Why Penn State Wrestling Coach Cael Sanderson Spoke With the Nittany Lions Football Team
Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson begins his quest for a 12th national championship in November. Penn State football coach James Franklin is looking for his first. So why not solicit advice from the best?
During Penn State’s bye week, Franklin invited Sanderson back to the Lasch Football Building to speak to his unbeaten and third-ranked Nittany Lions football team. Consider it a refresher course in consistent messaging, Franklin said.
His message is really very consistent with the messages that we give our guys all the time,” Franklin said Monday at his weekly press conference. “It’s just a different voice delivering that, which is powerful. So it’s not the same message that we’re delivering from the same people. It’s a similar message. I think a lot of it is about being present, being appreciative, and then the other one is controlling the things that you can control and not inhaling or reading or listening to outside voices
or words was really the message.”
Franklin, a major wrestling fan, has been a fixture at Penn State wrestling matches for years. He has invited Sanderson to speak with his team before about the power of process and did so again this past summer. With the Nittany Lions off to a 6-0 start and on a bye week, Franklin had Sanderson back to address the players once more.
respected, not only across campus and in the community, but I know on our team specifically and in our locker room.”