Penn State Best Bets of the Week: Big Ten Media Days Were Fun

Training camp opens July 30 for the most anticipated Penn State football season of the century, if you're into hyperbole.

Which we are, since most every national college football outlet is pinning the Nittany Lions at or near the top of its preseason expectations list.

But inside Penn State's program, the expectations are, well, even higher, at least according to the players.

Drew Allar, Nick Dawkins and Zakee Wheatley made that abundantly clear at Big Ten Football Media Days in Las Vegas.

"I couldn't care less if we're unranked in the media or ranked No.

1 or No.

5.

To me, it doesn't matter," Allar said.

"The only thing I care about is where we're ranked at the end of the season." Before Penn State dives headfirst into training camp, we're highlighting some of the best Penn State stories of the week.

That includes James Franklin (probably) inadvertently taunting his former conference, a reminder from Allar about the downside to public life and some actual football talk.

Check out our picks.

In a short answer to a benign question, the Penn State coach managed to tweak his current conference, his former conference and the city of Las Vegas.

Did he mean to? Probably not.

But sometimes Franklin gets into trouble when he gets rolling.

At Big Ten Football Media Days in Las Vegas, Franklin was asked about the SEC lessons he learned during his three years at Vanderbilt.

Franklin essentially praised the conference, its teams and stakeholders for loving the game and committing to win.

But in doing so, Franklin also referred to the SEC as "that other conference," similar to the "previous institution" phrasing he has used to describe Vanderbilt.

To Franklin, the references are benign.

To others, they're invitations.

The SEC moved quickly, making a joke logo that commissioner Greg Sankey posted on X.

National media used Franklin's words to inflate the Big Ten-SEC rivalry .

All good fun for a Media Days appearance.

But Franklin wasn't done.

The Penn State coach finger-wagged his own conference for holding its Media Days in Las Vegas.

This likely was a one-off, as the Big Ten intends to return to Indianapolis.

Still, Franklin wasn't a fan of the temporary move because, as he said, "having the Big Ten Media Days in Big Ten country is important." "I walk around the lobby, I don't see any signage.

I don't see anything for the Big Ten," Franklin said.

"I don't see people getting autographs.

It's a different vibe and it's a different feeling." He wasn't wrong.

There were folks at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, site of the event, wearing Penn State hats who had no idea their head coach was on the premises.

But also, why would they? Anyway, Franklin probably will be happy to return to Indianapolis next year.

Franklin's big-game record , particularly over the past three years, was a recurring theme in Las Vegas.

The Penn State coach was asked directly about his record vs.

ranked teams, top-5 teams, etc.

He absorbed all of it and added this.

"If we want the narrative to change, we got an opportunity to change it," Franklin said.

"We want people to shut up? We can shut them up real easy." Starting quarterbacks certainly earn plenty of privileges, but there are costs as well.

Allar discussed just a few at Media Days, including those people who come after him for money .

"[T]hat side of things can bring out some ugly interactions," Allar said.

"I've definitely had some things that I'm questioning, I don't know how people can do that to you." Penn State's new defensive coordinator isn't just shaping his side of the ball.

Jim Knowles has been a valuable addition for the offense, particularly Allar, who struggled against Knowles' defenses the past two seasons.

Upon arriving at Penn State, Knowles shared his scouting report of Allar and the Nittany Lions' offense and watched last year's Penn State-Ohio State game with his new co-workers.

Franklin called the exercise "really valuable." Want some football talk? Here's what we learned about the Nittany Lions in Las Vegas.

Franklin and tight ends coach Ty Howle have a plan to replace Tyler Warren , who had the most productive season ever for a Penn State tight end.

It's a group project.

Penn State said that the 2024-25 academic year was the best for athletics donations in school history.

Penn State received nearly $165 million in gifts, most of that designated for the Beaver Stadium renovation.

Speaking of the Beaver Stadium renovation, those temporary bleachers look a bit terrifying.

But Penn State has more than a month to soothe fans afraid of heights.

ROAR+, Penn State's de facto in-house streaming service , went live this week.

Penn State plans to build out the subscription platform to include player and coach interviews, a show with LaVar Arrington and archived games.

Darian Somers, host of the Stuff Somers Says podcast, did a good explainer interview with Morgyn Seigfried, Playfly Max general manager, about the digital service..

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