PSU's Belton gets a surprising reunion with coach Franklin

FOUR OR FIVE years ago, college assistants frequented Winslow Township High to recruit one of South Jersey's most dynamic prep football players.

Oregon offered the kid a scholarship, as did Florida and South Carolina, of the vaunted SEC, and other tradition-laden programs such as Nebraska and Wisconsin.

In the end, Penn State landed Bill Belton, but not for the lack of other schools' attempts. Maryland, for instance, put on the fullcourt press, a recruiting nugget worth mentioning years later, only because of the young assistants who led the effort on behalf of the Terrapins.

There was John Donovan, then a little-known running backs coach. And there was James Franklin, a charismatic offensive coordinator who, even then, was regarded as a top-notch recruiter.

As we near the anticipated opening of another college football season, it's all come full circle for Belton, Franklin and Donovan. Belton, the former Winslow Township star, is entering his fourth and final season at Penn State, doing so under the direction of his third head coach in Franklin. Donovan is his offensive coordinator.

"Never thought I'd run into him again," Belton acknowledged recently, referring to Franklin.

In his third year playing running back, Belton will be a key cog in Penn State's offense again this season. A dual-threat quarterback in high school, he arrived on campus in 2011 as a slot receiver and, as a true freshman, also ran the Wildcat. In addition to receiver, he also was recruited as a defensive back and a running back, which is where former coach Bill O'Brien moved him before the 2012 season.

Like O'Brien, Franklin and Donovan always envisioned Belton as a running back, so that's how Maryland recruited him, a fact not lost on the now-college senior.

"They saw my future before I did," he said. "I think it's ironic that I ran into [Franklin] again. They were one of the teams that loved me the most at the time."

Belton wouldn't say the extent to which he considered attending Maryland, but noted Franklin and Donovan are the "same exact people" he remembers from high school. An interesting dynamic between player and head coach has already emerged. Belton, it turns out, isn't big on smiling - never has been - and Franklin, the most exuberant person in every room he steps into, apparently doesn't let him hear the end of it.

"The two of them are kind of like the odd couple, but the odd couple that will really get along," said former Winslow Township High coach Mike McBride, who got to know Franklin some during Belton's recruitment.

"Coach Franklin is hooting and hollering and jumping and laughing and cracking jokes, and Bill's a guy who, maybe he'll crack a smile once every, uh, 20 years."

Belton actually cracked a few smiles during interviews at Penn State's media day on Aug. 4. Perhaps it was because preseason practices were finally about to begin that afternoon. The Sicklerville, N.J., native is coming off the best of his three collegiate seasons, and with fellow senior Zach Zwinak and sophomore Akeel Lynch could form the best trio of backs in the Big Ten.

Valuable in both the rushing and passing attack, Belton racked up 1,036 all-purpose yards last season, second on the team behind only star wide receiver Allen Robinson, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Gaining 5.1 yards per carry, Belton rushed for 803 yards with five touchdowns and also hauled in 15 passes for 158 yards and two receiving scores.

Belton appeared to turn a corner last season, becoming an all-around better running back. His signature performance came against Illinois, when he became the first PSU back to eclipse 200 yards rushing in a game since Larry Johnson in 2002. Belton amassed 201 yards on 36 carries that day.

"Last year, I said I was at home [at running back]," he said, "but I feel like I'm picking up on more things to take me from a good level to an elite level."

Belton, listed at 5-10 and 204 pounds, still seeks to learn more about the position. In the offseason, he studied film of Arian Foster, of the Houston Texans, and the Buffalo Bills' tandem of C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson (PSU running backs coach Charles Huff is a former Bills assistant). Belton will also watch other players in the conference to try to pick up on things.

"He's played a lot of games. He's played a lot of big games. He's got a lot of ability, and he's a senior. That's a pretty good combination right there," said Donovan, who coordinated Franklin's offenses at Vanderbilt.

"You're going to lean on your seniors. It's their team. They're going to have to show the young guys how to play. The light's at the end of the tunnel for them and he's one of those guys. And because he's in that role, he's played in a lot of big games and got a lot of ability. We're expecting big things."

Albeit about half a decade after they first encountered him, Franklin and Donovan finally have the running back from South Jersey.