Penn State football coach James Franklin and his staff recently held an open media session during summer workouts.
Mark Wogenrich of Penn State On SI shared a few key takeaways from conversations with Franklin and his assistant coaches, including the praise they had for certain players. Here were some of the names mentioned:
Drew Allar
Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien both praised quarterback Drew Allar’s improved physique.
"Just from a raw-athlete perspective, he's still continuing to grow there," O'Brien said. "He moved better than he has his entire career this spring. ... Maybe the biggest thing athletically is, he's continuing to become more dynamic, growing into his body.”
Kotelnicki added, “You can actually see his deltoids and traps a little bit."
A.J. Harris
Cornerback A.J. Harris is heading into his second year as a starter following a Third Team All-Big Ten performance last season. Cornerbacks coach Terry Smith made a bold claim about Harris’ abilities.
“I expect him to be one of the best [cornerbacks] that ever played here," Smith said.
Smith followed this up with breaking down what makes Harris special.
"His football IQ's off the charts," Smith said. "He understands the game, he studies the game, he's got all the physical attributes. … But I just think his IQ separates him. He just sees things a different way than most guys."
Amare Campbell
The Nittany Lions have long been known for their elite linebacker play, and UNC transfer Amare Campbell looks to join those ranks. Linebacker coach Dan Connor discussed how important Campbell can be with his experience at UNC.
“When you look at the linebacker room, and the lack of experience for the most part … there's holes,” Connor said. "You want to develop young guys. We'll be able to give a lot of guys chances to develop and grow in the system. But it's a long season, and you need a guy who can come in here and compete for a starting job and have a big role for us. So, we were fortunate to get that done."