STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Many call Penn State’s annual “White Out” game the greatest show on turf. And the stakes are even higher this year with No. 6 Oregon traveling to Happy Valley for a primetime matchup (7:30 p.m., NBC10, Peacock).
But don’t tell that to Penn State coach James Franklin, who believes Saturday is another chance to go 1-0.
“We’re honored to coach and play in [the White Out]. I’ll take my eight seconds to feel it, but once you run onto the field, you’re focused on your opponent,” Franklin said.
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Saturday will mark Franklin’s 12th “White Out,” and for this high-stakes Big Ten matchup, he wants the environment to match the stakes. At Monday’s weekly news conference, Franklin challenged Penn State fans to stand for the entire game.
“We need this place rocking. I’m expecting this to be an environment like no one has ever seen,” Franklin said. “We want to make it obvious to everybody [that this] is the most challenging environment to play in all of sports, let alone college football.”
Scouting Oregon
Oregon enters Happy Valley a perfect 4-0 after dismantling Oregon State, 41-7. Coach Dan Lanning’s squad has outscored its opponents by an average of 40 points, the top mark in college football.
Franklin lauded the Ducks’ explosive offense, headlined by Dante Moore, a dual-threat quarterback whose 195.9 quarterback rating ranks fifth among Football Subdivision quarterbacks.
“[Moore] is very accurate. He can extend plays and has a ton of playmakers around him,” Franklin said. “I think sitting behind [former Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel] for a year was really valuable for his development.”
Oregon’s offensive weapons don’t stop with Moore, either. Franklin highlighted running back Jayden Limar and wide receiver Dakorien Moore as Ducks who could make an impact Saturday.
Limar is averaging 6.7 yards per carry through four weeks. Dakorien Moore is a true freshman who leads the Ducks with 207 receiving yards.
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Franklin also raved about Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon’s junior tight end who has three touchdown receptions in four games.
“I think [Sadiq] really makes them go,” Franklin said. “[Sadiq is] a matchup problem in the pass game. He is physical in the run game, and he is extremely explosive.”
Burning redshirts
In August, Franklin gave “green lights” to Chaz Coleman and Daryus Dixson, which meant the freshmen would burn their redshirt this season. He said wide receiver Koby Howard was “close” but needed to show more on special teams.
Franklin provided an update Monday on the redshirt situation.
Coleman and Dixson remained the lone green lights. Howard, defensive lineman Yvan Kemajou, linebacker Alex Tatsch, and defensive back Jahmir Joseph make up the next group of guys who will play if needed, Franklin said.
Joseph earned praise from Franklin following his 49-yard pick-six against Villanova on Sept. 13. Franklin again named Howard as one of six Penn State receivers in the mix for game reps, but declined to give him a green light.
Franklin said Kemajou’s snaps were due to the absence of Mylachi Williams, who missed time with “bumps and bruises.”
Franklin expects Williams to return this Saturday.