'25 (in-season) - '26 CFB Portal Thread

[Tom McAndrew]

jimmy frank threw him to the wolves in hope of inticing his brother.

LOL. That really is not the case at all. Wafle played on the DL and on special teams. He played early -- the competition warranted it, and he had done some nice things in practice. And, he played late in the season. Between that, he missed several games due to injuries.

He only played 117 snaps all season, between DT and special teams. I'm not sure how that would have enticed his brother to come to PSU, especially with the NIL package his brother got (which neither PSU nor Ohio State were willing to match).

 

[Virginia Joe]

Wrestling is wrestling and football is football. All-American 7 foot volleyball player does not equate to a Duke basketball offer.

A surprising number of college football players were also high school wrestlers. Micah Parsons, Bruce Clark and Tristan Wirfs come to mind. Wirfs was the state wrestling champion in Iowa in high school. Keeanu Benton of the Steelers and Marlon Tuipulotu (Eagles) were also star wrestlers. I watched Bruce Clark wrestle intramurals at PSU in Rec Hall. He was amazing.

 

[Corner Room Breakfast]

 

[PSUFTG]

I have to say, if this is the biggest mistake he makes, this team is in good shape moving forward!
I liked Grunk, but when are we going to let our coaches coach? Campbell’s team, Campbell’s decisions. Guarantee he doesn’t care what we think.

Who cares if he cares?

No one, I would hope.
But that strawman notwithstanding:
That does not mean that the "unwise and suboptimal" express train, which has been driving PSU FB program for many months now, is not continuing to barrel forward at full steam. With, sadly, no indication - as of yet - of even slowing the momentum.
One might have hoped that after hiring a coach - any coach - some of that would have been mitigated (and, God willing, it will sometime soon) but it ain't yet.

It is what it is.

 

[Bison13]

Trade up from Reynolds

 

[Ludd]

Bring Grunk back at any cost.

Any cost for someone who would have been our third string QB this year if Beau hadn’t transferred….lets keep it realistic.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Bwifan]

There are like 2-3 kids leaving that I could even see contributing.

Campbell is flipping the roster. Do some of you still want the stench of Franklin’s regime around? Not me.

Amazing what a fresh set of eyes has on players and production. He is cleaning house and it needed to be done. BGJ can take back all of the PSU cast offs

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[LB99]

A surprising number of college football players were also high school wrestlers. Micah Parsons, Bruce Clark and Tristan Wirfs come to mind. Wirfs was the state wrestling champion in Iowa in high school. Keeanu Benton of the Steelers and Marlon Tuipulotu (Eagles) were also star wrestlers. I watched Bruce Clark wrestle intramurals at PSU in Rec Hall. He was amazing.

Carleton Haselrig and Zach Frazier.

 

[LB99]

This one is disappointing also.

 

[Bison13]

This one is disappointing also.

Not completely unexpected though. He’d been rumored to be entering the portal much earlier than this. The instant Franklin got fired most thought he would be entering so that he could head to Michigan.

 

[StamfordBridgeVikingatLeftOffensiveTackle]

Carleton Haselrig and Zach Frazier.

Curly Culp (NCAA champion), Jim Nance (2x NCAA champion), Stephen Neal (2x NCAA champion and World Champion), and Ray Lewis. Penn Staters Charley Getty and Steve Sefter were both 2x All-American wrestlers . There are many more. I just found this - https://nwhof.org/news/top-10-wrestlers-who-played-in-nfl

 

[PSUFTG]

I’d love to have Grunk back but way too much behind the scenes that we don’t know to say wether getting him ‘at all costs’ is justified.

Well, it didn't have to cost anything except some reasonable revenue share money.

But Campbell was - as seems obvious - married to bringing in "his" mid-B12 rental QB instead.
A very Pittsburgh Pirates-ish trade, IMO.

 

[PSUFTG]

Sometimes college football seems like waking up from a dream. I can't really believe this is what it's come to. Thousands of kids transferring every year. It's so broken.

And, making the nightmare even more outlandish:

It all could have been avoided if college football leadership had acted like responsible adults for even 5 minutes.

That - unfortunately and obviously - was too much to ask for. Alas.

 

[Bones80]

Olesh was a big get for BGJ. Sure he used a bunch of NIL money to get him to sit on the bench for a year.

 

[Parkland Fan]

Curly Culp (NCAA champion), Jim Nance (2x NCAA champion), Stephen Neal (2x NCAA champion and World Champion), and Ray Lewis. Penn Staters Charley Getty and Steve Sefter were both 2x All-American wrestlers . There are many more. I just found this - https://nwhof.org/news/top-10-wrestlers-who-played-in-nfl

Mike Reid was a very good heavyweight.

 

[LMTLION]

This one is disappointing also.

Franklin gave him $1m NIL in a bidding war vs UM. Hope the kid does well but that $1m can be used elsewhere.

 

[Big_O]

A surprising number of college football players were also high school wrestlers. Micah Parsons, Bruce Clark and Tristan Wirfs come to mind. Wirfs was the state wrestling champion in Iowa in high school. Keeanu Benton of the Steelers and Marlon Tuipulotu (Eagles) were also star wrestlers. I watched Bruce Clark wrestle intramurals at PSU in Rec Hall. He was amazing.

Matt Suhey was PA heavyweight state champ. I saw him wrestle in the IM finals and lose to Eric Cunningham, a starting OG and former Ohio state champ. My RA wrestled in those finals and win against the guy that beat him for the PA state title. I handily won in the first round in IM’s as I went against a novice and I was an okay varsity wrestler in HS. Second round I lost pretty bad to the eventual IM champ. That year with 7 weight classes the finals pitted 12 former PA or OH state champs and 2 runner ups. The IM wrestling at that time had unbelievable talent.

