9/14/22 auburn articles

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AUBURN

Auburn football: Time to flip the script with Penn State

Glenn Sattell | 21 hours ago

Well, it seems like we’ve been here before. Just last year, the Tigers opened the season with a couple of nonconference victories. Big ones, 60-pointers, over Akron (60-10) and Alabama State (62-0) to start the Bryan Harsin era.

They were quite impressive at the time, and perhaps necessary for Harsin to begin his tenure on the Plains with a splash. Well, that part of it was accomplished.

Then came reality in the form of Penn State. And although a confident — falsely earned or not — Tigers team gave the Nittany Lions all they wanted up in Happy Valley, they ultimately came out on the short end of a 28-20 final.

Fast forward 1 year later, and here we are again. Off to another 2-0 start to open the season, the Tigers face a Penn State team that will give them somewhat of a measuring stick as to how much the program has grown since they met this time last season. It’ll be the beginning of a comparison between last year’s 2-0 Tigers and this year’s version.

Granted, this year’s first 2 victories weren’t nearly as impressive as the ones that raised the curtain on the 2021 season. But then again, they really didn’t need to be, especially given the set of circumstances. Auburn had dropped 5 consecutive games in a disappointing finish to the 2021 schedule. So to start 2022, the Tigers simply needed a victory. Any kind of a victory would suffice.

Only scoring 42 points at home against Mercer in a 42-16 triumph to open the 2022 campaign? Good enough. Squeaking by San Jose State, 24-16, at Jordan-Hare in the follow-up? Acceptable, but certainly not a particularly impressive tuneup for a nationally ranked team.

While the 2-0 Tigers roared into the White Out at Penn State last year, averaging 61 points in their first 2 games, it’s a much quieter confidence that the 2-0 Tigers take into Jordan-Hare on Saturday when No. 22 Penn State visits. Whether that’s good or bad, we won’t know until Saturday night.

Whether or not Toomer’s Corner gets rolled a 3rd time in a string of 5 consecutive home games to open the 2022 season will largely be determined by what quarterback TJ Finley can produce for his offense. If the Tigers are to extend their 17-game home winning streak against nonconference opponents, a mark that stretches from a 2016 season-opening 19-13 loss to No. 2 Clemson, Finley will have to put up better numbers than he has so far.

Either that, or simply get out of the way and let Tank Bigsby, and the offensive line, take over. Finley ranks 14th in the SEC in passing, averaging 139.5 yards per game. And he’s tied with South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler and Missouri’s Brady Cook for most interceptions thrown (3) this year. Not to mention, he’s also tied for last place in the conference with only 1 touchdown pass so far.

Yeah, it’s ugly, and those numbers probably won’t be sufficient to pull off a victory on Saturday, but that’s not what’s gotten Auburn to 2-0 this season. It’s in the trenches where Auburn has been the better team in each of its first couple of games.

Bigsby ranks 2nd in the SEC with a 99.5-yard average per game, behind only Arkansas’ Rocket Sanders (136.5). On the other side of the football, the Tigers have given up the fewest total rushing yards (128) in the conference over the first 2 games.

That looks to be the identity of the team: a strong rushing attack and a solid defense against the run.

That’s not breaking news, and Finley still has to do his part even if that means just managing the game and not committing turnovers. He hasn’t done that so far, throwing a pair of picks in the opener and tossing another interception last Saturday.

His development will go a long way in determining a winner on Saturday, and in how the Auburn season progresses from here; also, not breaking news.

And don’t discount the home-field advantage, either. It’s big, and it could very well wind up being the determining factor on Saturday. It certainly played a key role in last year’s meeting.

So while the Tigers have started 2022 just like they did 2021, the opportunity is there before them to change the trend and begin to improve upon last year’s 6-7 record.

 

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Owen Pappoe relishes a second chance against Penn State

• Updated: Sep. 13, 2022, 2:23 p.m.|
• Published: Sep. 13, 2022, 2:21 p.m.

 

NEW!

 

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• Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com

Owen Pappoe and his teammates at Auburn have an opportunity to course correct from a tough 28-20 loss last season against Penn State. Pappoe was on track to becoming an early-round NFL Draft with a solid junior season on the Plains. Bryan Harsin’s first season as the Tigers head coach got off to a 2-0 start with hopes of ruining the “Whiteout” party at Beaver Stadium.

