UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- James Franklin paced the field while Penn State's players sprinted back and forth in Holuba Hall for a few extra rounds of wind sprints following Wednesday night's spring practice.
"You guys know we never run guys after practice, that's junior high stuff," Franklin said after the eleventh of 15 spring practices. "I thought we were sloppy today. You guys know I'm a pretty positive guy, but I thought we were too sloppy, had too many penalties, balls on the ground, dropped balls, just a lack of discipline. I was not pleased today, but overall, I thought we've had a damn good spring, but I was not pleased with today."
He wasn't the only one irked by the showing.
Quarterback Trace McSorley raised his voice to a level that hadn't been heard before -- at least not by reporters. Penn State's quarterback pulled aside tight end Danny Dalton for a teachable moment after Dalton was caught from behind and fumbled. Cam Brown forced the fumble, and Lamont Wade, Koa Farmer and the rest of the defense celebrated as McSorley laid into the redshirt sophomore tight end who is vying for an increased role this year.
McSorley then tapped Dalton on the helmet after the outburst was over as if to say all is well. Franklin then laid into reserve quarterback Jake Zembiec moments later before throwing his hands up in the air and calling for the sprints.
Franklin had the Lions line the sideline for a series of wind sprints to conclude the workout, only to huddle them up and then send them back out for another sprint. He paced the field as they ran back and forth. The team's lack of focus was something he said ultimately falls on him and on Penn State's leadership.
"Great teams, good teams don't do that," Franklin said of the sloppy practice. "Obviously we've got a lot of growing up to do. It was unacceptable on every level. We'll never accept poor performances in the classroom, we'll never accept poor performances on the football field and we'll never accept poor behaviors in the community."
Chemistry and leadership often are built during the offseason, and Franklin was pleased McSorley stepped up and displayed vocal leadership when getting on Dalton.
While McSorley is the player teammates huddle around before games on Saturdays in the fall, his experience headed into his senior season should help younger players understand what it takes to achieve success, which is why Franklin hopes others continue to be more vocal as well.
If that means laying into a teammate for a lack of execution and then picking them right back up afterward, Franklin is all for it.
"I think he saw some things like I saw today that are unacceptable. Lack of focus, lack of finish, lack of mentality, lack of championship habits, which is what we talk about all the time," Franklin said of McSorley. "I would hope guys like Trace and Nick Scott, guys who've played a lot of football for us, would speak up and hold themselves accountable and hold other guys accountable and call people out.
"I think that's one of our problems now in our society and especially specific to sports and specific to young people. Everybody wants to be a leader by example, and no one wants to be a vocal leader," Franklin continued. "I don't care, in any organization, on any team, you have to have some verbal leaders that are willing to speak up and tell people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear."
Franklin's message to the team after he huddled them after the second set of sprints didn't fall on deaf ears.
"We just need to pick it up,'' Miles Sanders said. "We let this day slip away from us. ... I think this is our 11th practice, so, yeah, we just let this day slip away from us."
QUICK HITS
• As expected, Tommy Stevens still has his right foot in a boot, and I've yet to see Juwan Johnson on the field this spring. The media sees 10-15 minutes per week, so again, it's April and no need for concern, but don't look for either next weekend in the spring game.
• Tight end Jon Holland is another one I've yet to see running routes this spring. Holland did run sprints with the rest of the team following practice.
• Franklin said defensive end Shane Simmons is now more than 250 pounds after being "undersized" last year during his redshirt freshman season. Shaka Toney's weight is also up, and Franklin said Toney is "finally getting bigger and stronger." Franklin said defensive end needs to be an area of strength while the defensive tackles mature.
• Sanders spent extra time this offseason working on catching passes out of the backfield. How has Sanders looked this spring?
"The challenge is he'll make four people miss and go 80 [yards], and we're all like, 'Next play,' because we've been spoiled with Saquon Barkley for the last couple years," Franklin said. "I do think Miles is in that conversation in terms of what he's been able show and what he's been able to do so far."
• Punter Blake Gillikin, who Franklin said last week could also take on kickoff duties this season, did so during practice on Wednesday. Gillikin is also the team's No. 2 kicker for the spring and is also the holder. Realistically, punting, holding and kickoffs all could be on his plate this fall.
• Redshirt freshman CJ Thorpe might be Penn State's top lineman in the run game, Franklin said. Thorpe's nastiness was praised last year on the scout team and has carried over to the spring. For a line that was criticized by Franklin for lacking that nasty streak at points last season, that's a development worth noting. However, Thorpe needs to improve in pass protection.
"I want us to play with that mentality, to play with that edge," Franklin said.
• Redshirt freshman Des Holmes is excelling in pass protection and needs to continue improving in the run game, Franklin said. Both Holmes and Thorpe are 315-plus pounders who Franklin said got "unbelievable" reviews for their scout team work last season.
• Michal Menet is among the most improved players this spring, Franklin said, and is fighting for the starting spot at right guard.
• Don't look for clarity at middle linebacker or tight end to happen by the end of spring ball. Franklin, speaking Wednesday afternoon on the Big Ten coaches teleconference, said he felt both positions have many challengers and will be sorted out in camp. I'll make the argument that if one names six tight ends -- which Franklin did -- then they don't have one.
The same looks to be the case at middle linebacker, where Ellis Brooks, Jan Johnson and even potentially Will linebacker Cam Brown are vying for the spot. Penn State moved Micah Parsons from the Mike to the Will earlier this spring.
• The early forecast for the Blue-White Game on April 21 looks like temperatures in the mid 50s of course with a chance of rain. While Happy Valley is expected to be sunny and 75 this Saturday -- meaning perhaps Penn State guessed and went with the wrong weekend this year -- the rest of the Big Ten won't be as lucky.
Michigan and Wisconsin already canceled their spring games that were slated for this weekend because of heavy rain and thunderstorms in the forecast. Penn State has played their spring game in some far-from-ideal conditions, even calling it at the half a few years back.