Campbell Question....

[Marshall2323]

We’ll never know, but a lot of players who were on that 2016 Big 10 Championship team were on those preceding teams, like Barkley and Godwin, and there are no players on the current team who come anywhere near the talent of a Barkley. Also, the 2013 through 2015 teams had a qb who was a high NFL draft choice, which turned out to be undeserved, and this current PSU team certainly doesn’t have a qb who will be drafted.

Lots of winning college QBs aren't NFL talents. Many consider Tim Tebow the greatest college quarterback of all time.Conversely Josh Allen wasn't the greatest college QB. It's a different game.

 

[BCS PSU]

We’ll never know, but a lot of players who were on that 2016 Big 10 Championship team were on those preceding teams, like Barkley and Godwin, and there are no players on the current team who come anywhere near the talent of a Barkley.

How does that matter? He brought his 24 hand picked ISU players here. They aren't producing. On top of that, to date Campbell hasn't been a very good in game coach. He especially seems to have substitution issues and squanders time outs. This is a 10 win schedule. We'll never have an opportunity like this again.

I agree with you that his coaching since the second half of the Wisconsin game has not been good. However, after watching this team play these last three games, this current team never was going to win ten games despite the perceived easy schedule. Before the season, I thought that they’d finish 8-4 or 9-3. I’m still hopeful that they can get a little better and finish 7-5.

 

[PSUHarry]

We were not willing to pay for Amare Campbell. He did not fit the mold of what they wanted to see with that position, particularly size. Well, Amare would’ve been 100 times better this season than Ebel!

We didn’t have the cash other teams were offering him.

 

[rigi19041]

Might not have been "brilliant" but it was certainly necessary. The cubbard's bare, its going to take a couple years but Penn State will be back.

Not with this coach.

 

[rigi19041]

The last 2 years we had 1 D1 LB---Rojas and that's it.

Amare Campbell is leading a sec team in tackles.

 

[rigi19041]

Yeah, and whose fault was that, especially last season when we also had almost no elite Big 10 d-linemen? We did have a linebacker last season who's now starting for Tennessee and may have been one of our two or three best defensive players, but he was a portal from UNC and not a recruit.

Gilliam is a starting DT and leading the same sec team.in sacks. He is better than all the 340lb dts that Campbell signed.

 

[BCS PSU]

Gilliam is a starting DT and leading the same sec team.in sacks. He is better than all the 340lb dts that Campbell signed.

Were any of these guys still an option when Campbell was hired? I mean, it’s a moot issue to bring up names of players who may have been out the door before Campbell even was hired.

I think that we have to stop obsessing about what happened late last year and start looking to the future and hope that the people who are leading this program have a plan and execute it well. Obsessing about the past and what didn’t happen is just wasted energy.

 

[BCS PSU]

We didn’t have the cash other teams were offering him.

I sometimes wonder how PSU even can fill a starting 22 because it seems like every time that a player doesn’t come or stay here, it’s because PSU didn’t have the money to pay them. Maybe it also had to do with the fact that Jim Knowles was hired as the DC at Tennessee and Campbell wanted to go to a place where he was going to be coached by somebody with whom he was familiar. After all, Campbell is a good and useful player, but he’s not the second coming of Brian Bosworth.

 

[m.knox]

Rulli might be an answer for one of them.

 

[cntblvitsbutter]

To me it looks like a combination of not having the physical ability but also lacking the mental awareness, which I think speaks to failures on the coaching staff. Something is wrong. Is it a clash between ISU guys and PSU guys? Is it the speed dating way the staff was assembled? Is it Smith causing friction? Who knows, but what I see is a dysfunctional team that is not on the same page.

The lack of overall talent on this team compared to past years is fairly clear. But noone can tell me that NW talent is so much better that they should've dominated the Lions like they did.

What I'm concerned about with Campbell is him saying that the team doesn't have an identity. NO DUH! The HC is the guy that sets the tone and therefore the identity for the team. Anyone who doesn't fit that identity should be gone. That's basically MC saying he doesn't know what to do with this team, which for the future is not good.

 

[LMTLION]

We didn’t have the cash other teams were offering him.

We were not that far off Tenn. I think his PSU offer plus Ebel’s money gets it done.

 

[rigi19041]

Were any of these guys still an option when Campbell was hired? I mean, it’s a moot issue to bring up names of players who may have been out the door before Campbell even was hired.

I think that we have to stop obsessing about what happened late last year and start looking to the future and hope that the people who are leading this program have a plan and execute it well. Obsessing about the past and what didn’t happen is just wasted energy.

Gilliam was gone. Campbell and Lane were an option. Lane said he was staying but something happened and two days later he entered the portal. Psu opted for Neal and Ebel.



Where has that gm been hiding?

