Tag: 2023 Big Ten media days

Olu Fashanu among Big Ten football preseason honorees

Penn State left tackle Olu Fashanu honored as one of the Big Ten’s top players to watch in 2023.

As the Big Ten got its media day frenzy underway in Indianapolis, the conference released its list of preseason honors to highlight some of the top players from around the conference. While some conferences release a full first, second, and even a third-team preseason all-conference roster, the Big Ten keeps things much simpler with a small list of the best of the best.

And this year’s list of preseason honorees from the Big Ten includes Penn State’s top NFL draft prospect, left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu. Fashanu surprised many when he decided to return to Penn State for one more season of college football rather than turn pro in the 2023 NFL draft. His return could be a worthy gamble in the long run and gives Penn State a rock to count on at left tackle this fall.

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Fashanu was the only Penn State player to appear on the list of preseason honorees from the Big Ten. With just five spots for each division to highlight, some of the most notable names from Penn State not to make the cut include defensive end Chop Robinson and cornerback Kalen King.

Here is the full list of Big Ten football preseason honorees:

EAST

  • Taulia Tagovailoa, QB, Maryland
  • Blake Corum, RB, Michigan
  • J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
  • Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
  • Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OL, Penn State

WEST

  • Jer’Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois
  • Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa
  • Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE, Minnesota
  • Tyler Nubin, DB, Minnesota
  • Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin

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Don’t buy James Franklin’s suggestion of QB battle

You don’t have to believe there is a QB competition at Penn State just because James Franklin says there is.

The hype train has been rolling all offseason for Penn State being a legitimate College Football Playoff contender, and the quarterback position has been just one of the reasons why. With [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] settling in for his sophomore season after being the top backup to the experienced Sean Clifford last season, the expectations are high for Allar as Penn State’s starting quarterback this fall.

I know Drew Allar is going to be Penn State’s starting quarterback this season. So do you. We all know Allar is going to be Penn State’s starting quarterback this season.

Of course, the one person who ultimately confirms that decision is Penn State head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag], and he’s standing by the idea there is an actual competition ongoing for the starting job at quarterback between Allar and [autotag]Beau Pribula[/autotag].

“Just to be clear, we’ve had one every year,” Franklin said when asked about the quarterback position at Big Ten football media day in Indianapolis. “Every year.”

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Franklin has always verbally suggested there is competition for every job, even when there is little doubt who will ultimately get the starting nod. This has been Frnaklin’s coaching strategy to promote competition throughout the roster in an attempt to increase the competitive spirit at every spot on the roster.

So whether you believe him or not, Franklin will stand by the idea there is a competition for the starting quarterback job this fall between Allar and Pribula, one he has stood by since the spring. But, Franklin did say the sooner a decision is made, the better off everyone may be.

“I think at any of these positions the sooner the better,” Franklin continued. “It’s probably magnified at the quarterback position because you don’t rotate and play the same type of way that you do at some other positions, but it will be obviously watching how they move the offense, the confidence that their teammates have in them, and then obviously a lot of the data and analytics that go in it as well to make sure that what your gut is telling you aligns with what the numbers say.”

Playing backup to Clifford last season, Allar appeared in 10 games and completed 35-of-60 pass attempts for 344 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Pribula redshirted last season and did not appear in a game. Both quarterbacks saw a good amount of playing time in the Blue-White Game in the spring. Franklin suggested in the spring that he and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich were working on finding ways to have both players contribute, with Pribula likely to be used in ways Allar will not.

But make absolutely no mistake about this. As long as he is healthy, there is no reason not to expect Allar being Penn State’s main and starting quarterback this fall, no matter what Franklin will have to say publicly about it.

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James Franklin sees fewer questions to answer on defense in 2023

What is the biggest area of concern for James Franklin on Penn State’s defense in 2023?

You have not had to look far to find a ticket on the hype train for Penn State in 2023. The Nittany Lions have widely been considered a legitimate College Football Playoff contender, with the caveat that it does have to clear at least one hurdle in the form of Ohio State or Michigan to get there. And whether he meant to or not, Penn State head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] verbally backed up the idea that this year’s squad may be one of the best equipped and deepest he has had to work with, adding to the concept that this could be a special year for the Nittany Lions.

While there are some legitimate questions to ask of Penn State this season, Franklin said he sees fewer questions that need answers for his 2023 roster.

