James Franklin demands more discipline from the Nittany Lions

Since Penn State's season-opening win over West Virginia, head coach James Franklin has consistently asked his team to clean up in one area: penalties.

After the first week, Franklin noticed how penalties disrupted the team's rhythm. Before the home opener against Bowling Green in Week 2, he said reducing penalties was a “top priority.” By the start of Game 5, Franklin has grown tired of the conversation. He wants to see results on the field.

“We can’t just keep talking about it. You (in the media) don't want to hear it, the fans don't want me to talk about it anymore. We want it fixed,” Franklin said Monday. “Ultimately, as coaches we have to make sure that happens. Plus, the players have to make sure that happens.”

In four games, the Nittany Lions have been flagged 28 times for 264 yards, an average of seven penalties for 66 yards per game. Penn State is certainly not a penalty kill outlier in the country. Top 10 teams Tennessee, Miami and Missouri average seven per game, and No. 1 Alabama averages 8.5.

While penalties may seem like a minor concern for a 4-0 team that outscores its opponents 145-46, self-inflicted mistakes could become a deciding factor as Penn State heads into matchups against ranked conference teams like USC and Ohio State is getting closer and closer.

Avoid a wake-up call

Against Illinois last Saturday night, the penalties actually left their mark on the final score. Cornerback AJ Harris returned an interception 51 yards for a touchdown, which was negated by an illegal block on the backcall by cornerback Zion Tracy. Franklin made it clear that he doesn't want Penn State to become a team that needs a wake-up call, such as a surprise loss, to fix those mistakes.

“One of the things I've spoken to the team about is how important it is that we take a significant step this week and not be one of the teams you see around the country that have to suffer a setback first Franklin said. “We have to get better every week. We have to get better individually and collectively.”

In its first Big Ten game, Penn State collected six penalties for 63 yards while Illinois collected nine penalties for 60 yards. Although the Nittany Lions defeated the Illini 376-219, they could have played more efficiently if they had avoided these small mistakes.

Penn State's dominance over Illinois and non-conference opponents allowed penalties to prevent the outcome from changing. But the more Franklin has to deal with the problem, the greater the risk that his team will become known for threatening themselves with flags.

“Right now we have a reputation for jumping offside,” Franklin said Saturday. “The reality is, as well as we played, we made it a lot harder than it needed to be with silly penalties.”

Unleash your potential

Of the 28 penalties Penn State called this season, nine were for defensive offsides – a preventable problem with proper discipline. And that doesn't include two rejected offside penalties, one for pass interference and another for keeping the same play. Overall, Tom Allen's defense ranks fourth in FBS total defense, allowing just 226.5 yards per game. Defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas expressed the pride that comes from showcasing the team's offseason work and talent on the field.

“When we have the opportunity to show, 'Okay, this is who we are,' it's an incredible feeling,” J-Thomas said. “We’ve had a lot of good defenses in the past, but I really think it’s going to be a special year for our defense.”

Despite some stellar overall stats so far, distorted by a 56-0 victory over a struggling Kent State team, Penn State's defense has room to grow. If Abdul Carter continues to demonstrate His versatility on defense and the team's ability to clean up its flags could kick it into another gear and potentially become one of the most disruptive units in the country.

To achieve this, Franklin said that discipline will be an important focus and that he “wholeheartedly believes” that instilling discipline in other areas of players' lives, such as teaching and training, can be transferred to the field.

“I think the more discipline we have off the field, the more will carry over onto the field,” Franklin said. “And that’s my job.”

Penn State, ranked No. 7 in the AP Top 25, knows how talented it is. However, continued penalties could limit the team's ceiling, and quarterback Drew Allar stressed the importance of correcting mistakes early in the season.

“Offensively, it’s about evolving our process and preventing mistakes we made in recent games from carrying over to next week’s games or practices,” Allar said. “We must always correct mistakes and not allow mistakes to become part of our culture. .. It may seem small, but they add up to a lot of big things and future games.”

Penn State faces UCLA on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

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Daniel Mader, a May 2024 graduate of Penn State, is an editorial intern at The Sporting News. As a student journalist at The Daily Collegian, he served as sports editor, covering Nittany Lions women's basketball, men's volleyball and more. He has also covered Penn State football for NBC Sports and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in addition to working for the Center Daily Times, Lancaster Online and more. Follow him on X @DanielMader_ or Instagram @dmadersports.