Does James Franklin wish Penn State got the ball in the hands of its best player with the game on the line against Ohio State Saturday afternoon?
The first question asked of Franklin in his postgame presser Saturday was if Penn State considered giving the ball to Tyler Warren at any point with PSU having a 1st and Goal from the Ohio State 3-yard line in the fourth quarter.
Rather than use Warren, Penn State ran it twice with Kaytron Allen and threw an incomplete pass to Khalil Dinkins on 4th and Goal from the 1.
1st & goal: 🚫
2nd & goal: 🚫
3rd & goal: 🚫
4th & goal: 🚫Take another look at No. 4 @OhioStateFB's late goal line stand in today's win at No. 3 Penn State 👇#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/MNRBPwTfaf
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 2, 2024
Franklin said Saturday that he understood the question but didn’t fully answer it.
Two days later, at his weekly Monday presser, Franklin was asked what he saw on the goal line stand after watching it on film.
‘PLAYERS, NOT PLAYS’
Penn State tight end Tyler Warren runs against USC on Oct. 12, 2024. — Angel Pena / Nittany Sports Now
“We have two of the better running backs in the country (Allen and Nicholas Singleton). You want to try to feed those guys and allow them to get downhill. They’ve done a really good job of that, not only this year but kind of throughout their careers. I think that’s the right thing to do, but I also think there’s a piece where you can say, in critical moments, you have to think players, not plays. Maybe in one of those three downs at least, you have to make sure Tyler Warren touches the ball. However that is. Whether it’s wildcat, whether it’s in the passing game, whether that is as a ball carrier.
Again, I think we have two really good running backs that we feel good about. And those guys have to touch the ball as well. So I think that’s the biggest thing. I think when you do throw the ball, you’re going to have to understand that they’re just as aware of Tyler Warren as we are trying to get the ball to him, the likelihood is that guy is going to be double-teamed as well.”
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.“So, obviously hindsight is 20-20 but at the end of the day, the reality is, you have to be able to create movement and score when you need one yard. Whether that is picking up a critical fourth down or whether that is goal line, we have to do some things better scheme-wise, but also we have to do a better job fundamental or technique-wise to make sure we get the movement that we need.”
THE OMEN
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Penn State Coach James Franklin and QB Drew Allar
Warren ended the day with four catches for 47 yards and three rushes for 47 yards. He was quiet in the first half, leading Fox color commentator Joel Klatt to say multiple times that Penn State needed to get Warren involved more. James Franklin agreed, telling Fox’s sideline reporter Jenny Taft at halftime that “we have to get him (Warren) more touches.”
Penn State did get Warren more touches in the second half, with him catching a pass for 31 yards and running for 33.
Can't give Tyler Warren this much space to run 🔥
He picks up 35 yards for @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/Se1HbkLVaG
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 2, 2024
But no touches came at the goal line.
PSU now must focus on Washington, which it plays Saturday night at 8 on Peacock.
