Does CJF need another "signature win" in order to keep his job?

psupride1997

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Oct 25, 2021
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It’s pretty clear he’s the kind of coach that come in somewhere, injects some life into a program, but then the buzz wears off and things fall apart. Franklin peaked from 2016-19, and hey, it was a good run. But it’s all downhill from there now.
 

Classof09

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Oct 12, 2021
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Who really thinks that this team, which has gone 11-11 the last two years, can play any of Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, or even Notre Dame and Michigan, and come away with a signature win?
Notre Lame sucks. We could beat them. The others, no shot.
 
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dcf4psu

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Oct 25, 2021
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Yes, Sandy screwed Penn State well on her way out the door with his contract. Here's how the buyout works:

According to the buyout terms, Penn State would owe Franklin $8 million (his guaranteed salary plus a $1 million loan for life insurance) times the number of remaining years on the contract if it terminates him without cause.

As a result, Penn State's buyout is $72 million in 2022, $64 million in 2023 and $56 million in 2024. Even after five years, Franklin's termination buyout is $40 million. The term sheet Penn State released does not include whether those numbers can be mitigated or negotiated.
 

BobPSU92

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Oct 12, 2021
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Yes, Sandy screwed Penn State well on her way out the door with his contract. Here's how the buyout works:

According to the buyout terms, Penn State would owe Franklin $8 million (his guaranteed salary plus a $1 million loan for life insurance) times the number of remaining years on the contract if it terminates him without cause.

As a result, Penn State's buyout is $72 million in 2022, $64 million in 2023 and $56 million in 2024. Even after five years, Franklin's termination buyout is $40 million. The term sheet Penn State released does not include whether those numbers can be mitigated or negotiated.

I’m sure the PSU bot could create cause.
 
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dcf4psu

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I didn't realize there was this much shame in losing to #5-ranked and favored Michigan in Ann Arbor. Who knew?
41-17 and it wasn't even that close. Michigan never punted. PSU was ranked #10 coming off a bye week. A very disappointing performance, but one we've now come to expect although this one was one of the worst of the Franklin era.
 

Ironlions23

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Nov 1, 2021
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Everyone talks about the signature wins of 2016 Vs Ohio State, Wisconsin in big ten championship. However people also forget in 2016 that PSU lost to an average PITT team and got taken to the wood shed in Ann Arbor. They were still able to come back to finish 5th and win the B1G title. They didn’t belong on the same field as Michigan that day either. Let the season play out, yesterday sucked but there are still big games on the schedule coming up for them to redeem themselves.
 

FTLPSU

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Oct 6, 2021
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Everyone talks about the signature wins of 2016 Vs Ohio State, Wisconsin in big ten championship. However people also forget in 2016 that PSU lost to an average PITT team and got taken to the wood shed in Ann Arbor. They were still able to come back to finish 5th and win the B1G title. They didn’t belong on the same field as Michigan that day either. Let the season play out, yesterday sucked but there are still big games on the schedule coming up for them to redeem themselves.
You are 100% correct. Issue is we are an educated fan base and the probability of Penn State winning all remaining games except OSU is slim to none unfortunately. Everyone here would love that. But I will bet my $1000 vs your $100 that won’t happen…we could easily loose three more games…and this loss was really about how we loss…I expected to loose a close one…and not be outmatched on every metric 🤣
 
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Georgia Peach

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Oct 28, 2021
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He is what he is. He can recruit but his coaching results are proven to be just good. Faced with very good competition he will lose more often than not. If that’s ok with you I won’t argue. We are stuck with him and his contract for another decade.
Exactly. The only "signature" worth acknowledging at this point is the one on his latest contract. That was a signature win.
 

MacNit

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Oct 12, 2021
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Yes, Sandy screwed Penn State well on her way out the door with his contract. Here's how the buyout works:

According to the buyout terms, Penn State would owe Franklin $8 million (his guaranteed salary plus a $1 million loan for life insurance) times the number of remaining years on the contract if it terminates him without cause.

As a result, Penn State's buyout is $72 million in 2022, $64 million in 2023 and $56 million in 2024. Even after five years, Franklin's termination buyout is $40 million. The term sheet Penn State released does not include whether those numbers can be mitigated or negotiated.
Or the definition of “cause.”

That should be being investigated as we speak.
 
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Ironlions23

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Nov 1, 2021
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You are 100% correct. Issue is we are an educated fan base and the probability of Penn State winning all remaining games except OSU is slim to none unfortunately. Everyone here would love that. But I will bet my $1000 vs your $100 that won’t happen…we could easily loose three more games…and this loss was really about how we loss…I expected to loose a close one…and not be outmatched on every metric 🤣
Oh I agree but I remember looking at the schedule in 2016, thinking they could easily lose every game the rest of the way. One of the biggest differences is the QB. That was Trace first month of starting, we have Clifford who has started 1000 games now. If a 2016 bounce back is to happen, it will have to be a big surprise how it was in 2016 but it will have to be with Allar, we know what Clifford is and he ain’t taking us for a magical ride.
 

FTLPSU

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Oh I agree but I remember looking at the schedule in 2016, thinking they could easily lose every game the rest of the way. One of the biggest differences is the QB. That was Trace first month of starting, we have Clifford who has started 1000 games now. If a 2016 bounce back is to happen, it will have to be a big surprise how it was in 2016 but it will have to be with Allar, we know what Clifford is and he ain’t taking us for a magical ride.
Agree great follow up comments…..unlike most men 😉I mean people….I admit when I am wrong. I was excited and thought Clifford coming back with his experience would be an advantage and help it has not unfortunately…….next week will be another box of chocolates game for us 🤣
 
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blion72

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Oct 30, 2021
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I don't care about her one way or the other....but its a bit simplistic to blame her for CJF's contract. The Compensation Committee had a vote.
i think there was panic on PSU part due to timing. all the coach moves happen at the same time. Sandy did not have plan B
 
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Connorpozlee

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Oct 29, 2021
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I am not a fire the coach guy or a believer in “signature wins”. But at this point, Penn State winning a big game with Franklin at the helm is a pleasant surprise. My expectations of such are pretty much non-existent.
 