“You have the whole white out, you know, the 100,000 in their stadium and all that,” Pappoe said about last season’s trip to State College. “They had a lot of theatrics going on in that game, too.”

Pappoe’s path derailed with an ankle injury suffered in the second half against the Nittany Lions. Harsin’s first loss as Auburn’s coach became far more costly when a significant component of the defense couldn’t play the last four games of the 2021 season.

 

Read More Auburn Football: How Bryan Harsin assessed Auburn’s QB’s against San Jose State

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How T.J. Finley and Robby Ashford fared in 24-16 San Jose State win

Auburn went 3-1 with wins against Georgia State, Arkansas, and LSU and a loss against Georgia during the four games Pappoe missed before returning for the Ole Miss win. He played in the 20-3 loss against Texas A&M the following week. He wouldn’t play after the Aggie defeat as the Tigers suffered losses against Mississippi State, South Carolina, Alabama, and the Birmingham Bowl against Houston.

Pappoe and his teammates are underdogs for Saturday’s (2:30 pm CT CBS) contest versus No. 22 Penn State at Jordan-Hare. A win could build confidence for the 2-0 Tigers, who haven’t beaten a ranked opponent since Oct 30, 2021, in the Ole Miss game.

“I’m looking forward to it, man. But I’m not trying to treat it like the Super Bowl or anything,” Pappoe told reporters during a press conference on Monday. “You’ve got to take everything one week at a time. But, definitely, I’m looking forward to going out there and executing at the highest level.”

The 6-foot-1, 225-pound linebacker from Lawrenceville, Ga, made the starting lineup in his first game. As a freshman, he amassed 49 tackles, a pair of sacks, two pass breakups, four hurries, and a forced fumble. His sophomore year was even better. He posted 93 tackles, four sacks, and an interception to follow up his strong freshman campaign at Auburn.

Pappoe saw his high expectations for his junior season change after the Penn State game. He likely would be playing in the National Football League now if he didn’t get hurt against the Nittany Lions. However, his return provides the Tigers with a leader who knows much about what PSU quarterback Sean Clifford and the offense do well.

“They run a lot of the same stuff. Obviously, there’s little tweaks here and there,” Pappoe said. “But it’s a copycat league, so they’re gonna take some of the things we’ve been struggling with these past two weeks and try throwing it at us with their own twists. They’ve run a lot of similar things that they did last year.

Penn State comes to the Plains a day shy of one year since Pappoe’s injury. He doesn’t blame the Nittany Lions for the ailment he said happened when he collided with a teammate trying to make a tackle. However, the veteran linebacker sees a chance for his individual goals and the team’s mission to combine with a strong performance.

“It’s a big game. I think they’re ranked, what, No. 22 in the country or something like that,” Pappoe said. “So, you know, this is a statement game for us to show them that we need to be recognized as one of the top teams in the country.”

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Newcomers make quick impact for Auburn secondary

Jason Caldwell

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AUBURN, Alabama—Last season Auburn finished with nine interceptions in 13 games, only good enough to tie several other teams for a tie for 80th nationally. The struggle creating turnovers in the secondary has continued early in 2022 with the Tigers just one of 20 teams without an interception this year.

“We've got to find some ways to get some takeaways,” coach Bryan Harsin said. “When the ball's in the air, we've got to compete for it. Those things are what we're going to emphasize again this week.”

One way Auburn’s secondary may continue to improve in that area is getting newcomers Keionte Scott and DJ James on the field more for the Tigers. Despite returning veterans Nehemiah Pritchett and Jaylin Simpson outside at cornerback, both Scott and James have both jumped into the playing rotation in the first two games with Scott working a the nickel and James outside at cornerback.

With the team looking for playmakers, Scott has already shown that ability as a punt returner for the Tigers and Harsin said it’s also coming as a defensive player despite having very little time in the scheme.

“I think Keionte has come on quite a bit,” Harsin said. “I felt like since the day he got here _ now, he missed all summer, but he showed up and he's an impact player. Like the very first day. He was day three after he's been here, he was already breaking the defense down. He earned respect in a short amount of time.”

Coming to Auburn from Oregon, James had experience with the Ducks and you can see that in his play early in the 2022 season. Unafraid of contact and with the ability to play in space, the former Spanish Fort standout has given the Tigers another quality player on the perimeter of the defense.

