Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes

Category: Penn State

  • Temple’s 1-0 approach, more drama at Penn State, and have you heard about Eastern U?

    Temple’s 1-0 approach, more drama at Penn State, and have you heard about Eastern U?

    It’s starting to get really fun keeping track of Temple football again.

    While it might be a bit too soon to suggest that head coach K.C. Keeler has revitalized the program, it’d be unfair to suggest that he hasn’t brought in a fresh perspective bolstered by a new coaching staff and a belief that his roster can deliver results.

    It’s worth noting that Keeler, who could pick up his 276th win as a head coach this weekend with a road matchup against Tulsa on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ESPN+), has been honest with his team — and the media — on his expectations.

    K.C. Keeler earned his 275th career win. The first-year Temple coach recounts how he got there.

    But it also seems like he’s put the right people in place — on the field and off — to deliver.

    “I feel like they are just starting to figure out that they are a good football team,” Keeler said this week. “That’s what showed when we played Charlotte. When we played them, I think it finally came out that we’re a good football team.”

    The Owls (4-3, 2-1 American) have a winning record at this juncture of the season for the first time since 2019. Now, they are eyeing a real possibility of being bowl eligible in Keeler’s first season.

    After Tulsa, the road doesn’t get any easier as teams like East Carolina (Nov. 1) and Tulane (Nov. 22) await. But both of those matchups are at home, where the Owls are 2-2 and could be 3-1 if not for a late flop against Navy two weeks ago on homecoming weekend.

    It appears that Temple is applying the same mentality to its season that Penn State has vowed to employ. Each week, the Owls say they are going into games trying to be “1-0.” Defensive end Allan Haye says that approach is motivating them ahead of this weekend’s game.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Temple athletics right here!

    “Just 1-0,” Haye said during Monday’s press conference. “Last week, we went 1-0, so now it’s 0-0 coming into this week. We’re coming into this game like it’s a clean slate; and every game from now on is our Super Bowl. Every game is very important because it’s the next game. That’s just how we move and how we think.”

    Who would have believed that mindset would be working better for the Owls than the Nittany Lions?

    Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki can’t put a finger on what’s plaguing the Nittany Lions’ offense.

    Choice of words

    Speaking of Penn State, Andy Kotelnicki might’ve wanted to use more time to think about his response when asked about what’s plaguing the Nittany Lions’ offense.

    “I don’t really have a good explanation,” he said when asked Wednesday.

    Now, more was said in context, which is available on the team’s website, but that’s not what fans want to hear about a team that currently ranks 97th in the FBS in total offense with around 355 yards per game.

    Temple, meanwhile, is 72rd with 381.4 yards per game. And while playing UMass and Howard isn’t the same as playing Oregon and Iowa, we’re talking about a team that went from No. 2 in the nation to an afterthought in two months.

    ‘We all failed Coach Franklin:’ Penn State enacts some of the philosophies of its former coach

    Needless to say, Kotelnicki’s response is getting the business on social media forums from irate Penn State fans who are looking for a little more insight into the collapse of a team that reached the semifinals of the College Football Playoff just a season ago.

    Fortunately, Kotelnicki and the Nittany Lions have some time to figure it out as a bye week provides a few more days before a showdown with No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 1 (noon, Fox29).

    In one week …

    Lincoln Financial Field becomes the home to one of the most anticipated HBCU college football games of the season when former Eagles Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson go head-to-head as coaches on Oct. 30 (7 p.m., ESPNU, tickets).

    Vick’s Norfolk State will take on Jackson’s Delaware State on the same field where the two made memories for themselves and Eagles fans alike.

    But arguably the most memorable moment didn’t happen at the Linc; it happened in 2010 against Washington at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., when Vick threw an 88-yard pass to Jackson on the first play of the game, part of a six-touchdown outburst by Vick.

    Villanova quarterback Pat McQuaide threw five touchdowns on just 13 passing attempts against Hampton last Saturday.

    Three questions

    🏈 How the heck did Villanova quarterback Pat McQuaide throw five touchdowns on just 13 pass attempts in a rout of Hampton last week, and can he do it again against Albany at home on Saturday (3:30 p.m., FloSports)?

    🏈 Will Penn pick up its first 3-0 start in conference play after knocking off last season’s co-champs in Dartmouth and Columbia in the last three weeks? This week, a road trip to Yale (noon, ESPN+) will answer that question.