Nitwit

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Oct 12, 2021
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Agree great follow up comments…..unlike most men 😉I mean people….I admit when I am wrong. I was excited and thought Clifford coming back with his experience would be an advantage and help it has not unfortunately…….next week will be another box of chocolates game for us 🤣
Was the Michigan loss Clifford’s fault, or was it due to the defensive line, linebacker play, offensive line play, coaching, etc,? What do you think the score would have differed if Allar had started?
 
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FTLPSU

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Was the Michigan loss Clifford’s fault, or was it due to the defensive line, linebacker play, offensive line play, coaching, etc,? What do you think the score has need of Allar had started?
Michigan loss was not Cliffords fault.
Defensively, our DLine was a C+ not due to their own faults-coaches (Diaz) didnt help them at all.
LB play was a D- atrocious partially not the best LB'ers and their lack of development.-5th time on this board who is their LB coach????? I dont know.
Coaching--no adjustments; if you know your weak at the run-why not adjust and put the pressure on ur stout Secondary? Play 1 safety oh well take your chances in the air. Lack of LB development and their fundamentals were horrendous-thats on coaches.

If Allar started with the same game plan, outcome would have been same most likely, since he didnt start all season. His maturation is on the coaches...he probably doesn't have Clifford's toughness and could have been knocked out of the game with limited pocket awareness.
If he had started and had more reps who knows. Perhaps he is able to move the ball a little. It was obvious Michigan didnt respect our passing game much like we didnt Respect their Running game ;) Allar's accuracy is very good and is confident in his passing ability, I think we all can agree. I am not sure if MY has a limited playbook with respect to Cliffords passing ability vs Allars thus cant speculate on game plan approach if Allar started.
 

FTLPSU

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Oct 6, 2021
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Further, I didn't expect to win. I expected we would compete.

We all forget that we said our middle is weak and susceptible. We as a consensus, said we would go 9-3.. Thus starting 5-0 like last year created a higher expectation.
 

Midnighter

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Oct 7, 2021
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Franklin to his haters:
Harbaugh going into OSU game last year.

View attachment 248246

"Another bad stat: Harbaugh has yet to win a top 15 road game, now 0-9 after the loss to Michigan State."

Ehhhh......that doesn't look too bad. How many teams is Franklin undefeated against in the B1G? And the second bullet point is misleading - he has a winning record against Penn State (5-3). If you remove OSU fromo that group, what is his win percentage? Also, he beat OSU, won the B1G, and went to the CFP after agreeing to a pay cut. We can't say anything similar. The one year we win the B1G we get mudstomped by Michigan and lose to freakin' Pitt.

I'll add: Harbaugh's Record vs....

Wisconsin - 3-2
Iowa - 2-1
MSU - 3-4
PSU - 5-3

So, remove the 1-6 record vs. OSU and he's 13-10 vs. the best teams in conference not named Ohio State.

He are his final AP rankings per year:

2015 - 12
2016 - 10
2017 - UR
2018 - 14
2019 - 18
2020 - UR
2021 - 3

Franklin (starting in 2016):

2016 - 7
2017 - 8
2018 - 17
2019 - 9
2020 - UR
2021 - UR

So, three top ten finishes but no CFP appearances. The trend is discouraging though....
 
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BW Lion

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Oct 14, 2021
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CJF should be more concerned with another "signature loss".

Should PSU drop this weekend's game to Minnesota, James Franklin will join Rig Engle (1964, 1965) and Joe Paterno (2003, 2004 aka "Dark Years") by having lost consecutive Homecoming games in the post WWI era of PSU Football. Had a Homecoming game been held in 2020, Franklin could soon hold the record for losing 3 straight.

 
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leinbacker

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Oct 13, 2021
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Yes, Sandy screwed Penn State well on her way out the door with his contract. Here's how the buyout works:

According to the buyout terms, Penn State would owe Franklin $8 million (his guaranteed salary plus a $1 million loan for life insurance) times the number of remaining years on the contract if it terminates him without cause.

As a result, Penn State's buyout is $72 million in 2022, $64 million in 2023 and $56 million in 2024. Even after five years, Franklin's termination buyout is $40 million. The term sheet Penn State released does not include whether those numbers can be mitigated or negotiated.

What's the deal with the life insurance? Does he think that if he is fired, he'll need life insurance in case he doesn't make it out of town?

I'm a little doubtful that people making that much money in the bank even buy life insurance.
 
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oldpsubear

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Oct 28, 2021
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He doesnt need any win at all. He has 73M in his pocket win or lose. he has clear sailing at PSU as long as he wants unless PSU takes a huge bite of crow and says he isnt worth it but we will pay big $$ just to get rid of him. Personally I think we are seeing signs of pressure that he realizes he is over his head against top tier teams
 

Erial_Lion

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Nov 1, 2021
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What's the deal with the life insurance? Does he think that if he is fired, he'll need life insurance in case he doesn't make it out of town?

I'm a little doubtful that people making that much money in the bank even buy life insurance.
I guess you'd be surprised then at the amount of life insurance that most very highly compensated people carry.
 

BW Lion

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What's the deal with the life insurance? Does he think that if he is fired, he'll need life insurance in case he doesn't make it out of town?
I hope this article explains why coaches and universities take out split-cost life insurance policies, the employee's share of which are sometimes funded through a series of annual loans.

 

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