 

[Yogiman71]

The best players on the team are the PSU legacy kids. However, the team is mostly comprised of Iowa State transfers. You can't expect what is essentially a middle of the pack Big 12 team to compete with the better Big 10 teams. Hopefully Campbell can recruit Penn State caliber kids over the next few years. I wouldn't expect much until then.

The best players on the team are the PSU legacy kids. However, the team is mostly comprised of Iowa State transfers. You can't expect what is essentially a middle of the pack Big 12 team to compete with the better Big 10 teams. Hopefully Campbell can recruit Penn State caliber kids over the next few years. I wouldn't expect much until then.

I agree with Landon Tengwell who said both Wiscy and Nortwestern would be mid-tier Big 12 teams. Other than OhowIhate and Indy this year the B10 is pretty mediocre.

 

[PSUHarry]

We were not that far off Tenn. I think his PSU offer plus Ebel’s money gets it done.

Hmmm not exactly what reported by BWI. Tennessee was throwing money around at our guys.

 

[PSUHarry]

I sometimes wonder how PSU even can fill a starting 22 because it seems like every time that a player doesn’t come or stay here, it’s because PSU didn’t have the money to pay them. Maybe it also had to do with the fact that Jim Knowles was hired as the DC at Tennessee and Campbell wanted to go to a place where he was going to be coached by somebody with whom he was familiar. After all, Campbell is a good and useful player, but he’s not the second coming of Brian Bosworth.

People don’t realize that Kraft did not deliver the NIL money to the program that was promised prior to Franklins departure. Another reason we lost several key recruits the summer before. @Marshall2323

 

[Marshall2323]

People don’t realize that Kraft did not deliver the NIL money to the program that was promised prior to Franklins departure. Another reason we lost several key recruits the summer before. @Marshall2323

That's how we lost Luke Wafle among others. Not that this team needs an edge rusher.

 

[TheWizardofCamelot]

I've been watching PSU for 30+ years and this is by far the worst, least-talented front seven I can remember. Defensively, I'm giving Lynn another year or two until he's able to get his guys in here. He's always been well regarded.

Same with Mouser, too. What if this offense had Koby Howard? 28 yards per touch is hard to lose. I did expect the OL to be better than it is. And the RB has little talent. Those two rooms need upgrades IMO, not sure if it's talent or coaching there though.

 

[Indian rocks rich]

That is the problem. PSU cannot afford the best players.

Guess Indiana had the best players last year

 

[JerseyLion]

Guess Indiana had the best players last year

They did. They had the Heisman trophy winner for one. Compare last year's IU team to this year's, and right away you can see what a difference Mendoza made. He was not a diamond in the rough. He was paid for by Mark Cuban.

 

[BCS PSU]

They did. They had the Heisman trophy winner for one. Compare last year's IU team to this year's, and right away you can see what a difference Mendoza made. He was not a diamond in the rough. He was paid for by Mark Cuban.

You're right that there's no comparison between Mendoza and the TCU transfer who's playing qb for IU this season; that's why I think that OSU is going to expose them this Saturday. However, I watched Mendoza play several games for Cal in 2024 and he had some good games like against Miami and he had some poor games like against FSU and Pitt; Cignetti did wonders with him because he just was a different player for IU and definitely wasn't a sure thing when got there.

Moreso than last season, the 2024 IU team definitely puched above their weight with a bunch of JMU transfers and a transfer qb from Ohio U. who was coming back from a serious knee injury.

 

[Indian rocks rich]

They did. They had the Heisman trophy winner for one. Compare last year's IU team to this year's, and right away you can see what a difference Mendoza made. He was not a diamond in the rough. He was paid for by Mark Cuban.

One player doesn’t win a championship. Qb doesn’t play defense. There were many no name players on that team.

 

[JerseyLion]

You're right that there's no comparison between Mendoza and the TCU transfer who's playing qb for IU this season; that's why I think that OSU is going to expose them this Saturday. However, I watched Mendoza play several games for Cal in 2024 and he had some good games like against Miami and he had some poor games like against FSU and Pitt; Cignetti did wonders with him because he just was a different player for IU and definitely wasn't a sure thing when got there.

Cignetti is special, but there is only one of him. He also isn't a miracle worker. There was a lot of talent on IU's team last year, and there is plenty this year. The talent on PSU's current team is not there at all.....or injured.

 

[BCS PSU]

Cignetti is special, but there is only one of him. He also isn't a miracle worker. There was a lot of talent on IU's team last year, and there is plenty this year. The talent on PSU's current team is not there at all.....or injured.

Well, considering that IU went undefeated, beat teams like OSU, Oregon twice and Miami, and won the NC, they obviously had a lot of talent. There's no comparison at all between that IU team and this season's PSU team. There are more similarities between the situations that Cignetti inherited in 2024 and Campbell inherited this season, but of course, as hs been very common with PSU athletics lately, the results have been vstly different.