“I think D.J.'s coming on,” Harsin said. “I think he's figuring out how to practice, figuring out how to play hard, all those things. He's talented. So I think he's really picking things up and understand it and so now he's able to go out there and play faster. But both those guys are contributors on the defensive side. Keionte helps us on special teams. D.J. should be helping us on special teams as well.”

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With Scott working exclusively at the nickel last week, it gave Auburn the opportunity to move Donovan Kaufman more to the traditional safety spot. James added 39 snaps at cornerback, putting both of them on the field together a good bit in nickel and dime packages. Facing more teams down the road that will spread the field and throw the ball, Harsin said you could see even more of them moving forward.

“You see some of these new guys that have come in now that are starting to get bigger roles and now they're starting to help us,” Harsin said. “And D.J.'s one of those and Keionte's certainly one of them right now.”

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‘We owe them one’: Auburn eager for shot at payback against Penn State

Published: Sep. 13, 2022, 7:05 a.m.

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Derick Hall recalls stepping onto the field at Beaver Stadium a year ago and seeing nothing but white in every direction. Penn State packed 109,958 fans, the majority of them clad in all-white, into its stadium for last year’s nonconference clash in Happy Valley.

It was a different kind of atmosphere than what Auburn was accustomed to seeing on the road; every player that spoke to the media this week attested to that much. For as memorable as the gameday environment was, that wasn’t what stuck most with Auburn’s players after their trip to Pennsylvania last fall.

It was the agony of a 28-20 loss in a game that the Tigers felt they could have won on the road.

Read more Auburn football: Orange jerseys? Auburn captains push for change from traditional uniforms for Penn State game

Auburn expects to have starting wide receiver back for Penn State game

Auburn’s pass defense still a concern with Penn State matchup looming

“We think we should have won the football game, for sure,” tight end and team captain John Samuel Shenker said. “That has left a sour taste in our mouths for a year now. We’ve had this one circled for a while, the guys that were here last year and seeing what we can do better to win this game this year when they come to our house.”

Auburn will have its chance at redemption Saturday, when No. 22 Penn State makes the return trip to the Plains to wrap up the home-and-home series. The Tigers (2-0) host the Nittany Lions (2-0) at 2:30 p.m. at Jordan-Hare Stadium, with the game airing on CBS.

Last year’s trip to State College, Penn., provided Auburn with an opportunity at an early statement win in Year 1 under head coach Bryan Harsin. The Tigers twice led in the first half but were unable to get back in front after the Nittany Lions went up, 21-10, early in the second half. Auburn got within one at the start of the fourth quarter and had a chance to potentially tie the game late, but an ill-fated fourth-down end-zone fade to Kobe Hudson fell incomplete with 3:08 to play.

Instead of a marquee win in nonconference play, Auburn returned to the Plains with its first loss of the season and then experienced a scare the following week at home against Georgia State.

“We owe them one,” left guard Brandon Council said. “…We’re going to get that dub.”

Saturday’s game against Penn State will represent the toughest yet this season for Auburn, and yet another chance to make an early-season statement. The Nittany Lions roll into town with a fresh top-25 ranking following their 2-0 start to the season. They defeated Purdue, 35-31, on the road in Week 1, and then they took care of business last weekend at home against Ohio, 46-10.

Auburn’s 2-0 start hasn’t come easy despite games against an FCS opponent and a Mountain West team. The Tigers handled Mercer, 42-16, in their season opener but struggled last weekend against San Jose State at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn trailed at halftime, 10-7, but took control in the second half to win, 24-16, and avoid falling victim to a big-time upset like several other Power 5 programs did in Week 2.

“Obviously, last week we had to fight that one out; we had to play a full four-quarter game, and you know, some weeks it’s like that,” Hall said. “We know this week, competition’s only going to get harder from here on out, so we have to be consistent with that approach and take it one week at a time. I think the guys are ready; we’re prepared and fired up.”

That’s true across Auburn’s roster, but especially so for linebacker Owen Pappoe. The senior team captain has his own memories of last year’s loss at Penn State — it was the game in which he sustained the ankle injury that cost him most of his junior campaign.

It wasn’t even contact from a Penn State player that caused the injury; Pappoe said it was the result of some “friendly fire,” incidental contact with one of his own teammates. The injury sidelined him for Auburn’s next four games before he returned for two games midseason and then ultimately shut things down.

Now he’s back healthy, coming off a seven-tackle performance against San Jose State last weekend, and wants to finish off “on a better note” than he did in last year’s game against the Nittany Lions.

