James Franklin Urges Penn State Offensive Stars to ‘Let it Rip’
After Penn State’s Week 2 victory over FIU, quarterback Drew Allar was critical of his performance, admitting he found himself “overthinking” at times, especially during the first half when he completed only 12 of 21 passes for 97 yards. Head coach James Franklin noticed similar tendencies in running back Nicholas Singleton and shared his thoughts on what both players needed to improve.
Franklin emphasized that both Allar and Singleton were trying to play too perfectly, leading them to overthink their plays instead of just playing naturally. “They’re overthinking some things, trying to play perfect, rather than just letting it rip,” Franklin explained.
Both players admitted to having uneven games. Allar, for instance, was frustrated by an incompletion on a bubble screen to Singleton that likely would have converted a third down. Despite executing the play well in practice, the missed throw lingered in his mind. “I caught myself overthinking a couple times and not just going out there and playing,” Allar said. “In reality, I made that throw all week in practice, so it’s just about shutting my brain off and going out there and playing.”
Singleton, though effective with 76 yards on 13 carries, hasn’t shown the explosive runs that have made him a standout in the past. His longest run this season is just 16 yards, and he’s had only two runs over 10 yards. In contrast, teammate Kaytron Allen already has five runs over 10 yards, including a career-high 67-yard run against FIU.
Franklin, alongside running backs coach Stan Drayton, discussed Singleton’s struggles, agreeing that he too was overthinking. “A little like Drew, I think he was thinking too much,” Franklin said. “He’s such a good kid, so coachable, but that’s not what Saturdays are for. Saturdays are about just going out and letting it rip.”
Singleton, like Allar, entered the season with high expectations and was ranked as a top NFL prospect. However, his first two games have been underwhelming. He rushed for just 19 yards against Nevada and had a 16-yard gain against FIU but hasn’t broken a big play yet. Last season, Singleton had multiple explosive runs, including three over 40 yards in the first two games.
Franklin acknowledged that Singleton is still growing and improving. “I see him getting better in a lot of areas,” Franklin said. “But like we talked about with Drew, they’re overthinking and trying to play perfect rather than just playing freely.”
As for Allar, Franklin noticed his frustration when he missed easy throws in the first half, which affected his body language. “I think he got frustrated with himself a few times, and it lingered,” Franklin said. But Allar rebounded in the second half, leading the team on two scoring drives, including a 42-yard touchdown pass to Devonte Ross.
Despite finishing the game with three straight incompletions, Allar showed improvement in the second half, completing seven of 12 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. Franklin pointed out the challenge players like Allar face, noting that staying present and not letting frustration linger is key to maximizing their potential. “The only way to maximize it is to be present. You can’t live in the past or the future, you must be present,” Franklin said.
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