UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – James Franklin made his way to the squat rack and slipped underneath the crowd.
Redshirt junior linebacker Jarvis Miller was in the midst of the team's squat max-out session with the eyes of teammates and the strength staff on him. Still, the Nittany Lions’ head coach knelt down and started shouting words of encouragement in Miller’s face. Franklin clapped as Miller struggled while banging out a few more reps, encouraging him to the finish.
Proof that James Franklin really doesn’t miss a beat. Here he’s with Jarvis Miller. pic.twitter.com/tNVjaLKcqL
— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) February 28, 2018
While Franklin won’t let any competition slide – and there was plenty of it Wednesday evening as the Lions wrapped up their 30th workout of the winter – this winter has been a little different, at least to those who’ve been here since the start of the Franklin era. With just two more workouts to go before spring break and then with spring ball ramping up shortly after that, strength coach Dwight Galt said that unlike year’s past there hasn’t been one workout where the team was flat.
“It’s the work ethic, the motivation, the consistency every day I go home and tell my wife – and every now and then every place I’ve been – less here than anywhere else – there always comes a time where it’s just kind of flat,” he said. “I just haven’t had one of those days all year so I just think the consistency of grinding and that they always grind has been the best part of this winter so far.”
It’s a winter where the team continues acclimating to six early enrollees while the return of old familiar faces, like that of cornerback John Reid, have been a welcomed sight, too. Reid, who missed all last season with a knee injury sustained last spring, started ramping up his workouts with the team shortly after the Fiesta Bowl. Wednesday afternoon he was walking around without any brace or any hesitation as he lifted.
Just Reid’s presence alone is a boost, Galt noted, mentioning that the quiet cornerback who the team expects to be fine for spring ball is a leader in the secondary. That’s an area where Penn State will need some help and experience after both of last year’s starting cornerbacks and starting safeties are in Indianapolis this week for the NFL Scouting Combine. They left Reid, Tariq Castro-Fields, Lamont Wade, Nick, Scott, Jonathan Sutherland, John Petrishen, Garrett Taylor and Ayron Monroe behind them, among others.
“You know how John is. John is going to grind at everything he does,” Galt said of the cornerback whose personality he described as “magnetic.” “He’s been phenomonal. He’s been back, he’s doing a lot of stuff at a really high rate of speed outside, he’s been great in the weight room. It’s really good to have him back.”
Given the changes that are bound to happen in the secondary it’s also helped propel Wade and Petrishen to perhaps a spring awakening. Wade, who arrived last January, was among the five players that Galt described as the team’s top workers. So too was the oft-injured Petrishen.
Wide receiver Juwan Johnson, who was impacted by DaeSean Hamilton’s tireless work ethic, was in the top group and so too was tight end Danny Dalton and offensive tackle Will Fries. All are expected to take on bigger roles next season with Wade switching to safety to help make up for a need there while Dalton will have a shot to play at tight end where the drop off from Mike Gesicki could be drastic.
Still, positive reviews for the options in the secondary is interesting to note. This is especially true with Petrishen who could factor in beyond special teams should he be able to stay healthy.
“John Petrishen has really paid his dues and he’s had a number of different situations, but this winter he’s been healthy and he’s really been doing a great job,” Galt said. “Another guys that’s done a great job too is Lamont Wade. He was a mid-year (guy) last year, came in and did a nice job last year for us. We obviously lost all four of our secondary guys this past year all to the NFL and I think Lamont’s in there and he’s like a piranha in a small pool right now. He’s really been phenomeonal.”
Penn State is going to need that piranha to continue gobbling up the playbook as he continues making the switch from corner to safety where he should have a strong shot to lock down a starting spot this spring. If not, Scott, Monroe, Petrishen, Taylor and Sutherland, a redshirt freshman, will all be there vying for the other spot up for grabs.
Gaining the inside track to those positions is already underway as the strides made in the dead of winter usually have some carryover to what plays out once the pads come on in the spring.
“We’ve always had great winters, but this one I think has been the best one we’ve had so far and it’s been our fifth one here,” Galt said.
WORTH NOTING
• The early enrollees are always among the biggest weight gains and losses during their first year or so on campus. Part of their acclimation to college for this group has included nutrition courses that the players are working through with the team’s new head nutritionist. Making sure that they’re undergoing a lifestyle change as opposed to just going through strength training and conditioning exercises is part of the plan.
“As you guys know, it’s 2018 and this all won’t do you any good if you don’t sleep right, if you don’t eat right and take care of your body,” Galt said. “Those finer things are what we’re really trying to do to get over the hill where we need to go and to take care of the things we need to take care of this year.”
The freshmen were off to meet with Franklin after Wednesday’s workout, that of course after they went directly to the recovery bar adjacent to the weight room immediately following the lift.
• Reid wasn’t the only formerly injured Nittany Lion in the weight room. Defensive end Torrence Brown, although I didn’t see him lift, was there in workout gear and without a knee brace. Brown sustained a season-ending knee injury last Fall and wasn’t sure what his timeframe for a recovery looked like when we spoke in late December. Penn State assigned his number 19 to freshman cornerback Trent Gordon, though one or both of them could still switch numbers. Still, that will be something to keep an eye on this spring.
• Tight end Nick Bowers and defensive end Shaka Toney were also at the workout but neither squatted. Bowers was injured for most of last season while Toney was a surprise no-go for the Fiesta Bowl for unknown reasons. Toney did do other lifts as did Bowers.
• Ellison Jordan, who sustained an injury at the end of last season, was in the weight room with his right leg in a brace. This, of course, is an upgrade after he was on crutches a few weeks ago.
• Defensive tackle Kevin Givens is one of the team’s top performers in the weight room. He squatted 515 pounds seven times while running back Miles Sanders posted an impressive 435 pounds nine times. Sanders’ biggest gain this winter however has come with his increased leadership role, Galt said. Embracing that role started with the first January workout, Sanders’ first without Saquon Barkley ahead of him.
• Defensive tackle Damion Barber, listed at 30-plus pounds heavier than he was when he arrived last August, certainly is starting to look the part of a defensive tackle. He'll still have a ways to go to be a steady part of the rotation this year, but the team has a big need there and won't shy away from playing many guys so he'll be worth watching this spring.
• What will watching Barkley lift and test at the combine be like for Galt? Well, for starters the strength coach said he won’t be wowed by anything Barkley does. He's seen it all before.
“The whole country wants to talk about Saquon, but anybody here that’s been watching – including you guys – it’s kind of old hat for us,” Galt said. “We’ve already seen it. We’re all really excited for him.”
Barkley's name is still atop the majority of Penn State's program records on the boards hanging in the weight room. Barkley is slated to meet with the media in Indianapolis Thursday afternoon.
• Micah Parsons has become "one of the guys" this winter and was praised for his positive attitude and his willingness to leave his 5-star ranking behind.
• Galt said Penn State will have 21 participants at their pro day, which is slated for March 20 in Holuba Hall. The Lions likely will begin spring ball the week of March 19.