“I think we probably have less question marks this year than we have in previous seasons,” Franklin said at Big Ten football media day in Indianapolis in his opening remarks. “Last year coming into the season I felt like we had better depth than we had probably since COVID. We’re back to a more healthy roster than we’re used to. And now I think we’re in a position to give us the best chance to compete in our conference as well as nationally. Just less question marks across the board.”

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Of course, Franklin does know there are some areas of concern that need to be addressed. Franklin directed his attention to the secondary for the upcoming season. After losing two players to the NFL draft, it is understandable why that might be. But Franklin did suggest there is reason to believe the secondary will be OK this fall.

“Obviously the one question mark we have is in the secondary. When you lose a guy like Joey Porter and you lose a guy like [Ji’Ayir Brown], who are tremendous players for us, that’s probably the one area of question marks,” Franklin said. “But we played a ton of players in the secondary with experience, talent, and depth. So I think we’re going to be in a good position there.”

It helps to have one of the top cornerbacks in the Big Ten, if not the nation, in Kalen King. King is being projected as a possible first-round talent in the 2024 NFL draft by draft analysts, and he has already spent time the past couple of seasons getting experience covering Big Ten wide receivers.

Despite the star power in the Penn State secondary last season, the Nittany Lions ranked 9th in the Big Ten in passing defense with 212.3 passing yards allowed per game. Maryland, Purdue, Nebraska, Michigan State, and Indiana allowed more passing yards per game. But Penn State did intercept 14 passes, tied for the fourth-most among Big Ten teams (Illinois led the Big Ten with 24 interceptions; Penn State tied with Michigan and Minnesota).

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Best Penn State photos from Big Ten football media day

Check out the photo gallery of Penn State’s representatives from Big Ten football media day.

Indianapolis was the scene for Big Ten football media day, and Penn State is hoping to make a return trip at the end of the season for the Big Ten championship game. The media day festivities showcasing the Big Ten and half of the conference’s coaches and players got underway on Wednesday, July 26, with Penn State’s representatives taking time to talk about the team, conference, and more as we look deeper into the start of the 2023 college football season.

James Franklin was joined by three of his top upperclassmen and leaders for the 2023 season; offensive lineman Olu Fashanu, defensive lineman Adisa Isaac and safety Keaton Ellis.

Here are some of the best photos from Penn State’s representatives and more from Big Ten football media day.

Most interesting quotes from James Franklin at Big Ten Media Day

Check out the most interesting quotes from Coach Franklin during his time at Big Ten Media Day

Big Ten Media Days kicked off Wednesday in Indianapolis, Indiana with every coach from the conference converging in one location. Penn State head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] was one of seven coaches who spoke to the media at the podium on Wednesday about a multitude of things during his allotted timeframe.

Among the topics discussed was the quarterback competition between [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] and [autotag]Beau Pribula[/autotag], the new NIL initiative that he has been pushing for, roster updates and the future of the Big Ten schedule.

The entire transcript of what coach Franklin said can be found here.

Below are the most interesting quotes from his time at Big Ten Media Day.

Northwestern players will not attend Big Ten football media day

Northwestern players announce they will not attend Big Ten football media day to avoid stealing focus from football and upcoming season.

Big Ten media days will take place this week in Indianapolis, but Northwestern will not send player representatives to the event. In a statement posted Tuesday afternoon, Northwestern’s previously announced player representatives said they will respectfully not attend the media event in light of recent headlines centered around the Northwestern football program.

“After talking with our parents, our teammates and [interim head coach David Braun], we have made the decision to not attend Big Ten Media Day,” the joint statement from Bryce Gallagher, Rod Heard II, and Bryce Kirtz said. “This was very difficult since we were excited about the opportunity to participate in this great Big Ten tradition, and to talk about the game we love and the season ahead. But given the recent events involving the Northwestern football program, we did not want our participation to be dominated by the hazing issue and steal the focus away from football and the upcoming season.”

Northwestern’s alleged hazing scandal recently led to the suspension and subsequent firing of head coach Pat Fitzgerald. From a player’s perspective, it is understandable not wanting to dive right into the media frenzy in Indianapolis and be hounded about this situation non-stop for their entire time.

It is unfortunate the players scheduled to appear felt they needed to make this decision, but it does make sense, and they appear to have treated this decision with clarity and maturity.

Penn State is scheduled to face Northwestern in Evanston, IL on Saturday, Sept. 30. The start time for the game has not been announced at this time. The Nittany Lions will be represented at Big Ten media days by head coach James Franklin, Keaton Ellis, Olu Fashanu, and Adisa Isaac.

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