2026 Recruiting Thread

Nits1989

All-Conference
Oct 29, 2021
1,154
1,625
113
Campbell might turn out to be one of the best coaches ever. Time will tell.

Some things are scary though:
  • We're trading in the highest paid assistant coaches with experience at places like Kansas & OSU for much lower paid and less sought after assistant coaches from Iowa State. Were we getting screwed or are we accepting lower level assistants?
  • One of the things I didn't like about OBrien was that he didn't want to be here. He just used us as a stepping stone to an NFK HC position. On the other hand Campbell seems elated to be at a big time university like PSU and IMO that's a big plus. The problem is he can't say he coached in the NFL or that he coached Tom Brady. Campbell can talk about Purdy but he can't boast about coaching very many players to the NFL. His absolute awe of the All American plaques is heartwarming but it shows that he's never been to this level. Is his reputation strong enough to bring in the players we need? So far we got a safety that was ranked 905 nationally.
I'm good with it.
 
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Connorpozlee

All-American
Aug 29, 2013
3,064
5,914
113
Campbell might turn out to be one of the best coaches ever. Time will tell.

Some things are scary though:
  • We're trading in the highest paid assistant coaches with experience at places like Kansas & OSU for much lower paid and less sought after assistant coaches from Iowa State. Were we getting screwed or are we accepting lower level assistants?
  • One of the things I didn't like about OBrien was that he didn't want to be here. He just used us as a stepping stone to an NFK HC position. On the other hand Campbell seems elated to be at a big time university like PSU and IMO that's a big plus. The problem is he can't say he coached in the NFL or that he coached Tom Brady. Campbell can talk about Purdy but he can't boast about coaching very many players to the NFL. His absolute awe of the All American plaques is heartwarming but it shows that he's never been to this level. Is his reputation strong enough to bring in the players we need? So far we got a safety that was ranked 905 nationally.
Places like Kansas?
 
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DaytonRickster

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
2,143
2,481
113
Alex Haskell signed with Syracuse
Bummer
Campbell might turn out to be one of the best coaches ever. Time will tell.

Some things are scary though:
  • We're trading in the highest paid assistant coaches with experience at places like Kansas & OSU for much lower paid and less sought after assistant coaches from Iowa State. Were we getting screwed or are we accepting lower level assistants?
  • One of the things I didn't like about OBrien was that he didn't want to be here. He just used us as a stepping stone to an NFK HC position. On the other hand Campbell seems elated to be at a big time university like PSU and IMO that's a big plus. The problem is he can't say he coached in the NFL or that he coached Tom Brady. Campbell can talk about Purdy but he can't boast about coaching very many players to the NFL. His absolute awe of the All American plaques is heartwarming but it shows that he's never been to this level. Is his reputation strong enough to bring in the players we need? So far we got a safety that was ranked 905 nationally.
CMC has been @ PSU 5 days. I would think his priorities are:
1) Meeting with and trying to retain as many current PSU players he can.
2) Get his staff in place
3) Determine who is staying or portalling
4) Based on #3 and the needs, contacting players in the portal whom him & his staff are allowed to contact. Not sure of the rules with teams like ISU & Michigan.
5) Determine interest level of 2026 players still uncommitted.
6) Find a home & schools for his family which he's probably involved with.

I understand PSU is a big time program but give him some space.
 
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royboy

Sophomore
Nov 9, 2001
75
130
33
Campbell might turn out to be one of the best coaches ever. Time will tell.

Some things are scary though:
  • We're trading in the highest paid assistant coaches with experience at places like Kansas & OSU for much lower paid and less sought after assistant coaches from Iowa State. Were we getting screwed or are we accepting lower level assistants?
  • One of the things I didn't like about OBrien was that he didn't want to be here. He just used us as a stepping stone to an NFK HC position. On the other hand Campbell seems elated to be at a big time university like PSU and IMO that's a big plus. The problem is he can't say he coached in the NFL or that he coached Tom Brady. Campbell can talk about Purdy but he can't boast about coaching very many players to the NFL. His absolute awe of the All American plaques is heartwarming but it shows that he's never been to this level. Is his reputation strong enough to bring in the players we need? So far we got a safety that was ranked 905 nationally.
I saw enough of Penn State's highly paid Coordinators to welcome changes there, and support Coach Campbell's choices.
 

ZouaveLion

Sophomore
Oct 12, 2021
97
173
33
They wanted sherron moore too.
In case you had not noticed coaches were not exactly beating the door down to take the PSU job. Instead they and their agents leveraged it to make miliions at their current post. After the BYU disaster PSU was very fortunate to sign someone like Campbell. They were very likely looking at someone like Brian Diaboll until Campbell literally dropped into their lap at the 11th hour.
 

LB99

Heisman
Oct 27, 2021
8,934
12,362
113
Campbell might turn out to be one of the best coaches ever. Time will tell.

