In a few days, Penn State and Notre Dame will square off at the Orange Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Either the Fighting Irish or the Nittany Lions will punch their ticket to the national title game on Thursday night at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Marcus Freeman, the coach of Notre Dame, spoke with reporters on Saturday morning prior to Thursday’s semifinal. He gave a detailed account of the Irish’s decisive 23-10 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, which advanced them to the CFP quarterfinals. However, Freeman also wanted to address Penn State and the difficulty Notre Dame faced in his opening remarks.
Freeman expressed his admiration for James Franklin and his 11 seasons of service at Penn State. The Nittany Lions are a strong, disciplined football team, he said. Penn State’s inventive offense and devastating defense were praised by him.
Additionally, Freeman praised quarterback Drew Allar, defensive end Abdul Carter, tailbacks Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and Mackey Award winner Tyler Warren.
Freeman on Warren: Based on the movie I’ve seen of him, I believe that their 44-year-old tight end, Warren, is among the top college football players overall, regardless of position.
Freeman on Allen Singleton:Their running backs are both very talented athletes. They are both potential home runs. They are power runners. They have good balance and speed. They’re tough. They are very talented players, in my opinion.
Allar’s quarterback, according to Freeman, is playing as good as he has all season. He is playing confidently, delivering a good pass, keeping in the pocket, making excellent decisions, and throwing the ball well.
Carter is as outstanding as anyone at his position in college football, according to Freeman. He is a gifted rusher of the pass. They have men. The team is good. Making the proper preparations and becoming ready for the chance that awaits us will be difficult.
Watch this space for additional coverage when Penn State athletes Drew Allar, James Franklin, and others address the media on Saturday afternoon.
Stories by
Johnny McGonigal
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