Saquon Barkley planned to spend offseason with Penn State coaching staff

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Mar 19, 2019
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The COVID-19 pandemic squashed Giants running back Saquon Barkley‘s plans to get a better feel for the metal part of the game this offseason.

Barkley, who played his college football at Penn State, had arranged with coach James Franklin to work along with the Penn State staff as it did its springtime film study, but when the pandemic shut down Penn State’s facilities, it had to get called off.

“Saquon reached out to me and his plan was to come and spend spring ball with us as a coach,” Franklin told the New York Post. “He wanted to sit in all of the coaches’ meetings to see how we came up with the game plan, how we watch film and all the things we discuss. He wanted to be able to learn football and view it through a different lens because he thought that would help his growth, and he’d be able to go back and have a bigger impact with the Giants. He could see how coaches assess things and why.”

Although most people think first of Barkley’s phenomenal athleticism, Franklin said Barkley’s mental approach is equally impressive.

“He is very curious about a lot of different things,” Franklin said. “Throughout Saquon’s college experience and afterwards, he is very observant. He is asking a lot of questions. Whenever your best player is also your strongest culture-driver behind the scenes, it’s a recipe for success.”

It didn’t work out this year, but it speaks well for Barkley that he wanted to spend his offseason making himself better in any way he could.
 
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