Why hasn’t Penn State set its White Out game? That and more from Franklin, assistants

Fans who want more information on the White Out are going to have to wait a little longer. James Franklin said he doesn’t know when it will happen, but has had recent discussions around it.

“As you can imagine, if I could tell you I would,” Franklin said at a press conference Thursday afternoon. “I literally just walked out of a meeting with (athletic director) Pat (Kraft), (deputy athletic director) Vinnie (James) and (chief of staff) Kevin Threlkel and that was one of the topics. And to be honest with you, it’s not solely my answer or even Pat’s answer. If we want to provide the opponent, the experience, the time of day that our fan base wants and expects, there’s a lot of pushing and pulling and compromising and working with the conference and working with the TV partners to find a win-win for everybody.”

The Nittany Lions aim for an ideal opponent and ideal kick time might not be as achievable as it has been in the past. The team’s most obvious choice is the game against Ohio State, but that matchup doesn’t have a kickoff time yet and could very well be chosen by Fox to be the network’s Big Noon Kickoff game on Nov. 2.

If that’s the case, the atmosphere could lose some of its luster with the usual travel difficulties and traffic issues that come with a game taking place at noon. Some of the other options, like UCLA and Washington, also don’t have kickoff times yet but even still don’t have the marquee appeal of a matchup with the Buckeyes.

As for Franklin, he has the same hopes as fans for what it will look like.

“I want it all, right?” Franklin said. “Very few times in life do you get it all. You’d like the opponent and time of day for sure. But again, that’s challenging.”

Wide receiver improvements

There isn’t a position group under more scrutiny heading into the 2024 season than the wide receivers. The group struggled last year and was unable to have enough success to make for a formidable passing game against Penn State’s opponents.

One offseason later, Julian Fleming is in from Ohio State while leading receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith is out and at Auburn.

Beyond that, the room will need to rely on collective growth for improvement this season, something wide receivers coach Marques Hagans says he’s seen.

“Everybody has a chance to grow and learn in different areas and aspects of their career,” Hagans said. “The guys we have here, we made a pact, we’re not looking back. Everything we’re focused on is now and then into the future. Guys are getting better at little things. Culturally we’re growing collectively that will allow us to play harder, to play better, and do whatever is required for us to help our team win. ... I do expect them to get better just like anybody else.”

Some of that growth can be aided along by Fleming, who has been praised by teammates and coaches alike this spring for his role in helping the other receivers in the room.

Hagans said he’s been what you’d expect of a veteran when it comes to doing the right things and helping out the entire room.

“I think now that he has an understanding of how we do things, he’s started to take young guys underneath his wing,” he said. “He’s been a good addition as far as leadership. Just another presence of experience within the room. We’re excited that we have him.”

That being said, the players aren’t blind to the criticism and neither is Hagans.

The coach said they’re aware of it and looking to use that to help push them forward even more.

“I’d be lying if I said (the criticism) didn’t matter because what we do is important to us,” he said. “We take pride in our performance and contributing to helping us win championships. So to say we don’t hear it or it doesn’t matter, I’d be lying to you. So we hear it and use it as motivation. But that’s not everything to us. These guys that show up every day that we’re part of the same team, the coaches, the staff, like that’s what we try to focus on.”

Offensive line adjustments

Penn State’s offensive line was without Drew Shelton this spring, opening the door for other younger tackles to get reps at tackle and grow their game.

There was one player in particular that Franklin singled out as taking steps forward in Shelton’s absence.

“J’Ven (Williams) has played well enough in practice that he should get time, too,” Franklin said. “We’d like to be able to get him some legitimate reps. ... J’Ven has done enough that we need to get him some experience as well.”

However, that doesn’t mean that will stick heading into the year. There’s still a summer full of work and fall camp for all of the team’s offensive linemen to differentiate themselves from their teammates.

That includes Shelton, who Franklin said he thinks is fully cleared for full participation after missing the spring due to injury. While he’s going to competing for his own reps, the young offensive tackle was also an asset to the rest of the group that took his snaps while he was out with an injury.

“I think he handled his time out, physically, the right way,” Franklin said. “He’s been a really good coach and mentor to some of the younger players. ... I think he’s really in a good position.”

Quick hitters

• Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein said freshman offensive lineman Cooper Cousins is one of the best freshmen he’s ever seen.

• Safeties coach Anthony Poindexter said there’s a lot of crossover between what the safeties do and what the Lion position, the fifth defensive back in Tom Allen’s system, does.

• Franklin said the team held a vote for captains but there were no clear players running away with it, so no captains have been named.