    🏈 How come no one told us about how good the football is over at Eastern University? The Division III Eagles, who play on the campus of Valley Forge Military Academy, are off to a 5-1 start to their season and are on a three-game winning streak. They’ll look to make it four in a row when they travel to take on Misericordia University on Saturday (1 p.m., watch live).

    Saquon Barkley says Penn State firing his former coach James Franklin ‘definitely hurts’

    The BIG number

    20: That’s the number of consecutive home victories Villanova would have with a win over Albany this week. The Wildcats already own the second-longest active home winning streak in college football and are coming off a 56-14 win over Hampton last weekend at Villanova Stadium.

    Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed will lead the Aggies into Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., to take on No. 20 LSU on Saturday.

    Game of the week

    No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 20 LSU (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., 6ABC)

    LSU’s fall to No. 20 is considered surprising, but there’s a real chance to prove naysayers wrong against SEC opponent Texas A&M, the No. 3 team in the nation. Vegas only has the Tigers as a 2.5-point underdog, and that’s because LSU boasts a 4-0 record at Tiger Stadium this season.

    Looking for a channel flipper? Consider No. 25 Michigan at cross-state rival Michigan State happening at the same time (7:30 p.m., NBC10).

  • ‘We all failed Coach Franklin:’ Penn State enacts some of the philosophies of its former coach

    ‘We all failed Coach Franklin:’ Penn State enacts some of the philosophies of its former coach

    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Former Penn State coach James Franklin recruited every player, hired every staffer, and had a say in nearly every decision within the football program since 2014.

    So after his firing, the players with whom he developed relationships, whose homes he visited, whose families he befriended, were devastated.

    “We all failed Coach Franklin,” interim coach Terry Smith said. “Sunday was traumatizing to [the players]. They are all hurt and torn, disappointed in what happened.”

    Penn State interim coach Terry Smith says he feels like the team failed former coach James Franklin.

    Franklin may no longer patrol the team’s sidelines or walk arm-in-arm with his offensive linemen as the Nittany Lions take the field, but his philosophies remain entrenched within the program, notably his “1-0” mantra.

    The saying still is etched on the team’s locker room doors at Beaver Stadium. It still graces the video board outside Holuba Hall, the site of the team’s practice field. And it remains ingrained in the minds of Penn State players.

    Penn State doesn’t intend to play scared under interim coach Terry Smith

    “[The 1-0 standard] is all I know. Since I’ve been here, that’s what we do,” defensive tackle Zane Durant said. “How can we win this one rep? How can we win this day? I’m going to continue to have that mindset, and Coach Terry preaches it, too. So we just keep pushing it throughout the team.”

    Who’s under center

    After a much-needed bye week, the Nittany Lions (3-4, 0-4 Big Ten) will seek to go “1-0″ against No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 1 (noon, Fox 29).

    Again, they will have Ethan Grunkemeyer under center.

    Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer performed under a good deal of pressure all night from Iowa’s defense.

    The redshirt sophomore quarterback replaced Drew Allar, who is out for the season after suffering a broken ankle against Northwestern. Grunkemeyer, who threw for 98 yards without a touchdown in last Saturday’s 25-24 loss to Iowa, inherits a sputtering offense searching for answers.

    Center Nick Dawkins, a team captain in his sixth season, said he has “all the confidence in the world” in Grunkemeyer. Durant said the quarterback can “make all the throws.” Zakee Wheatley called him “100% ready.”

    Grunkemeyer will need the backing of his teammates when Penn State battles Ohio State (7-0, 4-0), which allows just 5.9 points per game, the fewest in the FBS. Entering that environment could be daunting to some, but not to the 6-foot-2 quarterback, who, before the Nittany Lions’ game against Iowa, noted that he just wants to play ball.

    “I definitely feel prepared. … It is a bigger role, but the preparation has been the same,” Grunkemeyer said. “I’m a guy that likes to go out there and just play, so whatever [offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki] dials up, I’m ready for it.”

    Saquon Barkley says Penn State firing his former coach James Franklin ‘definitely hurts’

    ‘Do it for your brother’

    Smith has been in charge for less than two weeks, but his fingerprints are visible throughout the program. He tells players to “check their feelings at the door.”

