Penn State, James Franklin find local flavor on trip to Wilkes-Barre
WILKES-BARRE — With some of the Wyoming Valley’s biggest Penn State fans in front of him, James Franklin decided to have a little fun with a captive audience.
Up on stage at the F.M. Kirby Center for the final stop of the school’s Coaches Caravan Thursday, the Nittany Lions coach announced that he had received a pair of recruiting commitments. That triggered a telltale rustling for phones as screens lit up as a handful of people checked to what they might have missed.
The punchline, of course, was that they were for the Classes of 2023 and 2025 — a 10-year-old tight end and an 8-year-old quarterback from the Back Mountain.
“He already told me he’s going to smash all of (Christian) Hackenberg’s records,” Franklin deadpanned to a registered crowd of 315, the second largest on this year’s 12-city tour.
One step at a time.
Franklin and his staff have made some headway in recruiting in the region — some more recent headway — landing a verbal commitment from Lake-Lehman offensive lineman Connor McGovern back in March.
NCAA rules prohibit Franklin and his assistants from publicly discussing unsigned recruits like McGovern.
But the area has made an impression on Lions quarterbacks coach Ricky Rahne, who works directly with Luzerne and Lackawanna County and is one of McGovern’s lead recruiters.
“Tough people, tough players,” Rahne said. “More than anything, it’s the passion for Penn State and the passion for football around here that stands out.
“We’ve really been able to develop some relationships around here with schools and coaches and there’s a comfort level there.”
During his presentation, Franklin acknowledged the families of Scranton Prep grad Joe Holmes and Dallas’ Ryan Monk in the audience. Holmes is a redshirt freshman defensive tackle who walked on last year and Monk is set to join him on the team this fall.
An amused Franklin began his second trip to Wilkes-Barre in as many springs began with a photo. When Penn State’s bus pulled up to the Public Square, he couldn’t resist posing outside the newly opened Franklin’s bar and grill near the Kirby Center.
This being the 12th stop of this year’s Caravan, he had been hearing some of the same questions over the two-week tour around the Northeast.
“Hackenberg, Hackenberg, Hackenberg,” Franklin said. “Hackenberg. Hackenberg. And Hackenberg.”
Yes, it seems fans and media alike are interested in gleaning any small morsel they can about the Lions’ quarterback, who has already been fielding questions from people about his potential NFL future.
There was also the matter of one of his other top players going viral in the past week — a phrase that doesn’t rank highly for a head coach.
Star defensive tackle Anthony Zettel, apparently killing the hours with a teammate back in his native Michigan, filmed a quick video of him peforming a tackling drill.
On a tree.
The timber moment found itself not just on social media and sports sites, but at one point made the home page of CNN and the like.
“Yeah,” Franklin said, pausing for effect when asked if he’d seen it.
“You’re not really happy about your All-America defensive tackle running full speed into a significant object.”
It wasn’t exactly what Franklin had in mind when he preached to his players about showing leadership at the end of spring practice.
From now until camp opens into August, it’s up to the Lions to train themselves, something that Franklin said was “impossible” for them to do last summer because of the overhaul in the coaching staff and systems.
“It’s more important by far than last year,” Franklin said. “In the summer, (the coaches) have such limited contact with them, so we really want the players to take ownership of the program. We need that leadership, so it’s really good for guys to get out there and coach each other. They couldn’t do that last year.
“Now they can make some strides with (Hackenberg) taking out the receivers and the tight ends and working with how he wants them to be. (Center Angelo Mangiro) can be working with the offensive line. (Linebacker Nyeem Wartman-White) can get out there with the front seven and start working with them.
“That’s a huge advantage.”
Franklin was joined on the Wilkes-Barre stop by wrestling coach Cael Sanderson and women’s volleyball coach Russ Rose, both of whom spent the evening trading barbs and laughs at each other while on stage.
Rose poked at Sanderson’s legendary undefeated collegiate record — four straight individual national titles at Iowa State.
“We try to relate to our players because we’ve all lost before,” Rose said. “Well, other than Cael. One of his kids loses and they say, ‘You don’t understand.’ And he goes, ‘You’re right. I don’t.’ “
Sanderson made sure to give it back during his time at the podium.
“Did you say you were flooded with text messages when you won your first championship?” Sanderson said to Rose. “In 1999?”
Sanderson, who has four national titles with Penn State compared to Rose’s seven, paused for a beat.
“He also invented the internet.”
