Penn State’s James Franklin goes out of his way to tout Young WR’s progress

 

Penn State coach James Franklin walked toward the microphone following Wednesday’s practice with a purpose. Citing his age (52), he wanted to right a wrong from his previous media opportunity when he failed to mention junior Omari Evans when he was rattling off names of wide receivers.

That was his fault, he said, because Evans was in the midst of a great camp and deserved a mention.

Evans’ career has been a strange mix of high expectations fueled by big plays, first in the Blue-White Game and then early in the 2022 season with a 32-yard TD catch from quarterback Drew Allar. He also delivered a big 60-yard catch against Michigan State last season.

But in between those plays, which are a legitimate part of his game, Evans hasn’t produced much.

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Could 2024 Finally Be Omari Evans’ Time?

Through two seasons, Evans has nine catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns while the position group has largely supported a breakout from SOMEONE. Consistency, whether at practice or games, can only be assumed as one of Evans’ missing ingredients.

Franklin was later asked a follow-up about Evans on Wednesday and had the following to say about the speedster:

“He’s had a really good camp, and he’s made a huge stride,” Franklin told reporters. “Omari’s the guy everybody’s excited for to come out and play well early on, gain confidence, and then literally he’s one of these guys whose career could just take off. We talk about speed, size, athleticism, intelligence, he’s got all the things you’re looking for.

“I think when he first got here, he was a really good athlete and maybe a little bit of a track guy. He’s really growing into football and what it takes at this level. There’s a lot of excitement in the program that he’s ready and a few big catches and a few big plays and he’s a guy we’re talking about very different than maybe the conversations that are going on right now, and we believe that will happen.”

There it is about Evans. And it’s an authentic answer from Franklin instead of a token shoutout for omitting Evans when he last addressed the wideouts.

Frankly, how he’s describing Evans is exactly what Penn State fans are waiting for out of the wide receivers room. Someone needs to burst to the forefront out of a deep pack of relative unknowns.

None of Penn State’s wideouts are proven playmakers.

Many of the top athletes in the group have sophomore eligibility or younger, and now they’re in a new offense with a wide open competition for playing time and attention from Allar.

So, maybe consider all of this a warning.

Don’t do what Franklin did and forget about Evans when the Lions kick off their season Saturday at West Virginia.

MORE: Burning Questions Penn State Must Answer vs. West Virginia

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