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Some odds and ends from Penn State’s time at Big Ten media days this week.
• James Franklin was quick to wave off any questions about his quarterback potentially turning pro after this season.
This, of course, is no surprise. People should expect to hear a dozen or so variations of “we’re focused on Temple” out of the mouth of Penn State’s coach between now and that Sept. 5 opener.
What is a bit more interesting is that Christian Hackenberg himself has explicitly told Franklin he’s not interested in talking about it himself in interviews. So Franklin, in turn, doesn’t want to say anything that might lead to more questions about Hackenberg’s future.
“That’s a great conversation to have and a legitimate conversation to have — after the season,” Franklin said. “On top of that, Christian has asked me specifically, ‘Any interviews I do, I do not want to talk about this.’ So he and his family have asked. ‘We don’t want to answer this question any more. Every interview we do, that’s what it’s about.’
“So I’m sensitive to that for him. It’s something I believe in strongly for our program and it’s something I’m sensitive to for him. He’s asked real clearly, you know, ‘If anybody calls and wants to do an interview and they want to do an interview (about the NFL), I don’t want to do it.’ “
If anyone was wondering why Hackenberg wasn’t one of the three Penn State players representing the team out in Chicago, it’s a pretty good bet that this was a factor.
Between interviews with multiple TV and radio outlets, dozens of newspapers and websites walking in and out of conversations, Hackenberg’s NFL interest would have been one of the most asked questions at the event.
Also of note — when training camp opens next week and Penn State holds its own media day on Thursday, Hackenberg is set to address the media directly at the dais in Beaver Stadium’s media room after Franklin and his coordinators are done with their session.
Seems likely he’ll try to beat everyone to the punch and give his take on things then rather than having everyone assembled have to ask him repeatedly.
Here’s an extended version of Franklin talking about the situation.
• Before the weekend, the program released its updated summer roster, complete with incoming freshmen.
Some quick position updates among the newcomers. Both Ryan Bates and Steven Gonzalez are listed at guard/center.
Across the line, Ryan Buchholz, Kamonte Carter, Kevin Givens and Shareef Miller are starting out as ends with Robert Windsor the lone tackle from the class. One imagines that could change as time goes on if the Lions end up a little light on numbers at tackle next season.
In the secondary, John Reid and Garrett Taylor are at corner while Ayron Monroe, Jarvis Miller and John Petrishen are at safety.
As for returning players, Amani Oruwariye will be back working at corner during camp after a brief cameo at safety.
Franklin said over the weekend that while Oruwariye has the frame to play safety down the line, he’s much more comfortable at corner right now.
There should be some strong competition there in camp to fill out the two deep. Sophomores Grant Haley and Christian Campbell are the two top candidates to start opposite senior Trevor Williams, but Oruwariye and Daquan Worley, both redshirt freshmen, will try to get in the mix along with heralded rookies Reid and Taylor.
• In what has been a relatively slow summer for Penn State news-wise, there was that interesting item in June where former New Orleans Saints head coach Jim Haslett showed up on staff as a consultant.
At the time it seemed to come out of the blue, especially considering Haslett hadn’t been in the college ranks in roughly three decades, serving also as a high-profile coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers and, most recently, the Washington Redskins.
But there are more connections here than it seems.
Haslett, in that last college stint back in the late 80s, was an assistant at the University of Buffalo, where Penn State linebackers coach Brent Pry was a player at the time. Pry’s father, Jim, was also the school’s offensive coordinator in 1989 when both his son and Haslett were there.
Beyond that, Haslett’s father-in-law lives in State College and his son, Chase, will be playing quarterback at IUP this fall.
“He’s never had a chance to see him play,” Franklin said. “So he said, ‘I’m not even gonna pursue a job this year — I’m gonna sit out so I can see my son play.’ Just all these things aligned. … It just kind of made sense.
“I know there’s a bunch of conspiracy theories going around about what his actual role was and why I really hired him — ‘It must be more than what he’s saying.’ But it wasn’t anything more than that.”
Here’s more of Franklin discussing Haslett.