STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead delivered more than just the game plan to the Nittany Lions when he met with the players following the win against Rutgers.
"Coach (Matt) Limegrover and mostly coach Moorhead proposed a challenge to us as far as approaching practice with a lot more physical mentality," offensive tackle Chasz Wright said on Tuesday. "That's something that we've always tried to instill within us, but I think now that the season is wrapping up, we want to make a point to make sure that we have that physical mentality at all times and not just picking and choosing when we want to use it."
The Lions answered the bell in last week's win against Nebraska, handling a Huskers defense that has more than it's share of problems, especially against the run. However, making sure that physical mentality that's been harped on all season from James Franklin and staff to the front five, plus the tight ends and the running backs and even the receivers blocking on the perimeter, doesn't fade after one step forward continues to be part of that on-going challenge.
"It was more of just basically that the stats didn't really lie as far as the rushing yards and what we had to do to become more of a balanced offense," Wright said, adding that seniors Brendan Mahon and Andrew Nelson helped take charge and reemphasize the need for the Lions to be more physical in order to get the results they want. "We don't need to be one-dimensional. That was one of the main points coach Moorhead brought up, to be a more balanced offense and get the running game going. Honestly, that put most of the responsibility on us, to come off the ball and have a finisher's mentality at all times."
Striking that balance has been problematic for the Lions most of the season. Part of it is what defenses are doing to limit Saquon Barkley and the other part is an offensive line that has youth at a few spots, but also hasn't performed up to the expectations that were mentioned in the preseason. After all, this was a group that Franklin said back in July had a chance to be a strength for the team. With a back as talented as Barkley and most of last year's linemen back the struggles up front have been a surprise this season.
Did Franklin see enough last week to think his line has turned the corner?
"I thought we matched up well against Nebraska. I think that was part of it," he said. "I thought Trace (McSorley) did a good job of getting us in the right play with his reads. I thought Joe did a great job in how he called the game. I thought Saquon did a really good job of lowering his shoulder and just hammering some in there. It's funny, Saquon lowers his shoulder and gets four yards. Everybody kind of is rolling their eyes. Unless he goes for 80, it's not as fun and exciting. But they're the ones I'm most impressed with, is being willing to hammer that thing up there and get a positive play."
The Lions struck that important balance as they logged 35 rushes and McSorley and Tommy Stevens combined for 39 passing attempts. That balance, as Franklin noted, helps the protection, helps the running game and makes life a lot easier for their explosive offense.
"We just got to build on that because we can't be one-dimensional," Franklin said.
Though all the ups and downs for the Lions' ground game this season the one constant has been the upbeat running back, the one who lost hold of the Heisman Trophy after three games where he didn't rush for 65 yards in any of them, the one who had every right to be fed up with the issues in front of him but as per typical Barkley fashion opted not to. He channeled any frustrations he might've had into positivity, something that still means a lot to his linemen.
"That’s one of the things that impressed me about him the most," Wright said. "He’s very optimistic. I feel like he’s always believed in us. His speech toward us never changed. He always said, ‘You guys just keep going hard, keep doing what you're doing, keep being physical and the big play is going to happen no matter what.' That kind of just gave us the confidence, gave us a boost just to never give up and it’s good that you have a guy like him, especially at the running back position, that has our backs, that doesn’t really abandon us."
QUICK HITS
• Penn State's players don't have class this week because of Thanksgiving break, allowing the players the opportunity to focus on just football all week. As senior DaeSean Hamilton put it, it's as if they're professional football players for the week.
• The Lions will have a team Thanksgiving lunch Thursday after practice where they'll gather in the dining hall. Then, if players want to go home -- and if they're able to get back in time -- they can either do so or head over to their position coach's house or to Franklin's house. The head coach will host some of the Lions' young staffers as well as some other players and their families.
"Their families were going to come up, they were going to go to a restaurant after practice, come to our team meal. I just said, doesn't make sense to go to a restaurant, come to my house," Franklin said. "I think I have four players and their families coming, which I think is awesome. I want them to understand what Thanksgivings are like at the Franklins. I don't want them to come up dressed up and formal. It is sleep, it is eat, it is watch football, fall asleep on the couch, play ping-pong, board games, pool, eat, sleep, rotate the rest of the day.
"I'm hoping that they'll come and slobber on my couch and eat turkey and just chill because to me it's just about family and about spending quality time with each other and taking a time to be thankful for all the blessings that we do have," he said.
• Quarterback Tommy Stevens continues evolving in his role as the backup quarterback, something that continues to please Franklin.
"One of the things I did a few months is I showed Tommy an example of all these really good college players that kind of waited their turn, then took advantage of it when the time came," he said. He's just handled it really well. Is he satisfied? No. But he's handled it really well. He's been a great teammate. He's prepared. When his opportunity comes, he's going to be ready for it."
• Franklin also had some high praise for sophomore running back Miles Sanders. Of course it's Sanders who in all likelihood will have more eyes on his this offseason should Saquon Barkley leave for the NFL Draft.
"Miles has been in a lab," Franklin said. "Miles has been in a lab with one of the best professors in the country to learn from. I think that's invaluable. I'll never forget when I was in Green Bay, we drafted Aaron Rodgers that year. Aaron was able to sit behind Brett Favre and learn. I think there's a lot of value to that. Sometimes it's hard. But Miles has handled it great."
• Franklin was not at all thrilled that his junior running back was asked Saturday night about whether or not he'd play in the Lions' bowl game. In fact, he called the dialogue about Barkley's future "inappropriate." While Franklin wants his team focused on what's happening one week at a time -- despite opening as three touchdown favorites against Maryland -- Barkley took it upon himself to clear the air after the game when he said he has two games left to play in this season.
Surely Penn State had to know these types of questions were coming and in fact Barkley was asked the week before about his future. Franklin also shrugged off a question about Barkley potentially having a shot to break the rushing record this year since the back said he plans to play in two more games and is 304 yards away from breaking the record.
"The tone of how the Saquon conversations have been going for the last couple weeks is not the tone I want with our team right now," he said. "I get that. I don't control what you write, what you want to talk about. I prefer to keep my team as focused as possible on Maryland."
• However, teammates are happy that Barkley said he'll suit up for two more games.
"It just kind of shows a lot of who he is as a person," Wright said. "He’s not been much of a selfish player and it’s never really been all about him. He plays within the confines of the offense. When you hear something like that that’s just who Saquon is just as a person, not even as a football player. That’s his personality. ... I really appreciate that. That makes us as a team tigheter, us as an O-line play harder. That was really good to hear."
• Franklin compared Maryland receiver DJ Moore to former Nittany Lion Chris Godwin. Moore, a native of Philadelphia, has 72 catches for 933 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Perhaps even more impressive is that Moore has posted these numbers with the Terrapins having to rely on five different quarterbacks this season.
• Punt returner DeAndre Thompkins has been bottled up as of late, the result of teams wanting to limit his opportunities. Thompkins returned a punt for a touchdown earlier this season and had a second wiped out after a penalty. All in all, Franklin said Thompkins will still grade out "very high" this season.
"If I had to grade his overall year, I think it's been really good. I think we got kickoff return guys now that people are concerned about," he said. "You see what people are doing in terms of pop-over kicks, things like that, almost the entire game on our kickoff return unit, same thing with punt. People are concerned about those guys getting a chance to make big plays."
Whether or not Barkley is back returning kicks again this week -- or if the Lions stick with receiver Brandon Polk for the second week in a row -- remains to be seen.