Penn State closed a 13-3 season in 2024, making it evident that focusing on football means the world to the program. However, Penn State’s GM, Andy Frank, recently revealed that they are keen on ensuring players aren’t solely focused on football, with stronger reasons than one could guess!
Penn State’s New Standard: GM Andy Frank Stresses Life Skills Over Pure Football Focus
With highly competitive college football programs, it isn’t hard to guess that coaches and managers expect players to be focused on anything but football. For Penn State General Manager Andy Frank, that won’t cut it as far as he’s concerned. Frank appeared as a guest on the “Next Up with Andy Brenneman” show and was asked what goes into the evaluation of players for the team.
Frank revealed, “I’ll take it a step further – not only are you building a team, you’re building a program. In today’s world, you could look at it from the standpoint of, ‘Hey, we’re just building a team for this coming year,’ and you could make some decisions that could hurt your program down the line.”
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Meanwhile, Frank added that they like to see young players develop into better men with football character and overall development. While it may seem a lot to ask, Frank is sure that only players looking to grow holistically should be headed to Penn State.
He continued, “Now, in terms of what we’re looking for, we’re looking for everything…great football character, great family support system around him.” Frank added, “For us here at Penn State, we’re searching for someone who has everything. But if it’s just football – it’s probably not the place for them.”
Frank has been part of the Nittany Lions program for 12 years, with his official title being general manager of personnel and recruitment. In working with head coach James Franklin, he’s helped Penn State grow into a major contender for the College Football Playoff Championship, taking care to keep that holistic approach to players having a football and life balance, whether they’re fresh out of high school or acquisitions from the transfer portal.
“The portal guys have actually been great for our culture, because they’ve brought in new perspectives,” Frank said.
KEEP READING: Analyst Questions Penn State’s Roster Moves Amid High Expectations
The approach has done wonders for Penn State, which is receiving high marks for its team coming into the 2025 season. Analysts such as Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt have even ranked it as the program to go all the way.
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