defensive end Ryan Buchholz, neither of whom has been ruled out for the season, likely aren't going to suit up again this weekend. However, with Penn State the heavy favorite against Rutgers the two holes likely won't be as gaping.
Still, look for Kevin Givens to get the start again at defensive end and Franklin said he met with several players individually this week to discuss the Lions' need to be more physical in the trenches. Franklin said it's not what Penn State did or didn't do in camp that's resulted in this issue up front, rather the byproduct of youth at a few spots and players needing to establish a different, more aggressive mentality.
"Sometimes we're happy with just blocking the guy as well as we think we need to to get the job done rather than sending a message and trying to finish a guy and pancake blocks and things like that," he said. "I had a talk with a number of the guys this week and these guys have done this. They've done it in their careers, they've done it in high school, I've seen them do it, but I just think they have been satisfied with what we've been doing and for us to go where we want to go we've got to take the next step."
The challenge that comes with that physicality stems back to practice where the Lions, like all teams, rarely drive their teammates all the way into the ground full speed ahead. Making sure there's that balance where players are as healthy and as recovered as possible on Saturday means the Lions have to find this extra gear by game day.
For Givens, the defensive tackle who has bumped out to end, it means doing as much as he possibly can within the game plan and with what he knows of the position. He's not 100 percent comfortable with all the call there, but for now he has to do as much as possible. And should this defensive line struggle on Saturday the Lions are well aware of the challenge they could be up against.
"The big thing is their back, the running back who transferred from Miami. He's a really good player," Franklin said. "He's 235 pounds, he's a downhill guy. ... He's kind of been there, very experienced and gets behind the offensive line and they run the inside zone and it's almost like a wedge play. They just kind of cram it in there. ... That's kind of who they've wanted to be the last couple weeks."
QUICK HITS
• Defensive end Shareef Miller met with the media Wednesday and while his snap counts continue to skyrocket with Buchholz out, Miller said he's trying not to think too much about it and simply just play. While Franklin said Tuesday he hopes Buchholz is back sooner rather than later, in the interim Miller continues being the go-to guy in the meeting room. With Buchholz and injured defensive end Torrence Brown sidelined too, they're an extra set of eyes during practices and games, but Miller said the injuries have forced him to elevate his play as an example for the younger ends.
"I think it made me a better player, to be honest," Miller said. "Just leading by example an being that person that the young guys can talk to."
Count Miller among those impressed by true freshman defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos. While Damion Barber is headed for a redshirt, Gross-Matos physically doesn't look like most freshmen and continues to wow his teammates.
"They all got different types of styles," Miller said of the Lions' other ends. "Shaka [Toney] is real fast, athletic, he's fast off the ball. He's a good pass rusher. Shane Simmons, he's coming along too and I think he'll be real good too. I think Yetur, I like that kid. He's going to be real good here once he puts everything together. He's got a mixture of speed, power. He's a big kid. When he puts it all together I think he's gonna have a real good career here so I'm excited for him too."
• Safety Troy Apke met with the media after wrapping up a lift in the afternoon. It's one of two lifts players get in during the week, with the other coming on Sunday.
"It's kind of just staying strong. No crazy weight or nothing like that," Apke said of the Lions' in-season program. "Kind of keeping the same strength we have and just staying consistent throughout the year."
• Franklin praised Apke for his improved physicality this year and it's something Apke made a focal point of his offseason, watching NFL safeties like Washington's D.J. Swearinger, as well as taking notes from hard-hitting teammate Marcus Allen.
Apke is second on the team with 30 solo tackles.
• While the senior is coming down the final stretch of his collegiate career, Apke said his experience as a true freshman, one where he was thrust on the field to play special teams after Ryan Keiser was hurt and therefore Allen, his classmate, was elevated to a starting spot, paid dividends. The Lions don't have and true freshman safeties seeing the field this season, but one name to know next season certainly with be that of true freshman safety Jonathan Sutherland.
"He's a good player. He'll be good next year and in years to come," Apke said. "He plays with a lot of energy and he's smart for how young he is. He's going to be a good safety."
• Wide receiver Saeed Blacknall is among the many of the Lions from New Jersey, which means he has plenty of friends and familiar faces on the opposing sideline. Blacknall, much like Saquon Barkley, was once a Rutgers verbal pledge as well. It's a detail the two still talk about, Blacknall said.