On December 19, Locked on Nittany Lions posted a YouTube video of James Franklin addressing the media ahead of the Penn State-SMU showdown. He made a bold comparison of the Mustangs QB Kevin Jennings saying that he reminds him of the Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. He said, “Athletic, can extend plays, can make big plays, does a really good job of keeping his eyes down the field. I think that’s his style of play. I don’t know if we have anybody else that we have played this year that’s similar to him but his name really reminds me a lot of Lamar Jackson.”
One of the reasons why SMU’s offense is one of the best in the nation is because of their dual-threat QB Kevin Jennings. The Mustangs have averaged 38.5 points per game, the top six in the FBS. Even Penn State DC Tom Allen is aware of the threat that Jennings could give to the Nittany Lions. He said, “He’s really, really special. I think he’s a special talent. I really do. He’s a guy I didn’t know a lot about before us playing him. But he certainly has my full attention.” This season, Jennings passed for 3,050 yards and 22 touchdowns while also rushing for 379 yards and five touchdowns in 93 carries.