HBO crew shadowing Nittany Lions this week
A crew from HBO is at Penn State this week following the 12th-ranked Nittany Lions as they prepare to face Purdue Saturday at noon (TV-ESPN; WEEU-AM/830) at Beaver Stadium.
According to Penn State coach James Franklin, the Lions have had previous opportunities for cameras to take a behindthe-scenes look at the program. He, athletic director Sandy Barbour and others gave their approval this time for several reasons.
“We’ve got such a wonderful university, program, history and tradition here and the community,” Franklin said, “that you want to make sure that everybody in the United States knows how special this place is.
“To be able to have somebody like HBO that has tremendous expertise in doing this, to be able to peek behind the curtain and allow people a more comprehensive review of how we do things, I think that’s important.”
Penn State will be one of four teams that will be featured in the HBO Sports series called “24/7 College Football.” The allaccess show, which is modeled after “Hard Knocks” on HBO, will feature the Lions, Arizona State, Florida and Washington State.
“24/7 College Football” will premiere tonight at 10 on HBO with an hourlong special on the Florida Gators. The Penn State episode will first air at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, on HBO.
“I think the most important piece of it is people getting to know our players, our coaches and our staff on a more significant level because we’ve got great people,” Franklin said. “What better opportunity to allow our story to be told on a national and really global level. We’ve embraced it and I’m trying to keep things as normal as possible.”
Franklin said he, the coaching staff and the players are often filmed during practice and meetings by a crew from WPSU-TV, which produces Penn State’s weekly highlights show.
“I think it’s going to be fun to watch just because it’s about us,” defensive tackle Robert Windsor said, “but nothing’s really changed. It’s just another camera in the room. Everyone is kind of going about their business as usual.”
Franklin said he doesn’t think the Penn State episode will be as “colorful” as some of the Hard Knocks episodes that follow NFL teams during training camp. He hopes it will be “authentic.”
He also said the timing was right.
“A few years ago, we obviously were at a different point as a program,” Franklin said, referring to the sanctioned years. “Where our locker room is at right now with our chemistry, our depth and our staff, I think we are at a good place right now and we can handle it.” YELLOW LIGHTS >> Franklin said Tuesday that he and his staff have changed the status of two Penn State freshmen after four games.
Linebacker Lance Dixon and offensive tackle Caedan Wallace, who have played three games apiece, have been moved to “yellow light” status, meaning they probably won’t play in more than one game the rest of the way, unless they’re needed because of injuries.
Players will lose a year of eligibility if they play in more than four games.
“We’re going to try to hold Lance’s games for later in the year,” Franklin said. “We still feel like we could play him. But he’s just not getting enough reps now for it to make sense in burning his year.
“And that would be the same situation with Caedan Wallace, a guy who we were just playing on PAT and field goal teams. It didn’t make sense to burn his year for that.”
Franklin said wide receivers John Dunmore and T.J. Jones and safety Tyler Rudolph – all freshmen -- might see action in upcoming home games. They have yet to see the field.