 

[JoePaMajorCFBrecord409Ws]

People don’t realize that Kraft did not deliver the NIL money to the program that was promised prior to Franklins departure. Another reason we lost several key recruits the summer before. @Marshall2323

No doubt, Kraft is at the heart of this entire debacle. Kraft also gave Campbell a bigger NIL budget than Franklin ever had - and Campbell vastly overpaid for the talent he brought in. In many cases, unnecessarily so - Becht and Hansen being very good examples. There are multiple examples along both lines of scrimmage. We could have produced the same crappy results with players already on the roster and bankrolled millions in NIL that could be spent for the 2027 season.

IOW, Kraft not delivering what he promised was a big problem with our 2025 and 2026 Classes BEFORE he fired Franklin. Then his handling of that situation completely evaporated our roster (both existing players and our 2026 class).... then he got made a fool of by Coach/Agent after Coach/Agent..... then he hired the wrong coach of the candidates that expressed interest in the job! How Kraft still has a job is very telling as to the zero-accountability bureaucratic hacks that run this University always looking for more and more $$$ from alumnus that they can waste.

 

[JoePaMajorCFBrecord409Ws]

They did. They had the Heisman trophy winner for one. Compare last year's IU team to this year's, and right away you can see what a difference Mendoza made. He was not a diamond in the rough. He was paid for by Mark Cuban.

He was not paid nearly as much as many other QBs - Underwood @scum for example. Cignetti did not get in a bidding war for Fernando Mendoza and outbid everyone paying him absurd amounts of $$$.... - you're full of it, that's not the way it happened (nor was it the case with Indiana's QB this year, Hoover). Cignetti & his staff are lightyears better evaluators of talent than Campbell & Co. Cignetti did not buy a team a la Oregon, LSU, duhO$U, scUM, etc.... - Cignetti is winning at Indiana by spending wisely and realizing extreme value on monies spent.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Is there anything that he's doing schematically that is hurting this team or is it just a matter of not having enough talent at certain positions?

I'm of the opinion that it's a lack of talent issue but I'd like to hear everyone's opinions.

I didn’t watch this past week’s game (poker night, deleted game as soon as I got home). But there is a serious lack of athleticism on this team, particularly at linebacker. Campbell better do a great job of recruiting with this class and an even better job of shopping in the portal. Outside of Rojas, these LBs look like they’re Dave Benfatti level players.

 

[BCS PSU]

No doubt, Kraft is at the heart of this entire debacle. Kraft also gave Campbell a bigger NIL budget than Franklin ever had - and Campbell vastly overpaid for the talent he brought in. In many cases, unnecessarily so - Becht and Hansen being very good examples. There are multiple examples along both lines of scrimmage. We could have produced the same crappy results with players already on the roster and bankrolled millions in NIL that could be spent for the 2027 season.

IOW, Kraft not delivering what he promised was a big problem with our 2025 and 2026 Classes BEFORE he fired Franklin. Then his handling of that situation completely evaporated our roster (both existing players and our 2026 class).... then he got made a fool of by Coach/Agent after Coach/Agent..... then he hired the wrong coach of the candidates that expressed interest in the job! How Kraft still has a job is very telling as to the zero-accountability bureaucratic hacks that run this University always looking for more and more $$$ from alumnus that they can waste.

All that I know is that he now is presiding over an athletic program that perhaps has the worst Power 4 men's basketball program and now a football program that is going to take several years to possibly become a legitmate top 15 to 20 program and that's no guarantee. Those are the two most important teams in any athletic program and their current state is a disgrace. Therefore, just based on that and not even taking into consideration the decline of the overall athletic program since the 2024-2025 season, he probably should be replaced.

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

For every Nebraska, you can can cite a Clemson, Bama, Georgia, ND, Texas, and countless others in which a coaching change vastly improved the program. Franklin had been the coach for basically 12 seasons which is a lifetime in coaching nowadays; even if he hadn't been fired, PSU was going to have to hire a new coach probably sooner rather than later because most coaches don't coach as long as a Paterno did, and they especially don't coach at the same place for as long as a Paterno did.

Clemson's looking to Nebraska themselves if they fire Dabo.

Notre Dame? How so? Kelly left on his own he wasn't fired and to date Freeman has reached as high as Kelly at Notre Dame losing in the national championship game.

Texas? They're not happy with Sark right now and feel he's underachieved, and how has Texas done better? They got rid of Mack Brown and then had Charlie Strong and Tom Herman for seven mediocre seasons before getting Sark who has underachieved.

Georgia lucked out going from a college football hall of fame inducted coach in Mark Richt to Kirby Smart. Franklin's record is better than Richt's btw. So Penn State fired a future college football hall of fame inducted coach for three straight losses to mid Big Ten teams. Brilliant!! Campbell was to elevate the program not put it at the bottom of the Big Ten standings. Have you looked at that lately?