Some things are scary though:
  • We're trading in the highest paid assistant coaches with experience at places like Kansas & OSU for much lower paid and less sought after assistant coaches from Iowa State. Were we getting screwed or are we accepting lower level assistants?
  • One of the things I didn't like about OBrien was that he didn't want to be here. He just used us as a stepping stone to an NFK HC position. On the other hand Campbell seems elated to be at a big time university like PSU and IMO that's a big plus. The problem is he can't say he coached in the NFL or that he coached Tom Brady. Campbell can talk about Purdy but he can't boast about coaching very many players to the NFL. His absolute awe of the All American plaques is heartwarming but it shows that he's never been to this level. Is his reputation strong enough to bring in the players we need? So far we got a safety that was ranked 905 nationally.
This would have been the same description of Chesney if PSU had hired him and we all would have been pretty happy with him as well. Trust the coaches to know what has worked for them to get them to this point. They have adapted, as needed, along the way and probably will going forward, as well.
 

LB99

Heisman
Oct 27, 2021
8,934
12,362
113
Bummer

CMC has been @ PSU 5 days. I would think his priorities are:
1) Meeting with and trying to retain as many current PSU players he can.
2) Get his staff in place
3) Determine who is staying or portalling
4) Based on #3 and the needs, contacting players in the portal whom him & his staff are allowed to contact. Not sure of the rules with teams like ISU & Michigan.
5) Determine interest level of 2026 players still uncommitted.
6) Find a home & schools for his family which he's probably involved with.

I understand PSU is a big time program but give him some space.
Well said.
 
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katatonic2

Redshirt
Dec 1, 2025
51
32
8
Not sure this staff can recruit well enough to improve the team.

We are not beating OSU with recruits whose best offer was ISU over NIU, North Dakota and South Dakota.

They get a pass in year 1 but they only averaged in the 50s at ISU.


Campbell might turn out to be one of the best coaches ever. Time will tell.

Some things are scary though:
  • We're trading in the highest paid assistant coaches with experience at places like Kansas & OSU for much lower paid and less sought after assistant coaches from Iowa State. Were we getting screwed or are we accepting lower level assistants?



Again, barely had time to unpack and it's not like they're going to bring over the entire ISU roster, but just their best players.

Those coaches W-L record/beating top 10 teams exceeded the talent pool and resources at their disposal.

Franklin and his staff repeatedly underperformed with what they had access to.

Btw, a certain HC just won the B1G (beating dOSU) with a bunch of former JMU coaches and players.

According to 247Sports talent composite (based on the recruiting rankings) for this season, the Hoosiers are dead last in the conference.

Illinois are 2nd to last and Northwestern 3rd to last - all 3 over-performed their recruiting rankings with Indiana vastly overperforming.

Recruiting rankings don't matter if you get the right (undervalued) 3* recruits and have superior coaching, but PSU being PSU will continue to get its share of 4* recruits and more importantly, talented QBs and WRs who fit MC's system.


Yes. Considering where the program was when he took over, the lack of resources available to him, and the small population of the state and the area around it, Campbell still had a better record against Top 10 and Top 25 opponents than Franklin did with all the resources available to him at Penn State along with a huge population within 250 miles of the campus. Give it up, Fumi. You aren't convincing anyone here that getting rid of your husband was the wrong move.

And let's not forget, ISU also had to share the state with Iowa, which has vastly more resources.

Iowa fans are gloating about MC being gone, but he's not really gone, is he...
 

katatonic2

Redshirt
Dec 1, 2025
51
32
8
In addition, having a HC who has his system on one side of the ball (preferably on O, so there is some continuity for QBs), is better than having a CEO-type HC, who repeatedly needs to make the right call on hiring coordinators (if they're any good, they're going to leave for HC gigs).

Based on his track record, are there still people who have faith in Franklin making the right hires?

Wouldn't be surprised if Franklin hired Knowles at an exorbitant cost simply because he was the "hot name" and not really considering if Knowles' system was the right fit, etc.

Knowles left dOSU in part because Day (after seeing things he didn't like), wouldn't let him have total control - which is why they weren't exactly sad to see him go.

In fact, a good no. of Bucknut fans were laughing at Franklin/PSU for way overpaying for Knowles.

Also, maybe someone will look it up, but imagine Franklin's recruiting at Vandy wasn't so hot, and he managed to lose twice to another overrated coach in Pat Fitzgerald with similar level of talent, whereby Vandy ended up canceling the match-up (too tough for Franklin! Lol).
 
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Tgar

Heisman
Nov 14, 2001
5,856
13,303
113
Campbell might turn out to be one of the best coaches ever. Time will tell.

Some things are scary though:
  • We're trading in the highest paid assistant coaches with experience at places like Kansas & OSU for much lower paid and less sought after assistant coaches from Iowa State. Were we getting screwed or are we accepting lower level assistants?
  • One of the things I didn't like about OBrien was that he didn't want to be here. He just used us as a stepping stone to an NFK HC position. On the other hand Campbell seems elated to be at a big time university like PSU and IMO that's a big plus. The problem is he can't say he coached in the NFL or that he coached Tom Brady. Campbell can talk about Purdy but he can't boast about coaching very many players to the NFL. His absolute awe of the All American plaques is heartwarming but it shows that he's never been to this level. Is his reputation strong enough to bring in the players we need? So far we got a safety that was ranked 905 nationally.
It’s possible you didn’t notice that Koltenicki and Knowles both sucked at their jobs. Hard to believe but possible.