Sept. 6, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" Core value No. 1 for the Penn State football program is simple.
Anyone involved with the team is expected to maintain a positive attitude no matter what the circumstances are.
That has been the case since the day head coach James Franklin took the job in January of 2014.
The message around the team is the same whether the group walks off the field with a win or a loss.
Focus is placed on what is next.
Sure, the group will review film, address areas that need attention and make corrections. From there, though, all energy, attention and efforts are shifted towards the next game on the schedule.
Before the sun had set around Lincoln Financial Field on the south edge of Philadelphia, that was the mantra around the locker room.
The team cannot change the outcome of the Temple game. But the group can impact the days and hours leading up to the next task at hand.
"It's as simple as this. We're going to come in tomorrow, watch the tape and we are going to get better. Then we are going to put it to bed," sophomore linebacker Jason Cabinda said.
"It's about going back to our core values," said senior cornerback Trevor Williams. "It's a positive attitude. Compete in everything. Great work ethic. And sacrifice. Temple was the better team today. We just have to respond."
Williams was part of a defensive effort that totaled 15 tackles for loss against the Owls. The steady senior equaled his career-high with six tackles. He also tallied 2.0 TFL after entering the game with 1.5 TFL for his career. Senior defensive end Carl Nassib led the defense with a career-high 10 tackles, 2.5 TFL and a sack in his first start.
Saturday's game was big day for some of Penn State's youngest talent. Seven players started for the first time in their Penn State careers. The Nittany Lions had 10 redshirt freshmen make their debuts at Temple, along with five true freshmen.
That list includes true freshmen Brandon Polk (WR) and John Reid (CB), who both started. Polk took an end around 33 yards on Penn State's first offensive play of the season. Reid started at corner on the opposite side of Williams.
On offense, junior running back Akeel Lynch averaged 7.8 yards per carry on 10 rushing attempts. Finishing with 78 yards, Lynch scampered 42 yards for a first-quarter touchdown at The Linc on Saturday. With week one in the rearview mirror, Lynch is focused on what is ahead.
"It's life. Sometimes things don't go as planned, but you have to learn from the bumps and bruises and move on," said Lynch.
The Nittany Lions held meetings and practiced on Sunday to begin the first home week of 2015. Penn State will face Buffalo on Saturday at noon (ESPN2). The home opener against the Bulls kicks off five-straight weeks of football inside Beaver Stadium.