Penn State coach James Franklin had to face questions about his lack of passes and pass completion to wide receivers in the loss to Notre Dame.
Considering the Nittany Lions’ offensive limitations, this was a hot-button issue after the game. With this loss, Franklin and Penn State will go home without a national title, while the Irish will aim for a national championship.
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Franklin acknowledged after the game that it was a tough look for the Nittany Lions, but gave credit to Notre Dame’s defense.
“Well, we tried a few early in the game, but the coverage was so competitive that we couldn’t convert them,” Franklin said. “They’re a male reporting team. But yeah, that’s the story of the game. That’s one of the stories. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. But early on, we We made those throws, we had some tense ball contests, and we just didn’t get it right. So, trust them again.”
Quarterback Drew Allard completed 12 of 23 passes for 135 yards and pulled off an incredible interception in the final seconds of the game that led to the Irish’ winning field goal.
Tight ends Tyler Warren, Khalil Dinkins and Luke Reynolds and running backs Nick Singleton and Caitron Allen were the only players to have receptions in the game.
Given the lack of an explosive passing game, it was natural to wonder how Allard was feeling. Franklin defended his QB as usual.
“Drew is a passionate guy. He is very invested not only in his own development, but also in his teammates and Penn State, with a first-class approach and a level of investment that is second to none in the nation. “I would treat this issue the same way I would deal with it,” Franklin said. “His jump from first-year starter to second-year starter was important. He has a chance to take another step next year.
“But he’s going to handle it the right way. He’s hurting right now. He should be hurting. We’re all hurting. He came here right after the game and put his guts on the field. , it’s not easy to have a conversation after really going on all year long, and I’m sure he’ll handle it well. . It hurts tonight, it hurts tomorrow, it hurts a little bit the next day, and so on. But he’s a dedicated guy who wants to do it the right way, and he said so now. It may not feel like it, but he’s going to learn from this and get better, and so will we.”
