CHICAGO – Although Penn State defeated Ohio State and won the Big Ten title last year, the Nittany Lions still feel as though they need to be better this year.
"Obviously last year was a special season for us, and we're really, really pleased with the positive step that we took in the right direction," Penn State coach James Franklin said Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days. "But it's really just that. It's a step in the right direction. And we still have a lot of work to do in a lot of different areas."
Penn State enters the 2017 season carrying the highest expectations the program has had since the end of the Joe Paterno era. After winning 11 games for the first time since 2009 and the Big Ten title for the first time since 2008, Penn State appears to have re-established its place among college football’s top programs.
Franklin, entering his fourth season as Penn State’s coach, is seeing a renewed energy from the Nittany Lions fan base.
"There's a buzz and excitement, from the people that I've talked to that have been around for a long time, that I haven't seen in awhile," Franklin said.
Franklin and his players feel good about the progress they’ve made in rebuilding a program that was rocked by scandal less than six years ago. But they aren’t yet ready to say that Penn State is "back."
"For us to go where we want to go, we still got a lot of steps to take," Franklin said. "This is going to be a slow, steady, scratch, crawl, fight for every inch."
Senior safety Marcus Allen, one of the three Penn State players who attended Big Ten Media Days, believes the Nittany Lions still have untapped potential.
"Outside looking in, fans and people might say we’re back … but inside, in-house, we know that we have something further that we have not reached yet," Allen said. "We have a lot that we believe that we can do. And when people weren’t believing in us, we still had that same high expectation, so now that people say that 'Oh, well, you reached your potential, your goal,' it’s not. That’s not it."
“For us to go where we want to go, we still got a lot of steps to take. This is going to be a slow, steady, scratch, crawl, fight for every inch.”– James Franklin
The next step, if they can get through Ohio State and the rest of the Big Ten again, could be a berth in the College Football Playoff.
The Nittany Lions have some clear advantages on their side. Two of the biggest advantages are the returns of quarterback Trace McSorley, who led the Big Ten in passing last year, and running back Saquon Barkley, who ranks among the nation’s best at his position. Mike Gesicki ranks among the nation’s best tight ends. Franklin says he expects the Nittany Lions to have one of the best offensive lines in the country.
Penn State’s starting lineups will be more experienced this year on both sides of the ball, and the Nittany Lions also return their entire coaching staff from last season.
All of those factors make Penn State a possible national title contender, but Ohio State is still widely considered the favorite to win the Big Ten. Ohio State has 5/4 odds in Vegas to win the Big Ten, while Penn State’s odds are just 5/1, according to Vegas Insider. According to a poll of Big Ten writers by cleveland.com, 29 of 38 writers picked Ohio State to win the conference title, while only four projected Penn State to be the conference champion.
Franklin and his players say they are focused on their own team – and Akron, their first opponent – not on outside expectations or other teams being picked ahead of them.
"Let’s be honest, Ohio State has earned everything that they’ve been able to get," Franklin said. "We’re focused on Penn State. I’m aware of what’s going on at Michigan. I’m aware of what’s going on at Ohio State. I’m aware of what’s going on at Alabama. I’m aware of what’s going on at USC and so on and so forth. I think you have to have an awareness. But after that, our focus is on Penn State."
They do acknowledge, though, that the competition from Ohio State and the Big Ten’s other top teams are pushing them to be better this year – even though they were good enough to beat them last year.
"Everybody’s going through winter workouts, everyone’s going through summer workouts, so 'What are you doing to separate yourself?' is kind of what you got to ask," said linebacker Jason Cabinda. "The margin of error’s so small. So getting guys to put in that extra work and continue to work on their crafts, day in and day out, is kind of what’s going to separate you and make you better than the Ohio States, the Michigans, the Michigan States."
