The ending of the 2024 season is gifting fans enough reasons to question their love for college football. From referees leaving gridiron with a bloodied face to players stomping on others, it has been a wild ride. That’s when Penn State Nittany Lions HC James Franklin restored fans’ faith in sport all over again.

While press conferences are mostly about dropping big words or demeaning rivals, Franklin chose to step out of the tradition. Even that made him go against the national media. The Penn State HC came up with a bold take for Spencer Danielson and his boys. 

James Franklin’s candid observations for Boise State Broncos

In this season, Boise State has lost all its luster. However, this came off as a surprise. After all, their 2007 feat is still etched in the memory of college football fans. Their Fiesta Bowl victory against the Oklahoma Sooners is still regarded as one of the greatest David and Goliath stories in college football history. However, national media sees them as underdogs. That should not have been the case.

Boise State and Arizona State were the only two programs that landed early in the playoffs. So even after getting an entry to the playoffs early, they are considered an underdog, and it did not sit well with Franklin. So, during the pre-Fiesta Bowl press conference, the Nittany Lions HC said, “I know they got off the planes yesterday with some shirts that maybe kind of an underdog mentality or not getting respect.”

Here Franklin refers to the Boise State Broncos t-shirts that the players were wearing. It was not any random attire but rather had Danielson’s words printed on them. During the press conference on Monday, December 23, the Boise State HC stated, “Please count us out” to those who doubt the 10.5-point underdog. But Franklin is not at all a supporter of this narrative. 

“When you watch them on tape this is a really really good football team led by arguably the best player in college football and definitely the best running back in college football or one of the best running backs in college football, so they have our respect there’s no doubt about,” assured Franklin. Now that doesn’t mean that Boise State is not going to face a tough fight from Penn State.   

The power of culture in James Franklin’s squad

Well, Franklin’s squad also has seen enough in the 2024 season. Their latest blow came with their backup quarterback, Beau Pribula, hitting the transfer portal and then joining Missouri. However, their quarterback, Drew Allar, Penn State, chose not to leave Franklin’s hands in the difficult times. So, he confirmed that he will be making a comeback for the 2025 season. And do you know what makes the Happy Valley happier?

Franklin’s program now has true freshman Ethan Grunkmeyer as their No.2 QB. On top of that, the Nittany Lions are confident about their “secret sauce.” During a recent press conference, Allar shared what’s the USP of the program as he said, “I think overall it’s our culture.” The Nittany Lions quarterback ensures that he is passing down the knowledge he gained from his senior like Sean Clifford when he first stepped into Penn State. 

“I think obviously I can’t speak on anywhere else just because I’ve never been anywhere else but PennState,e but the culture we have inside the locker room, between players and the whole coaching staff and supportstaff,f I think is second to none. I think that’s kind of what makes us different at the end of the day,” stated Drew Allar.

That’s how they are not going to repeat the Oregon mistakes of throwing two flop interceptions. Can James Franklin’s boys bring the same level of respect to the field as their HC has shown Boise State?