“I’m looking forward to it, man,” Pappoe said. “But I’m not trying to treat it like the Super Bowl or anything. You’ve got to take everything one week at a time. But, definitely, I’m looking forward to going out there and executing at the highest level.”

Auburn will have to execute better than it has in its first two games if it hopes to get its payback against Penn State. The Tigers have been uneven offensively, and the secondary hasn’t played up to Harsin’s standards in the first two games. Penalties were also an issue in Week 2. Auburn certainly hasn’t looked its best yet, and it’s no surprise the team enters Saturday’s clash as a home underdog.

“It’s a big game,” Pappoe said. “…This is a statement game for us to show them that we need to be recognized as one of the top teams in the country.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

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Auburn defense looks to improve against the pass as Penn State visits

Jason Caldwell

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AUBURN, Alabama—In last season’s loss to Penn State, quarterback Sean Clifford completed 28-32 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns with one interception as the Nittany Lions defeated Auburn 28-20. After giving up 472 yards in the first two games to Mercer and San Jose State with the quarterbacks completing 45-76 passes and no interceptions, the Tigers are expecting to see more of the short passing game this weekend as they look to shore things up defensively against one of the country’s top passing teams through two weeks.

“So the first two weeks we did hit a lot of quick game and obviously for the reasons because of their matchup up front, they didn't feel like they could block us,” senior Derick Hall said. “And so they threw the ball a lot, obviously for a defensive front, it gets frustrating because you’re consistently rushing. You have to just continue to do your job and be consistent in what you do every single day because teams are gonna do that now.

“I mean, we have a whole group of guys that can really get after the passer. So we are aware of that. We're expected of that and I think we have to be consistent and you know, Coach E (Etheridge) and Coach (Jeff) Schmedding to take care of the back end. I can't speak much on how they cover that, but I know as far as the upfront, we just have to be consistent and not get frustrated when they do throw quick routes.”

One of the keys for Auburn’s defense is going to create more negative plays. That starts with pressure up front and tighter coverage on the back end. Senior linebacker Owen Pappoe said the goal for the Tigers is to create three turnovers a game, but through two games the number is zero. Coach Bryan Harsin said that has to change.

“I think we just have to keep doing a better job,” Harsin said. “We've got to play better on the back end at the end of the day. We've got good players back there. I think how we practice, how we prepare, all the things that we do have got to be improved. Because in the pass game _ I mean, teams do a good job. There's good quarterbacks out there and we're going to face another one this week. They do a good job throwing the football. And when there's a chance, when the ball's in the air, we've got to make some plays on it at the end of the day.”

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Needing to step things up against the pass with Penn State coming to town, Hall said it’s all about working together as a defense and executing. That means the pass rush getting to the quarterback to help the secondary and vice versa. For Auburn, that’s a must come Saturday afternoon.

“So we always say, me, Simp (Jaylin Simpson), I mean every time, rush and coverage work together, you know that right,” Hall said. “So that's a big thing for me and him. I mean, we say that every day, all day, even in practice, rush and coverage work together. So he's expecting us to be able to rush the parents and we're expecting him to be able to cover long enough for us to get there. So I think that's the biggest thing that correlates them covering and us being able to affect them so they don't have to cover all day.”

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Penn State preparing for run heavy offense, heat and environment ahead of matchup with Auburn

Jon Sauber

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Noise, heat, and scoreboard at Auburn are some things Penn State football is preparing for

 

Penn State football coach James Franklin talks about the preparations the team is making for the trip to Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium.

 

Penn State football coach James Franklin talks about the preparations the team is making for the trip to Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium. By Abby Drey

UNIVERSITY PARK

Penn State’s matchup with Auburn will be very different than the ones the Nittany Lions have had through the first two weeks of the season. The Tigers are near polar opposites with the Purdue Boilermakers, who Penn State defeated in its first game.

Purdue was looking to gash Penn State in the passing game, with throws underneath designed to open up the field vertically and give them a chance to make a big play.

Ohio was just an outmatched opponent, with neither the system or talent to keep up with the Nittany Lions.

Auburn is neither. They are both talented and schematically different, ready to grind down the Penn State defense with the run and wear it out over the game’s 60 minutes.

That presents a different challenge for Penn State head coach James Franklin’s team this week.

