Head coach James Franklin issued a challenge to the Penn State fans ahead of the Nittany Lions‘ top-five matchup with Oregon on Saturday night.
Franklin said “we’re going to need everybody’s help” to create a hostile environment in the program’s annual White Out game. He called for everyone — not just the student section — to stay on their feet and make noise as much as possible against the Ducks.
Advertisement
“I’m challenging everybody,” Franklin said during his Monday press conference. “This is a four-quarter, one-play-at-a-time, first down, second down, third down, fourth down, punts, kickoff coverage, that we need to be on our feet, screaming a collective battle cry in the stadium.”
The White Out at Beaver Stadium has been cited by many as one of the toughest environments for road teams to play in, and it’s no coincidence that the Nittany Lions are holding the White Out against the highest-ranked opponent they’ll play at home this year.
Oregon, the reigning Big Ten champion, is off to a blistering 4-0 start to the season in which its outscored opponents by a total score of 203-37. Ducks quarterback Dante Moore is one of the early favorites for the Heisman, and it’ll take a full effort from the Penn State players and fans to stop him and the Oregon offense.
Penn State has posted a 13-8 record in White Out games since the tradition officially started in 2004. Sixteen of those games were against ranked opponents, with Oregon being the latest chapter.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: James Franklin challenges Penn State fans in White. Out vs. Oregon