 

[KingLando]

Brahmer and Rap are going to be a very nice combo--we'll see a ton of 2 TE sets
Don't blame Olesh--when you recruit kids of his level then don't play them they're going to leave--especially when you add a TE from the portal pushing him further away from playing time.
Best of luck to Olesh--great get by Campbell on Brahmer

 

[PSUFTG]

College Football Fans (especially at PSU):

"We are loaded with the BEST talent! We are gonna' kick ***! National Champions!!!"



"'Tis but a flesh wound. Didn't need them anyway - they are losers and we will get better!"

 

[EricStratton-RushChairman]

College Football Fans (especially at PSU):

"We are loaded with the BEST talent! We are gonna' kick ***! National Champions!!!"

View attachment 1111493

"'Tis but a flesh wound. Didn't need them anyway - they are losers and we will get better!"

View attachment 1111496

The best line in that scene was the end when the guys days, "ok, we'll call it a draw"

 

[LB99]

Franklin gave him $1m NIL in a bidding war vs UM. Hope the kid does well but that $1m can be used elsewhere.

Yes, but with the attrition at TE, PSU is now down to Rapp, Brahmer, and Kortovich. Keeping Olesh would have been nice.

 

[Catch1lion]

That happens. I had a friend who was a considerably better mathematician than me, he washed out at a top-ten school while I squeaked by at Maryland (#16 by one legitimate ranking around the time I graduated). Yeah, I know, I gotta stop bringing math into everything. Carry on.

Malcolm Gladwell addresses this very topic . It’s quite common. If your the lower end of tier one , it is a struggle and you might fail in that environment. Same kid is high end of tier 2, you can eventually excel and surpass tier 1 kids. Perception of doing well and positive feedback are important things. The book is David and Goliath .

 

[Catch1lion]

Will the last PSU kid to not enter the portal pleased turn the lights off

Over 3,000 of the 12,000 D-1 kids will enter the portal . It’s crazy. 30-40% of those don’t find a new home . Wafle could be off to IHOP. ( just picking a random name that works )

 

[Big_O]

Over 3,000 of the 12,000 D-1 kids will enter the portal . It’s crazy. 30-40% of those don’t find a new home . Wafle could be off to IHOP. ( just picking a random name that works )

It’s closer to 4,000 or about a third of D1 players. There just can’t be that many open positions on other teams.

 

[Binder74]

Curly Culp (NCAA champion), Jim Nance (2x NCAA champion), Stephen Neal (2x NCAA champion and World Champion), and Ray Lewis. Penn Staters Charley Getty and Steve Sefter were both 2x All-American wrestlers . There are many more. I just found this - https://nwhof.org/news/top-10-wrestlers-who-played-in-nfl

Wrestling is a great crossover sport for football and especially for linemen. Being able to understand and use leverage is extremely helpful.

 

[LB99]

Wrestling is a great crossover sport for football and especially for linemen. Being able to understand and use leverage is extremely helpful.

Many lacrosse faceoff specialists are wrestlers also.

 

[Nikko57]

A surprising number of college football players were also high school wrestlers. Micah Parsons, Bruce Clark and Tristan Wirfs come to mind. Wirfs was the state wrestling champion in Iowa in high school. Keeanu Benton of the Steelers and Marlon Tuipulotu (Eagles) were also star wrestlers. I watched Bruce Clark wrestle intramurals at PSU in Rec Hall. He was amazing.

Bruce. Great guy. He won wrestling intramurals but wasn't his knowledge or skill as a wrestler.

 

[Fred8811]

Freaking zoo.
Kind of interesting now.
When will we have a roster?
Constant flux. Anybody really care?
Any team winning the race?
Some teams will end up with zero or near zero talent.
Then what, fold?

 

[Catch1lion]

Bagman

 

[psu83]

Gonna lose 40 guys and keep 30. Off to a great start.

 

[rigi19040]

Over 3,000 of the 12,000 D-1 kids will enter the portal . It’s crazy. 30-40% of those don’t find a new home . Wafle could be off to IHOP. ( just picking a random name that works )

Flawed. Many didn't have scholarships to begin with. Portal includes walkons. Last year everyone from psu who entered he portal was picked up.

It’s closer to 4,000 or about a third of D1 players. There just can’t be that many open positions on other teams.

The number of teams, players and scholarships does not change. Players just go to different teams. The number of players who lose their scholarships will also be about the same.

Most scholarship players who enter the portal will get a new scholarship.

 

[psu83]

I can think of a lot of reasons not to believe Pat Kraft

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Itraindogs]

Campbell is doing an exceptional job. While some are agonizing about losing individual players, this is to lose the forest for the trees. Campbell is focused on cultivating a new culture and to do this requires individuals who are familiar with his system and, more importantly, his cultural demands. People are hand-wringing about Grunk, but Campbell is likely going to lean on Becht to set the tone in the locker room. The kid is tough as nails and I am sure he will have no reservation having a come to Jesus discussion with any pouters.

 

[Catch1lion]

Hope the kid is ready for the B1G grind , this isn’t the Scared Excitable Conference.

 

[bluewhiteapos]

Question: is there a free site that lists the DTs and LBers PSU is pursuing in the portal?

This site would be great for that, but all the transfer discussion is crammed into a giant national transfer thread. It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

 

[Tom McAndrew]