“This is going to be a challenge, there’s no doubt about it,” Franklin said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “You make a mistake against this crew and it has a chance to cost you. ... We’re gonna have to be sound. We’re gonna have to make sure that fundamentally we’re prepared and executing the way we’re going to need to execute.”

James Franklin speaks Tuesday during his weekly press conference. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com

There will be one specific position group that must prepare itself for the game, too. The team’s linebackers haven’t been tested much against the run. They had to operate in coverage more against Purdue and then weren’t tested much at all against Ohio.

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This week, they’ll need to be ready for the difficulties of facing a strong and physical opponent who wants to attack them on every play. Linebacker Curtis Jacobs said his group knows the challenge ahead and is ready to take it on.

“They’re a really great running game,” Jacobs said. “... We’re definitely gonna have to strap up our hard hats and come with our A game on Saturday.”

His preparedness was something Franklin emphasized. Having the group’s most experienced player ready and up for the challenge should mean the entirety of the room should know what lies ahead.

“I love that Curtis is approaching it that way,” Franklin said. “I think he does have the right mentality that we need at LBU. ... That approach this week, not just with Curtis but with our entire front seven, our defensive line, our defensive tackles and our entire linebacking corps will be tested this week.”

Penn State linebacker Curtis Jacobs reaches for Ohio’s Kurtis Rourke during the game on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com

Preparing for Jordan-Hare

The Nittany Lions are on the road for the second time in three weeks and are once again heading into a hostile environment. They opened the year in West Lafayette against Purdue and will now head to Auburn to play in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The program has already taken plenty of steps to prepare for the crowd noise, even doing so before game week.

While Franklin usually emphasizes focusing on one week at a time, he said the team started working with a silent count during practice last week to prepare for the noise.

That’s just one of many measures Franklin and his staff have employed.

“We know it’s gonna be challenging,” Franklin said. “... We’ll show them some pictures of what the locker room looks like, what the stadium will look like. We’ll show them some videos, obviously of the War Eagle before the game, the band. ... We’re gonna try to prepare for it the best we possibly can but at the end of the day we still have to go out and execute it.”

There were extra changes made during practice prior to the season as well, taking the game prep back as far as August for the game. The Nittany Lions tested several measures to help get prepared for all of the issues they could face — whether it’s the crowd noise, the heat or just being in a new environment.

“We messed around with Holuba, closing the doors and turning the heat on there,” Franklin said. “... There’s some things we’re gonna talk to the team about today just to be prepared for. We’ve got a plan for it, but it’s a little bit different than the way we normally operate.”

Drew Allar’s development

One Nittany Lion who isn’t likely to see the field Saturday unless circumstances drastically change has been the talk of the season through two weeks and for good reason. He’s flashed the type of excellence you’d expect from a former five-star recruit and has already risen up the depth chart plenty over the last eight months.

Franklin said Drew Allar’s arrival, which came in January after he graduated high school early and enrolled, played a big role in helping him along in his development.

“Spring ball is invaluable for these guys that are able to come early,” Franklin said. “...So having him here early, as well as our other quarterbacks, to learn the system, to study the system, fit comfortable and get familiar so they have a chance to truly compete.

Despite his development, Allar still seems like a long shot to see the field Saturday. He only played against Purdue after Sean Clifford left the game with cramps for a drive, and came in against Ohio because of the team’s sizable lead.

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar hands off to running back Kaytron Allen during the game against Ohio on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com

Still, he’s taken the steps to prove he’ll be ready if he’s called upon again, and would be able to handle himself in the most difficult situations.

“I think he’s done a really good job of how to prepare, how to study the game,” Franklin said. “...I think he’s already at a point where the game is slowed down to him a little bit. He’s able to anticipate what’s gonna happen from a coverage perspective or from a pressure perspective.”

Quick Hitters

• Penn State is discussing Sander Sahaydak taking field goals from 52 yards out and longer.
• Franklin said the team has more depth than it did at wide receiver prior to the season opener when he said the group had five or six players he thought he could trust to play.
• Defensive end Adisa Isaac is nearly where he was prior to tearing his Achilles but Franklin said he still has a little bit left to do in terms of adding weight.

Jon Sauber earned his B.A. in digital and print journalism from Penn State and his M.A. in sports journalism from IUPUI. His previous stops include jobs at The Indianapolis Star, the NCAA, and Rivals.