    The Nittany Lions entered last Saturday with a 3-3 record. After losses to UCLA and Northwestern, they had a 0.1% chance to make the College Football Playoff, according to ESPN. Now, with the loss to Iowa, that vision is all but obliterated. And with two of Penn State’s five remaining games against Associated Press Top 25 opponents, clinching bowl eligibility is not even a given.

    But two-time captain Dom DeLuca remains motivated. The fifth-year linebacker said Franklin took a chance on him when no one else would, which is all the inspiration he needs to go 1-0 in the next game.

    “Do your job,” DeLuca said. “Do it for Coach Franklin. Do it for the guy to the left and right of you. Do it for all the Penn Staters who love the game and love the Nittany Lions.”

    Durant added: “Do it for your brother. Do it for your goals. Do it for each other. [We’ve] got a lot of ball left.”

    Follow the Inquirer’s full coverage of Penn State athletics right here!
  • Despite a surprising slide, Penn State doesn’t intend to play scared under interim coach Terry Smith

    Despite a surprising slide, Penn State doesn’t intend to play scared under interim coach Terry Smith

    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State didn’t play scared in its 25-24 loss to Iowa on Saturday.

    Interim head coach Terry Smith, who took over after James Franklin’s dismissal last Sunday, trusted his first-time starting quarterback in a hostile environment. He allowed Kaytron Allen to be a workhorse running back. He went for it on several fourth downs, including one at his team’s 40-yard line.

    Most importantly, he showed belief in a group searching for some confidence amid an emotional coaching change and a three-game slide.

    His team repaid that trust against the Hawkeyes (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten), enough to earn a chance to win late. But Ethan Grunkemeyer’s fourth-down heave fell incomplete, and so did the Nittany Lions’ comeback bid.

    Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer performed well in his first start in place of the injured Drew Allar.

    Smith asked his players to leave it all on the field. His message was well received.

    “I think our guys played hard. I think our guys left it out there,” Smith said. “They gave everything they had. There was no one who didn’t give great effort. We just have to execute.”

    Penn State (3-4, 0-4) fell under .500 for the first time since 2021, the same year it last lost four straight games.

    Penn State’s woes continue after suffering fourth straight defeat following a road loss to Iowa

    Emptying the clip

    Under Franklin, Penn State stuck to a script. It played the same players, no matter their production, and rarely gambled on fourth down or in end-of-half situations.

    Saturday showcased Smith’s differing approach, one that asked his team to “empty the clip.”

    Penn State converted two fourth downs on its first scoring drive and later attempted two more. Its offense aggressively pushed to score at the end of the first half rather than worrying about handing its opponent an extra possession, which Franklin did against UCLA earlier this season.

    “We knew coming into the game we wanted to be aggressive,” Smith said. “You’re on the road at night in a place like this. You have to come to win. You can’t try to just lose your way into victory.”

    Smith played several players who rarely, if ever, saw action through the first six games. Notably, Koby Howard and Jaxon Smolik, who both had not played since Sept. 13.

    Howard, a freshman wide receiver, caught a 14-yard pass in the opening quarter for his first collegiate reception. Smolik, Penn State’s speedy backup quarterback, ran several option plays, an added element to Andy Kotelnicki’s offense. He finished with four carries before exiting with an injury and returning with an air cast on his left arm.

    Smith also relied heavily on Allen, who entered Saturday tied in total carries with Nick Singleton despite averaging nearly 3 more yards per carry. Against Iowa, Allen rushed a career-high 28 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns. Singleton rushed six times for 15 yards, both season lows.

    College Sports Penn State Gift Share James Franklin says he was ‘in shock’ after being fired from Penn State

    When Smith assumed the interim title, he said no one would question his team’s effort. That included Allen, who refused to quit amid Penn State’s four-game slide.

    “I’m all about playing football for my team,” Allen said. “I would never quit on my team, never quit on anybody. That’s just who I am. Whatever I start, I’ve got to finish.”

    Getting used to QB1

    Grunkemeyer’s inexperience showed in his first collegiate start.

    In a hostile environment, he seemed to rush his decisions. And against the nation’s No. 8 scoring defense, his two interceptions proved costly.

    The redshirt sophomore completed 15 of his 28 pass attempts for 93 yards. He pushed Penn State to midfield on its final drive but couldn’t march farther.

