April 4, 2018
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State football hosted its second media availability following spring practice at Holuba Hall Wednesday evening. Penn State head coach James Franklin joined quarterback Trace McSorley and cornerback John Reid for three separate sessions.
Check in with all three Nittany Lion for a closer look at the spring ball progress.
Competition
at Safety
Franklin
noted he and the staff likely won't make decisions until camp, but there's
clear competition at safety for the Nittany Lions. With open departures due to
graduation, Franklin did note that among the group vying for the spot, if Penn
State were to play Saturday, Nick Scott and Garrett Taylor would earn the
starting nod.
For McSorley, the longtime leader on special teams is part of a group of safeties flying around on the field giving the offense a variety of looks.
"Nick's back there, he's always trying to disguise and show us different looks," McSorley said. "His athleticism, he can be shown one thing and then the next second he's flying across the field because he's got that speed, athleticism and range to be able to cover that."
For Franklin, alongside Scott, Taylor has clearly distinguished himself among the highly competitive group, helped out by uptick in confidence.
"He's gotten stronger, more explosive, he's gotten faster and he's a veteran guy," Franklin said. "He's a very mature guy, he has approached this the right way since he stepped on campus."
As Franklin also pointed out, there's plenty of examples of Nittany Lions sticking to the right approach before eventually earning their way into a starting spot.
"As you guys have seen at multiple positions, but specifically safety, we've had guys who have stepped into that role, starting with Malik [Golden] and then obviously last year with [Troy] Apke, guys that maybe didn't have prominent roles but kept the right attitude and approach and then when their time came they were ready," Franklin said.
Back and Better Than
Ever
Coming
off an injury that sidelined him last year, Reid noted he feels better than he
ever has, sticking to his robust rehab plan to continue ensuring a smooth
recovery. While out for the season Reid didn't check out, instead opting to stay
as engaged as possible. It's no secret Reid has a passion for film, but the
year on the sideline gave him an even different perspective.
"I think one of the biggest things was, this year I was in the headset so you kind of know the reasons they are calling certain plays," Reid said. "Actually being able to hear it from the coaches on the headset, what they are thinking in the heat of the game, I thought was really cool, it was important."
Reid also continued to travel with the team to road games, a decision Franklin noted was one both the team and staff were all in favor of.
"We felt as coaches, him traveling and being around the guys, and his intelligence and his knowledge and experience, that was valuable," Franklin said. "The players wanted that and the coaches wanted that. I think it also helped keep him engaged because as much as you tell guys to stay locked in, when you're not traveling and you're not on the sideline, it's difficult."
A
Bright Spot for the Offense
McSorley
was quick to note the Nittany Lions are in a bright situation when it comes to the
offensive line, an area he's excited for when it comes to looking at the
offense from a broader view.
"They are getting great movement," McSorley said. "It's one of those positions where you get four or five guys who have worked together for a couple years now, that chemistry amongst them, just like chemistry with quarterbacks and receivers, they understand how they work together and how to combo the linebackers and slide in pass protection and what have you."
With an offensive line complete with six or seven with starting experience, McSorley also noted he's pleased with a "young hunger" a few of the newer Nittany Lions have brought along the way.