Countless others? I think not. There aren't many schools with Penn State's record under Franklin that fired their coach in the first place.

 

[Psumatt85]

All that I know is that he now is presiding over an athletic program that perhaps has the worst Power 4 men's basketball program and now a football program that is going to take several years to possibly become a legitmate top 15 to 20 program and that's no guarantee. Those are the two most important teams in any athletic program and their current state is a disgrace. Therefore, just based on that and not even taking into consideration the decline of the overall athletic program since the 2024-2025 season, he probably should be replaced.

I am shocked I am typing that Pat Kraft makes Sandy Barbour look competent

 

[Moogy]

Obsessing about the past and what didn’t happen is just wasted energy.

Some of us have been trying to tell posters, and other PSU fans, to stop obsessing about the past for many years now. If we had, we likely wouldn't be in this "mess" to begin with, and it will continue to anchor us for years, unless folks give their heads a good shake and snap out of it.

 

[BobPSU92]

I am shocked I am typing that Pat Kraft makes Sandy Barbour look competent

As I’ve said before, someday, we will look back at the barren/Sandy era as Penn State’s Golden Age.

 

[Chumboshifko1]

As I’ve said before, someday, we will look back at the barren/Sandy era as Penn State’s Golden Age.

 

[Psumatt85]

As I’ve said before, someday, we will look back at the barren/Sandy era as Penn State’s Golden Age.

When do they announce another raise for Neeli and Kraft?

 

[m.knox]

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Ames any more."

 

[80lion]

Cignetti may be one of a kind, but so far Chesney is doing a good imitation. It can be done with the right coach and staff.

 

[BobPSU92]

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Ames any more."

Are we in Africa?

 

[KC-KS-Lion]

Clemson's looking to Nebraska themselves if they fire Dabo.

Notre Dame? How so? Kelly left on his own he wasn't fired and to date Freeman has reached as high as Kelly at Notre Dame losing in the national championship game.

Texas? They're not happy with Sark right now and feel he's underachieved, and how has Texas done better? They got rid of Mack Brown and then had Charlie Strong and Tom Herman for seven mediocre seasons before getting Sark who has underachieved.

Georgia lucked out going from a college football hall of fame inducted coach in Mark Richt to Kirby Smart. Franklin's record is better than Richt's btw. So Penn State fired a future college football hall of fame inducted coach for three straight losses to mid Big Ten teams. Brilliant!! Campbell was to elevate the program not put it at the bottom of the Big Ten standings. Have you looked at that lately?

Countless others? I think not. There aren't many schools with Penn State's record under Franklin that fired their coach in the first place.

I guess there are players and coaches who have got into their respective HOFs on overall and regular season stats, and not the quality wins, playoff competition, and championships.

I wish Franklin all the best, but I was glad a while back when stopped playing the blocked kick return for a touchdown against OSU as the team's highlight play-for every one (and there was only one in his 1x years at PSU) of those there seemed to be 1x times images of him being clueless on the sidelines or in post-game interviews.

 

[JoePaMajorCFBrecord409Ws]

Some of us have been trying to tell posters, and other PSU fans, to stop obsessing about the past for many years now. If we had, we likely wouldn't be in this "mess" to begin with, and it will continue to anchor us for years, unless folks give their heads a good shake and snap out of it.

Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. People are not obsessing about the past genius, we're being critical of those who want to go on wasting PSU's precious and finite resources because THEY REFUSE TO LEARN FROM THE PAST. Until PSU fires Kraft they are doomed to repeat his profligate spending on awful decision-making with ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY for his beyond disastrous decision-making and results. If PSU wants to fix this situation, it starts with firing Krafty The Clown yesterday!

 

[LaJollaCreek]

I didn’t watch this past week’s game (poker night, deleted game as soon as I got home). But there is a serious lack of athleticism on this team, particularly at linebacker. Campbell better do a great job of recruiting with this class and an even better job of shopping in the portal. Outside of Rojas, these LBs look like they’re Dave Benfatti level players.

If you think the LB's are bad, imagine having zero QB hurries at night at home from the DL. The front 7 outside of Rojas is MAC level to be perfectly blunt.

 

[Marshall2323]

I sometimes wonder how PSU even can fill a starting 22 because it seems like every time that a player doesn’t come or stay here, it’s because PSU didn’t have the money to pay them. Maybe it also had to do with the fact that Jim Knowles was hired as the DC at Tennessee and Campbell wanted to go to a place where he was going to be coached by somebody with whom he was familiar. After all, Campbell is a good and useful player, but he’s not the second coming of Brian Bosworth.

This is unrestricted free agency, professional football. Money is the native language.