    “Not good enough,” Grunkemeyer said. “We lost the game, so [we’ve] got to get better and learn from it.”

    His biggest blunder came late in the first half when he tossed a third-down pass off Luke Reynolds’ face mask and into an awaiting Iowa defender’s grasp. The Hawkeyes followed with a touchdown to take the lead. Smith said Grunkemeyer forced his throw to Reynolds but praised his overall performance.

    “I thought [Grunkemeyer’s] game was solid,” Smith said. “I thought he managed the line of scrimmage, the calls at the line of scrimmage, and handled the crowd.”

    It wasn’t all bad for Grunkemeyer, who led two 10-play scoring drives and completed five straight passes in the second quarter.

    Up next

    Penn State gets to regroup on a bye week before its road clash with No. 1 Ohio State (7-0, 4-0) on Nov. 1.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Penn State athletics right here!
  • James Franklin says he was ‘in shock’ after being fired from Penn State

    James Franklin says he was ‘in shock’ after being fired from Penn State

    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Former Penn State football coach James Franklin appeared Saturday on ESPN’s College GameDay for an exclusive interview, which marked his first public statement since the university fired him last Sunday.

    Franklin, who spent 12 seasons in charge in Happy Valley, said he was shocked when Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft informed him of the school’s decision to fire him on Sunday afternoon.

    “At about 1:30, the athletic director walked in and said, ‘We’re going to make a change. I’m sorry,’” Franklin recalled. “I was in shock … And then I walked down and had a super emotional meeting with the team to tell them I was leaving.”

    Franklin’s 104 wins rank second in program history, trailing only Joe Paterno’s 409. He led Penn State to the 2016 Big Ten Championship and to its first College Football Playoff appearance last season.

    Saquon Barkley says Penn State firing his former coach James Franklin ‘definitely hurts’

    Franklin said he wants to focus on the “unbelievable moments” and relationships he built in State College.

    “I had a great run there. Twelve years. Penn State was good to me and my family,” Franklin said. “I’m a players’ coach, so walking away from all those young men in that locker room, the recruits that were committed to us, that’s the challenging part. It’s [about] the people at the end of the day.”

    The Nittany Lions entered this season with national championship expectations after returning Heisman Trophy candidate Drew Allar, hiring defensive coach Jim Knowles to the richest coordinator contract in the nation, and earning the No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press preseason poll. But after losses to winless UCLA and unranked Northwestern dropped Penn State to 3-3, the school’s patience ran out.

    Franklin said he didn’t have an answer as to why the team fell apart so quickly before his firing.

    “I’m still working through it myself. It feels surreal,” Franklin said. “To think, essentially, six games ago, we were fighting for a chance to be in the national championship, a two-minute drive away … I thought we were going to win a national championship there. I guess we’re just going to go to win a national championship somewhere else now.”

    James Franklin couldn’t explain why the team fell apart so quickly before his firing.

    Penn State went 4-21 against AP top 10 opponents during Franklin’s tenure. The constant blip on his resume was his inability to win the big game, which happened again on Sept. 27 when the Nittany Lions lost 30-24 in overtime against Oregon.

    While Franklin said it is not his place to say whether Kraft’s decision was fair, Nick Saban, who won seven national championships during his coaching career, didn’t hold back his disdain for Penn State’s decision.

    “It’s unfair as hell for you to go to the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, get into the final four, come out being ranked No. 1 this year — an expectation that you created by what you accomplished at Penn State,” Saban said. “And for those people not to show enough appreciation for that and gratitude for all the hard work that you did, I’m saying it’s unfair.”

    Penn State coaching search: Cross out Curt Cignetti after he signs an eight-year extension with Indiana

    Franklin is owed more than $49 million in his contract buyout, which will be spread across multiple payments, according to On3.

    But if he accepts another coaching gig, which he has to make a “good faith effort to obtain,” according to documents related to Franklin’s 2021 contract extension that were obtained by Front Office Sports, Penn State only has to pay the difference between the annual salary it owes him and his new yearly compensation.

    The longtime coach sounded ready to get back in the saddle.

    “I don’t know anything else [other than coaching]. I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I don’t have hobbies,” Franklin said. “This has been such a big part of my identity, such a big part of my family. We love it. So I think it was take a deep breath, and then we got to get back to doing what we do, which is helping young people achieve their dreams … I can’t wait for that next challenge.”