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For James Franklin, extra time with - and away from - punt returners has paid off

DeAndre Thompkins returned a punt for a touchdown after him and his coach called his shot.

Penn State wide receiver DeAndre Thompkins (left) returns a punt for a touchdown against Akron at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State wide receiver DeAndre Thompkins (left) returns a punt for a touchdown against Akron at Beaver Stadium.Read moreABBY DREY / TNS

DeAndre Thompkins turned to assistant coach Terry Smith and said, "Meet me in the end zone."

After all, Smith had been telling Thompkins all week he'd return a punt for a touchdown.

And he wasn't about to prove his coach wrong. The senior wide receiver caught the punt, ran 61 yards, making guys miss on the way, and crossed the goal line to open the scoring against Akron on Saturday.

Thompkins described the feeling as getting in a racecar and sticking your head out the window.

"You feel fearless. Like, I can do this," Thompkins said. "And you just keep running, keep running. You just feel a sigh of relief."

The play, which came about seven minutes into the first quarter, wasn't a surprise for many — especially linebacker Jarvis Miller.

"DeAndre was trapped in the bottle just waiting to explode," Miller said. "I mean, he's an explosive guy."

Thompkins set the tone for the rest of the game, which ended in a 52-0 blowout at Beaver Stadium.

It must have been a sigh of relief for coach James Franklin, who said he's been investing time in the special teams unit.

Franklin even got some feedback on how to handle his punt returners — just stay away.

"'Stay away from the punt returner,'" Franklin was told. "'You're questioning him, you're screaming, you're yelling. Leave him alone. Let him play.' And they've earned that. Those guys have earned that."

Franklin's distance must have worked. Thompkins returned four punts for 127 yards against Akron. He also recorded two receptions for 29 yards.

While Franklin is sitting back letting players do their own thing, Thompkins said that also means the coach is putting pressure on them to watch film, study tendencies and be responsible.

One way he does that is by consulting with cornerback John Reid, who is likely out for the season with a knee injury. Thompkins said the two texted during the summer while Reid interned at Intel in Portland, Oregon. They'd watch film and say, "Let's do this. Let's do that."

"On the sideline, he was crazy," Thompkins said of Reid's reaction to his touchdown. "I know he was happy for me. If the roles were switched, I would be crazy for him too."

Thompkins said they talk so much "it's absurd." And that was no different in the offseason, spring ball and camp.

"We looked at the punt return spot, and we knew this was something me and him individually could change on our team."