Bye week at Penn State brings rejuvenation - and some recruitment

STATE COLLEGE - Two scheduled massages, increased attention from the conditioning staff, a combination of hot and cold tubs, and a lot of rest and sleep: It has been a revitalizing bye week for Penn State wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton.

"This week is all about getting your body right," Hamilton said.

That's on both a physical and mental level.

Physically, the Nittany Lions endured 5 straight weeks of games, two on the road. The first one - a trek to Dublin - wasn't your normal road game, either.

Mentally, Penn State, in its loss to visiting Northwestern last week, was flatter than the Earth to a 14th-century ocean navigator. Losing by more than 20 points, in such a debilitating and sobering fashion to a team thought to be inferior, could strike fear into any team or fan base.

But first-year Penn State coach James Franklin is using this week to avoid further letdown.

Franklin, who was 3-1 after off weeks at Vanderbilt, harped on the team's lack of depth and how this week couldn't have come at a better time.

He said the team practiced Tuesday and Wednesday and was given off yesterday, today and tomorrow. The time off allowed older players to focus on the conceptual, mental parts of the game.

As his players jogged off the field and into the Lasch Football Building behind him Wednesday, Franklin, with a marked-up note sheet tucked into his blue athletic shorts, was certainly attentive to his team's issues.

"The emphasis on the old guys is not to bang," Franklin said. "We have lingering issues that we're trying to get resolved, and the only way you're going to resolve them is with time."

Senior placekicker Sam Ficken echoed his coach's thoughts.

Ficken, who experienced his fifth career bye this week, understands how this time off can improve the team.

Clearly, he and his teammates would prefer being 5-0, but with a loss, the Lions have some self-reflecting to do.

"It's time to rethink things about ourselves and our processes. We can get better and improve," Ficken said. "We have to focus on our execution, because that's where we really lacked."

With the older guys taking a breather, younger players are getting an extended look.

Franklin said running scrimmage-like sessions for those who don't consistently play on Saturdays is beneficial for a few reasons, primarily those players' morale. Plus, you never know when one of them will need to step up and fill a void.

"Their time could come at any moment," Franklin said. "I've been a part of some programs where, when you redshirt, you're kind of forgotten for a year. That's normally how you have a high turnover and a lot of attrition, which we don't want."

Of course, the bye weeks are utilized for more than only practices. Franklin said he and his staff also will spend time recruiting, noting such chances seldom come by so maximizing time is necessary.

Franklin doesn't seem to be joking around. Pictures surfaced on Twitter showing him attending a Maryland high school football game yesterday - after flying in via helicopter.

Franklin said Wednesday he, his staff and players would return Sunday to practice and begin preparing for Michigan.

In the meantime, Penn State players will be resting. But don't be surprised if you see Franklin drop by your local high school football game as if he's in a James Bond movie.

Just all in a normal bye week.