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

harjeff

Junior
Feb 5, 2003
180
335
63
I am most concerned about defense. Our entire D line left except Granville (thankfully), Kemajou, Cook and Andrews. We have replacements but who knows if it is an upgrade. Same at LB. We have Rojas. Campbell was good and he gone. I guess the other guy is about the same. Then who? Tatsch? The defense was lousy this year and hopefully that was coaching and culture and attitude because I don't see any better talent.
Getting DeLuca out of the lineup will do wonders for the defense. I really wish Tastch and Willey would have gotten more time once Rojas went down.
 

rigi19040

Senior
Aug 1, 2024
909
546
93
Smith was part of the solution to the rot because he was able to message bad attitudes and create some enthusiasm from a lost team. He was not the cause of the rot.


You don't know the cause and you don't know the solution. The players were there too.

Smith and connor were here for the losses and the players were part of the wins.
 

LMTLION

All-Conference
Mar 20, 2008
1,266
2,697
112
I am most concerned about defense. Our entire D line left except Granville (thankfully), Kemajou, Cook and Andrews. We have replacements but who knows if it is an upgrade. Same at LB. We have Rojas. Campbell was good and he gone. I guess the other guy is about the same. Then who? Tatsch? The defense was lousy this year and hopefully that was coaching and culture and attitude because I don't see any better talent.
The portal closes on 1/16 and many players are still visiting schools all around the country. Have patience! We have the number one rated portal class at present! The defense itself at this point is at least on par with last year if not better and the portal is not even closed.
 

WPB_lion

Junior
Jun 5, 2001
142
332
63
You don't know the cause and you don't know the solution. The players were there too.

Smith and connor were here for the losses and the players were part of the wins.
Unless my eyes deceived me, the team attitude, enthusiasm and play got better when Smith took over as head coach. I attribute that to his leadership, not player leadership. If the team had good player leadership and head coach leadership, the absolute collapse after Oregon wouldn't have happened. Although I am not behind the closed doors, the people who were behind the closed doors paid a lot of money to make sure Smith and his leadership remained at PSU.
 
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LMTLION

All-Conference
Mar 20, 2008
1,266
2,697
112
Well this is an interesting update. Washington is accepting their situation, and maybe we play against Beau in 2026.
 

OptionBob

Senior
Oct 12, 2021
225
608
93
In limited snaps. I would think that avg might improve with more carries. Good backs tend to get better as the game progresses. He was in a crowded room at OSU. I don't know much about his speed so that's either a plus or a minus. His size is OK but I tend to like my RB's bigger as in the 6'2" 225 range with some quicks. A little like Dancing Bears there's just not that many out there that possess being big rangy and fast.
I understand your point about "bigger backs"; however, I am reminded that perhaps the 3 best RBs in Penn State in the last 50 years or so have been the following:
1. Ki-Jana Carter - 5-10, 212
2. Saquan Barkley - 5-11. 228
3. Lydell Mitchell - 5-11, 195
[Note: these hts and wts are from the Penn State Media Guides of these players' senior seasons.]

I am certainly not trying to equate Peoples to any of those 3 RBs, just simply pointing out that while size is a huge plus at most positions, it is less so for RBs.
 

DaytonRickster

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
2,517
2,940
113
I understand your point about "bigger backs"; however, I am reminded that perhaps the 3 best RBs in Penn State in the last 50 years or so have been the following:
1. Ki-Jana Carter - 5-10, 212
2. Saquan Barkley - 5-11. 228
3. Lydell Mitchell - 5-11, 195
[Note: these hts and wts are from the Penn State Media Guides of these players' senior seasons.]

I am certainly not trying to equate Peoples to any of those 3 RBs, just simply pointing out that while size is a huge plus at most positions, it is less so for RBs.
All three stronger and probably faster that Smith & Wallace.
 

SkiSkiSki

Senior
May 29, 2001
3,601
669
113
I understand your point about "bigger backs"; however, I am reminded that perhaps the 3 best RBs in Penn State in the last 50 years or so have been the following:
1. Ki-Jana Carter - 5-10, 212
2. Saquan Barkley - 5-11. 228
3. Lydell Mitchell - 5-11, 195
[Note: these hts and wts are from the Penn State Media Guides of these players' senior seasons.]

I am certainly not trying to equate Peoples to any of those 3 RBs, just simply pointing out that while size is a huge plus at most positions, it is less so for RBs.
I am going from memory, but I seem to remember a broadcast in 1994 where they said Ki-Jana was at 231 lbs his senior season. I may have misremembered though.

Edit: I consulted my AI friend and 212 was his listed weight from the preseason roster. Other sources listed different weights for him for that season:

Statistics
According to Penn State's 1994 roster, Ki-Jana Carter was a senior who weighed 212 lbs. Other sources provide slightly different weights, with Pro-Football-Reference listing his college weight at 222 lbs and Wikipedia listing it as 226 lbs, which might reflect his weight later in his career or closer to the NFL Draft.

Statistic ValueSource
Height5 ft 10 in
Weight (1994 Roster)212 lbs
Weight (PFR College/Draft)222 lbs

226 is close to 231, so I don't think my memory is failing me. It may have been on the Rose Bowl broadcast where that 231 weight was given.
 
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LMTLION

All-Conference
Mar 20, 2008
1,266
2,697
112
In relation to this thread, this Pate video about the SEC being in trouble is worth watching. It’s not all about stars when you compare the two conferences. It’s about teams in the B1G emphasizing teamwork and coaching while teams in the SEC focus on stars and the individual instead. I know this may not be the absolute correct thread to place this, but it does speak to finding best fits for the program first before number of stars. It’s really Campbell’s approach.
 
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Nitt1300

Heisman
Nov 2, 2008
6,822
12,797
113
I’m giving up on this thread until things settle. Right now it’s nothing more than monkey on crack doomscrolling for me; Williams from Washington was the final straw. Too much detail about the sausage making, I guess. YMMV.
But then you are giving up on a chance to insult and try to talk down to anyone who has a different take than you do.
 

LB99

Heisman
Oct 27, 2021
9,522
13,474
113
Sorry if already posted here, but PSU Fr RB Jabree Wallace-Coleman has entered the portal. He’s another Imhotep Charter kid from Philly.
 
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