Penn State practice notebook

With the season opener less than three weeks away, there's plenty for Franklin to worry about

Logan Gehman Whitespot Photography

Eleven practices into preseason camp, James Franklin wishes the football team was further along, if Tuesday’s practices and media availabilities were indicative.

“We got pretty much everything in now,’’ Franklin said. “That’s a lot, because you’ve got the installs of (a new) defense, but then you’ve got to deal with (adapting to ) the two by two formation, and then against three by one, against empty, against motions and shifts. It magnifies everything.’’

Bear in mind also that head coaches fretting in August is hardly novel.

“I like what we’re doing, but there’s too many missed assignments,’’ Franklin said. “Bad football will get you beat long before good football will win you games. We’ve got to get these things cleaned up right now and start refining.’’

New defensive coordinator Jin Knowles expessed similar concerns.