It’s almost as if James Franklin figured the question was coming.

Probably a good guess, if so. After all, fans have been wondering all season what is wrong with Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley, and his coaches have been adamant in their view that the answer is nothing. So when asked during his weekly news conference Tuesday to compare McSorley’s performance so far in 2017 to what he did during his breakthrough 2016 campaign, Franklin used numbers as his weapon.

“To be honest with you,” Franklin shrugged. “It’s not even really close.”

Fans might debate that, especially considering some of the blowback McSorley received for his play at times during each of the No. 4 Nittany Lions’ first five games. But, Franklin pointed out McSorley’s numbers are still dominant across the board: A 65.6 completion percentage, 1,352 yards, 12 touchdowns, a 3-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and, most notably to Franklin, a 5-0 record.

“To me, the discussion should end right there,” Franklin said. “But I will go further.”

Franklin proceeded to break down McSorley’s performance in his first five games of 2017 against his first five in 2016, when he went 3-2, threw six touchdowns with a 2-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio and a 256.8 passing yards per game average, as opposed to the 270.4 yards-per-game average he has this season.

Franklin then compared McSorley’s last five games of 2016, which included the Rose Bowl and Big Ten Championship Game performances, against this season. The results: More touchdown passes last season (15 to 12) and yards per game (311.2), but the same 3-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio, numbers that should be qualified alongside the fact he has been sacked far more often this season (11 times) than he was in the final five games (six) of 2016.

Still confident

One area in which Penn State has taken a step back in 2017 is with its field goal unit.

Senior kicker Tyler Davis is just 5 for 11 on field goal attempts.

He has had two blocked and another ruined by a bad snap-and-hold combination, which Franklin pointed out would make his numbers look a lot better assuming he hit them. But Davis also missed a 21-yard attempt in Saturday’s win against Indiana on which the snap and hold appeared perfect.

Franklin continued to maintain that Davis would be the kicker with no changes forthcoming, because the coaching staff believes he’ll turn it around.

Iron Mike?

Franklin has said this before when it didn’t ultimately come true. But, for the record, he said he is holding out hope tight end Mike Gesicki can play Saturday at Northwestern.

Franklin said there was “no update” on the injury that forced Gesicki to the sidelines last Saturday, not to return against Indiana.