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What James Franklin said about Auburn

Kevin McGuire

Tue, September 13, 2022 at 7:06 PM·5 min read

In this article:

Tank Bigsby

American football running back

Penn State is preparing for another road trip for the second time in three weeks, and this one is worth getting excited about. For the first time ever, Penn State will be playing a road game at Auburn, a year after the Nittany Lions won a home matchup in Beaver Stadium.

 

Penn State head coach James Franklin talked at length about what he is seeing from the Tigers, his respect for the program given his previous SEC coaching experience, and how he will be preparing his team to perform in the elements and atmosphere that is sure to be on fire on Saturday afternoon.

Here is a look at some of the key quotes from James Franklin’s Tuesday press conference in preparing for a Week 3 matchup with Auburn.

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Respect for Auburn

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Got a ton of respect for that program as well as that conference. Obviously, I’ve got some familiarity. Been a head coach in that conference for three years. I’ve known Bryan Harsin for a long time, more from a distance.

Franklin, of course, is referring to his time spent as the head coach at Vanderbilt prior to his being hired by Penn State. Franklin is well-versed in the way the SEC operates and the traditions to be found across the conference.

On Tank Bigsby and the Auburn running game

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Guys that we have been impressed with is obviously Tank Bigsby, but you could even mention their running backs in general. Their wide receiver, No. 6, Ja’Varrius Johnson, a guy that can really run. And then obviously the change-of-pace quarterback, Robby Ashford, who we recruited out of high school, who’s an explosive athlete.

Auburn running back Tank Bigsby lives up to his name when he steps on the football field. Last year against Penn State, Bigsby rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.

Who stands out on defense?

Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser

Guys we’ve been impressed with, their defensive tackle, No. 25 Colby Wooden, their D-end, No. 29 Derick Hall, their Will linebacker, No. 13, Cam Riley, and then their Sam/strong safety, Donovan Kaufman, No. 1. Guys that stand out. Their front, defensively, is I think the thing that really stands out to us.

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Bracing for an orange-out

Syndication: Montgomery

It’s going to be a challenge. This is their orange out. We listen to all their press conferences and watched all those things, talked to a lot of people that have played there and been a part of that environment. I’ve been there before as well and played there before. Getting our players prepared for what that will look like and what that’s going to be.

As if playing on the road isn’t enough of a challenge, Penn State will be stepping into an orange out in Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium. It will be the second color-out game Penn State plays in on the road already this season after Purdue did a black out for the season opener. And we all know how well that went.

There is even some fan speculation Auburn may roll out a unique jersey for the game.

How will Jordan-Hare Stadium compare to some Big Ten venues?

Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser

I think it’s going to be similar to some of better environments in the country. There is no doubt about it. Obviously, they take a ton of pride in their program and their university and their community.

Football is really important there, in that region of the country. So, we know it’s going to be challenging and got a ton of respect for it, but we didn’t wait until this week to get started. We did it during training camp, but really did it last week.

There was a lot of talk last season about how Auburn wasn’t going to be intimidated walking into the whiteout crowd of Beaver Stadium under the lights because they play in the SEC. And, to their credit, it did not appear as though Auburn was overwhelmed by the electricity of the night.

But, on the flip side, Penn State shouldn’t be walking into Jordan-Hare Stadium feeling intimidated by the environment they will be entering either. Jordan-Hare Stadium has a seating capacity a little over 87,000. Penn State plays in at least one stadium every year on the road that is larger between Michigan and Ohio State. So the crowd factor won’t be something that should bother Penn State.

But, as expected, it is something James Franklin wants his team to be prepared for.

How Penn State has prepared for the environment

Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser

We went all silent count all last week in practice with, as everybody knows, the music as loud as possible.
Everybody is like, well, we’re at home this week. Well, obviously, we were starting our preparation a week ahead for that without telling anybody that’s what we were doing.

We’ll show them some pictures of what the locker room will look like, what the stadium will look like, show some videos. Obviously, the War Eagle before the game. You know, the band. The scoreboard side of the end zone has been problematic. You watch San Jose State last week. They were able to get down into the low red zone and I think had three penalties in a row that knocked them out of there.

It’s going to be challenging and we are going to try it prepare for it the best we can. At the end of the day, we still have to go out and execute it. And that’s not just with our starters. That’s with whoever could possibly be in the game.

Penn State will be playing its second game in three weeks on the road to start the season, so it would make sense to be focusing a lot of camp time and practice time early in the year on playing under loud conditions. It will come in handy later this season when Penn State visits Michigan as well.

Story originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire