FC: How did the roster get this bad? Mind boggling LB snap counts…

razpsu

Heisman
Jan 13, 2004
12,774
12,168
113
He WAS a great recruiter. However, since he is no longer the coach, any issues with the team are not his fault. Or at least that’s what we’re told here. The sorry state of the LB depth is all on Terry Smith.
Why do we keep saying he was a great recruiter ???
Year 2025. Rank. 16 oct 10
2024 15
2023 14
2022 6
2021 21
2020 15
 
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PSUForever

Senior
Feb 17, 2007
689
619
93
The Penn State situation is analogous to a company who thought they were going to double growth and instead are down 50% in profit. The CEO is fired and when the new CEO comes in he/she discovers a train wreck. No new product pipeline, lazy sales force not developing new channels of distribution, terrible marketing, product quality sub par on and on.

Franklin has run this program into the ground. I think his signature accomplishment is how he managed to take a 5 star QB and turn him into mediocre lower tier Power 4 talent. It is criminal what he has done.
 

Corner Room Breakfast

All-Conference
Oct 27, 2021
1,390
1,836
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From Brent, to Manny, to Allen, and now to Knowles, we lost the prototypical PSU
linebacker. It seems the different defenses, and the use of Micah, Abdul, and the
lack of big body D tackles changed that narrative, along with some coaches just
aren't in to recruiting.
Offense. Well once Beau left, the dominoes started to fall.
 

Bwifan

All-Conference
Oct 12, 2021
2,352
4,044
113
The Penn State situation is analogous to a company who thought they were going to double growth and instead are down 50% in profit. The CEO is fired and when the new CEO comes in he/she discovers a train wreck. No new product pipeline, lazy sales force not developing new channels of distribution, terrible marketing, product quality sub par on and on.

Franklin has run this program into the ground. I think his signature accomplishment is how he managed to take a 5 star QB and turn him into mediocre lower tier Power 4 talent. It is criminal what he has done.
While collecting $110 million...
 

royboy

Sophomore
Nov 9, 2001
65
105
33
From Brent, to Manny, to Allen, and now to Knowles, we lost the prototypical PSU
linebacker. It seems the different defenses, and the use of Micah, Abdul, and the
lack of big body D tackles changed that narrative, along with some coaches just
aren't in to recruiting.
Offense. Well once Beau left, the dominoes started to fall.
Manny at least understood the importance of LB play, and is now playing 2 true Freshmen on Defense at Duke.

One is Bradley Gompers, a 4-star from Pittsburgh Central Catholic, who was heavily recruited by Michigan, Penn State, and others.

Hard to understand just how little PSU's young LBs have played.
 

psuno1

Senior
Feb 4, 2004
787
955
93
Wait a minute, this cannot be the same Franklin that was HC for PS. We are told time and again what a GREAT RECRUITER and developer of talent he is.

Amazing how much this has been parroted by the Franklin Faithful...When push comes to shove, where are these stellar recruits? Oh, I'm forgetting about our high draft pick QB allar, that PS guy is worth any 15 BIG players, right?
Franklin had two classes that were on par with OSU the one with Parsons and the one with Allar- two classes in the 11.5 half years that could compete with OSU will not get it done.
 
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Midnighter

Heisman
Jan 22, 2021
11,063
17,819
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Franklin had two classes that were on par with OSU the one with Parsons and the one with Allar- two classes in the 11.5 half years that could compete with OSU will not get it done.

We also seem to badly miss on highly rated targets - think both Juwan Johnson and Justin Shorter; never lived up to their billing. Jven Williams and Birchmeier - same and both were composite five star (or every high four stars). Luke Reynolds has been a massive disappointment. Allar was the top QB in his class right? Exceptionally bad luck I guess. Or….
 

royboy

Sophomore
Nov 9, 2001
65
105
33
We also seem to badly miss on highly rated targets - think both Juwan Johnson and Justin Shorter; never lived up to their billing. Jven Williams and Birchmeier - same and both were composite five star (or every high four stars). Luke Reynolds has been a massive disappointment. Allar was the top QB in his class right? Exceptionally bad luck I guess. Or….
Reynolds a bust? Seen some good things and he has played just 1.5 seasons.
 
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Midnighter

Heisman
Jan 22, 2021
11,063
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Reynolds a bust? Seen some good things and he has played just 1.5 seasons.

Not a bust but has played poorly this year. He’s super talented but hasn’t played like the #1 TE in the nation out of HS yet.
 

BCS PSU

Senior
Jun 2, 2001
246
440
63
Not a bust but has played poorly this year. He’s super talented but hasn’t played like the #1 TE in the nation out of HS yet.
He played well in the non-con games, but has played very poorly since the Oregon game. Considering whom we lost at that position from last season, I believe that he's been one of the biggest disappointments on a team filled with disappointments. I'm not saying that he's ever going to come close to #44, but let's remember that Warren really didn't become a big producer in the offense until the 2023 season. Therefore, I still have hope for him; he obviously needs to get stronger though.
 
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PSUForever

Senior
Feb 17, 2007
689
619
93
Not a bust but has played poorly this year. He’s super talented but hasn’t played like the #1 TE in the nation out of HS yet.
Reynolds should benefit from a new coach and renewed energy in the program. With the benefit of hindsight, Franklin and his band of coaches didn't do much this past offseason.
 
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WaffleShopper

Senior
Sep 20, 2023
274
476
63
He is a huge liability out there and it has nothing to do with skin color. He is not a good starting LB in P4.
Last year at the end of the regular season PFF had him at something like the 3rd worst tackling LB in all of D1 (Rojas was not that much higher sadly). He plays his *** off and is a very good special team player but like you said he just can’t handle being an every down LB at this level.
 
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slwlion01

Senior
Jul 24, 2023
328
461
63
From Brent, to Manny, to Allen, and now to Knowles, we lost the prototypical PSU
linebacker. It seems the different defenses, and the use of Micah, Abdul, and the
lack of big body D tackles changed that narrative, along with some coaches just
aren't in to recruiting.
Offense. Well once Beau left, the dominoes started to fall.
Watch it.
From Brent, to Manny, to Allen, and now to Knowles, we lost the prototypical PSU
linebacker. It seems the different defenses, and the use of Micah, Abdul, and the
lack of big body D tackles changed that narrative, along with some coaches just
aren't in to recruiting.
Offense. Well once Beau left, the dominoes started to fall.
Watch it, I got clobbered once for mentioning Beau. But I got over it quickly.
 

donaldfair71

Senior
Jul 4, 2005
595
659
93
You guys realize you're proving my point, right?

Capone, Fox, Elsdon, Deluca.....

Guess you all know better than the coaching staffs
I’m not being funny here and only skimmed the thread. What was the context?

I don’t think I know better than the staff, not at all. I have no doubt that they’re playing the best guys they have on 10/24/25.
I think we can also lament the decisions over the past few years that led to these guys being the best guys they have. I did the same in 2001 when Capone was the best we had.

*Went back and read. He’s another generation’s Ron Graham as well.
 
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Bvillebaron

All-Conference
Feb 4, 2004
2,074
2,177
113
He WAS a great recruiter. However, since he is no longer the coach, any issues with the team are not his fault. Or at least that’s what we’re told here. The sorry state of the LB depth is all on Terry Smith.
You must be reading a different board.
 

PSUForever

Senior
Feb 17, 2007
689
619
93
I’m not being funny here and only skimmed the thread. What was the context?

I don’t think I know better than the staff, not at all. I have no doubt that they’re playing the best guys they have on 10/24/25.
I think we can also lament the decisions over the past few years that led to these guys being the best guys they have. I did the same in 2001 when Capone was the best we had.

*Went back and read. He’s another generation’s Ron Graham as well.
The point of this thread is a good one and is to understand how we got in such a crappy situation with this team.

Why don't we have a better LB than Deluca? Why can't Speca see the field, Wylie? Why are there not more quality LBs on the roster?
Why are all the D Lineman underperforming and why are they all 87 or 88 guys?

WRs are terrible and have been for years, why?

Regression from many players like a supposed 5 star QB, why?

It's like we woke one day and thought we had a top 2 or 3 team and we actually have one of the worst teams in the B10.

The mismanagement and horrible coaching by Franklin is criminal. Yet this guy goes on EDPN and gets sympathy by these a## wipes like Nick Saban etc for taking no accountability for running a program into the ground.
 
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Bvillebaron

All-Conference
Feb 4, 2004
2,074
2,177
113
Did not realize CJF had no knowledge of who was being recruited. Yes, that makes perfect sense, he didn't question a thing, just passed the blank checks.

So unfair that Franklin has to take the blame for something football related. So sad.
Ah yes nice to see you are still banging the drum. Harkening back to your post criticizing me I see. Since you brought the subject up again I along with other posters understand that Franklin and other posters get fired when the team doesn’t live up to expectations and have said repeatedly I think
the Franklin firing was necessary. On the other hand, according to you no one other than Franklin bears any responsibility for the team’s failures this year. Not any of the players who failed to show up to play games or any of the assistant coaches and especially AK and his gimmicky play calling which continued under Smith last Saturday. Also since Franklin is responsible for everything “football related “ I suppose he is also responsible for Strength and Conditioning; Player Nutrition; Player Academic Counseling and Support; Travel
Arrangements to Away Games; etc. Your simplistic claim that Franklin is responsible for everything football related is insulting to Simpletons everywhere.
 

JWB389

All-Conference
May 16, 2017
991
1,233
93
2022: 4* Carter, 3* Wylie
2023: 4* Rojas (injury), 4* Keys (crime)
2024: 3* Speca, 3* Jackson

2025: 4* Arrington, 4* Smith, 3* Tasch (true freshmen probably not ready)
Somebody posted about Arrington above. I follow Lavar on instagram. A poster there said thrown Jr. in there. Lavar actually chimed in right away and said he’s not ready.
 
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donaldfair71

Senior
Jul 4, 2005
595
659
93
The point of this thread is a good one and is to understand how we got in such a crappy situation with this team.

Why don't we have a better LB than Deluca? Why can't Speca see the field, Wylie? Why are there not more quality LBs on the roster?
Why are all the D Lineman underperforming and why are they all 87 or 88 guys?

WRs are terrible and have been for years, why?

Regression from many players like a supposed 5 star QB, why?

It's like we woke one day and thought we had a top 2 or 3 team and we actually have one of the worst teams in the B10.

The mismanagement and horrible coaching by Franklin is criminal. Yet this guy goes on EDPN and gets sympathy by these a## wipes like Nick Saban etc for taking no accountability for running a program into the ground.
Yep, the issues are probably some combo of loyalty and poor development.
Let’s be honest, if any player has been getting the majority of the reps/attention/development, it’s not fixed by a coaching change. You can’t expect things to suddenly fix because the roots of the fix began in January.
 

wptlion

Redshirt
Jan 7, 2002
15
18
3
Yep, the issues are probably some combo of loyalty and poor development.
Let’s be honest, if any player has been getting the majority of the reps/attention/development, it’s not fixed by a coaching change. You can’t expect things to suddenly fix because the roots of the fix began in January.
You're right and if anyone thought that this would be fixed instantly when he was fired they are complete idiots. But what firing him does fix is the attitude around the program and in the Beav against Indiana. If JF was coaching in that game 3-5 it would have been one of the worse environments in CFB history.
 
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donaldfair71

Senior
Jul 4, 2005
595
659
93
You're right and if anyone thought that this would be fixed instantly when he was fired they are complete idiots. But what firing him does fix is the attitude around the program and in the Beav against Indiana. If JF was coaching in that game 3-5 it would have been one of the worse environments in CFB history.
Yep and it creates, for what feels like the first time in a long time, accountability.
 

LB99

Heisman
Oct 27, 2021
8,347
11,431
113
I’m not being funny here and only skimmed the thread. What was the context?

I don’t think I know better than the staff, not at all. I have no doubt that they’re playing the best guys they have on 10/24/25.
I think we can also lament the decisions over the past few years that led to these guys being the best guys they have. I did the same in 2001 when Capone was the best we had.

*Went back and read. He’s another generation’s Ron Graham as well.
Shamar Finney also.
 
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LB99

Heisman
Oct 27, 2021
8,347
11,431
113
Somebody posted about Arrington above. I follow Lavar on instagram. A poster there said thrown Jr. in there. Lavar actually chimed in right away and said he’s not ready.
Gee. Go figure. The coaching staff AND the kids own dad know more than we do. Shocking.