Live Wire: Trautwein: 'Getting better everyday' ... Franklin: 'False positives mounting ... No call yet on QB

ALTOONA, Pa. -- Here's something new for all you Penn State fans!

Inspired by Bob Maddamma's excellent Hot Button, a round-the-clock feature that summarizes the non-Pittsburgh sports world, I'd like to light the fuse today on a Penn State-based Live Wire. Similar vibe, similar speed, only it's focused squarely on the Nittany Lions. And at the same time, it offers our readers, for the first time, a single commenting platform committed to anything you'd prefer to discuss related to the Penn State, Big Ten, football or anything in general.

PHIL TRAUTWEIN SPEAKS TO THE MEDIA

Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein spoke with the media via Zoom Thursday and had a lot to discuss. 

• It's been quite an adjustment period for Trautwein and the offensive line as they've adjusted to their new coach: "Me coaching and how I prepare them, that's all new to them. They're buying in, and it's great to se, and we're just gonna keep getting better every single day."

• Trautwein hasn't been one of the 43 false positives James Franklin talked about last night, but the former Florida Gator said people have been running around practice with computers so coaches can try to coach via Zoom when out from practice. 

• Trautwein had only five practices with the team this spring following his hiring and as a result had to change up some things doing so by sending his players videos of NFL linemen who play with the techniques he wants to implement" That was our way of trying to get the technique going... Tried to be as creative as possible but it was definitely a learning process."

• Des Holmes was medically unavailable against Nebraska according to Trautwein.

• The attitude remains positive despite early troubles: "We're just building great habits, and just growing from what we need to learn from. Being great takes time. It doesn't happen overnight and we're just going to keep working on our fundamentals, our detail and our mentality."

FALSE POSITIVES CONTINUE TO MOUNT AND MORE FROM WEDNESDAY'S PRACTICE

7:00 p.m. Wednesday: James Franklin said Wednesday following practice his program has experienced 43 false positive Covid tests resulting in players and staff members not being able to participate. Penn State has lucked out in neither players or staff members have missed extended periods of time to quarantine, but it is impacting everyday life for the program. 

Both defensive coordinator Brent Pry and cornerbacks coach Terry Smith missed practices this week with Smith missing two days and Pry having to coach virtually Wednesday. It makes for a logistical nightmare and seems there's no solution in sight for the reasoning behind the false positives according to Franklin. 

More from Wednesday's availability: 

• On the linebackers without Micah Parsons: "Some guys are erasers. Micah's an eraser. He can erase problems by making plays...it's an amount of production you have to replace...It is what it is. But obviously that's a lot of production and a lot of changes."

• On the quarterbacks understanding the competition; "It's gone pretty well. We've had some pretty good conversations...Obviously you'd like to be in a different scenario, but I think the guys have handled it well."

• On a struggling pass rush: "I think part of it is how the games have played out. The face we've been playing most of the games down by points... it's getting into more third and long situations. There's too many third and manageable."

• On whether the coaches are to blame for the team's struggles: "At the end of the day, right now, I get it. Those things are gonna come and they should. As we all are aware of and I think we all realize, there's a lot of factors. Coaching is one of them but there's a lot of other factors as well."

NEWS AND NOTES FROM JAMES FRANKLIN'S WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE

12:30 p.m. Tuesday: James Franklin met with the media via Zoom Tuesday afternoon here's some of what he discussed.

• Will there be a new starting quarterback? Looks like everybody will find out Saturday: "We have not made that decision yet. Obviously we had some conversations about it this weekend, not only with the coaching staff but with Sean (Clifford) and Will (Levis) as well.," Franklin said. "Will came in and did some good things and put himself in this position, and he's earned it."

• On defensive struggles early in games: "Over six year, we typically haven't been great on opening drives... Usually you're going to get a scripted set of plays and formations... Typically, we've been able to settle down."

• How did Levis perform according to his coach? "I think one of the areas that he would admit he needs to get better on is his touch. Take a little octane of the pass and put our guy in a position to make a play," Franklin said. "He played hard and played with passion and did some good things. We just got to make a few more throws."

• On how crazy the Big Ten has been with Penn State 0-4 and Michigan 1-3.

"I don't think I've ever seen a year like this in the Big Ten since I've been here," Franklin said.

• Adjusting to the times: "I have people that I call and people that reach out to me. Which is nice. I'm trying to be there for the players, the coaching staff, and help us navigate these times that none of us have been through before," Franklin said.

• On the 39 players who have been forced to miss games or practices due to false positives: "We've had a a few kids as well as staff members who have gotten false positives multiple days in a row...Again this is what 2020 has brought us. We got to find a way to navigate the best we can."

• On how the offensive line could have developed under normal circumstances: "The techniques and fundamentals are important at every position, but even more so at offensive line," Franklin said. "There's no doubt you would've liked Coach (Phil) Trautwein to get his hands on those guys all spring."

STEVENS SIGNED 
TO PANTHERS PRACTICE SQUAD

4:05 p.m. Monday: Former Penn State quarterback Tommy Stevens has been signed to Carolina's practice squad. Stevens played his last year of eligibility at Mississippi State before being drafted by New Orleans in the seventh round of this year's draft.

PENN STATE-IOWA KICKOFF 
SET FOR 3:30 P.M.

12:45 p.m. Monday: It was announced Sunday that the kickoff time for Penn State - Iowa has been set at 3:30 p.m. this Saturday. -- Jarrod