Future best-seller…

ShoreLion85V2

Sophomore
Oct 17, 2016
53
137
21
A book, from an insider, as to how a final four football program completely imploded in 2 weeks to become not just an also-ran, but a complete disaster. NO ONE saw this coming - how did it go so wrong, so quickly? I’ve been watching college football habitually since the mid 1970s, and can’t remember a similar situation - what on earth happened? Someone must have some insight on this?
 

mh-larch

Junior
Nov 20, 2019
188
360
63
Kraft and JF's ego clashing. Thats it, that is the book. Two grown *** men that are supposed to be professional, couldn't.
That explains why Franklin seemed distracted and checked out, and why he was fired, but not why this team is so terrible. We looked horrible versus much lesser OOC games (even though we won big), and lost to UCLA and Northwestern. Let that sink in. There is something deeper to all of this.
 
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ShoreLion85V2

Sophomore
Oct 17, 2016
53
137
21
Ok, but if that was so - did that mean that Franklin then, out of spite, quit on the team? I’m not doubting that the Kraft vs. Franklin issue occurred, but how did that spill over into the s-show we’ve seen since the Oregon loss?
 
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ShoreLion85V2

Sophomore
Oct 17, 2016
53
137
21
That explains why Franklin seemed distracted and checked out, and why he was fired, but not why this team is so terrible. We looked horrible versus much lesser OOC games (even though we won big), and lost to UCLA and Northwestern. Let that sink in. There is something deeper to all of this.
Yes - this is what I’m trying to figure out - why did the Franklin situation vs Kraft turn the team into such incompetence?
 

JerseyLion

All-Conference
Aug 29, 2001
978
1,872
93
The simple answer is last year's USC game. That could have gone either way, and Penn State was really fortunate to come out of that game with a win. Penn State loses that game, and there is no Big Ten title game, no playoff and no lofty expectations for this season.

The team could have also lost to Minnesota and Bowling Green.....and that was with Abdul Cater and Tyler Warren!
 
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Nits1989

All-Conference
Oct 29, 2021
1,166
1,642
113
Wasn’t Franklin hired by Joyner? Kraft has goals and wants to pick his own coach. Looks like there was real friction and disagreements. PSU was a bit lucky last year. Everything collapsed in a huge way.
 

wptlion

Freshman
Jan 7, 2002
60
62
18
Kraft knew Franklin let the talent level drop. He also knew Franklin wasn't willing to use the portal even though Kraft got him plenty of money to do so. Kraft also knew the only reason the team got as far last year was Warren, Carter and a lucky playoff draw. Franklin thought he was in charge and not Kraft, he wanted to cash in on a final four appearance before what might happen during the season. Let's not forget a lot of fans grew tired of Franklins failures before Oregon---after the dam broke his support dropped well below 50%.
 

BCS PSU

Senior
Jun 2, 2001
488
933
93
A book, from an insider, as to how a final four football program completely imploded in 2 weeks to become not just an also-ran, but a complete disaster. NO ONE saw this coming - how did it go so wrong, so quickly? I’ve been watching college football habitually since the mid 1970s, and can’t remember a similar situation - what on earth happened? Someone must have some insight on this?
Clemson is in the exact same situation, so they should be included in this book.
 

PSUFTG

All-Conference
Nov 1, 2021
2,078
3,285
113
The cracks in that foundation were growing for a long time. A foundation can be in serious decay, without it appearing visible to the outside.
But then one little whack with a hammer (like a marital spat between the two parties - PK and JF) can make the whole thing come crashing down catastrophically.

Right StepEng?
 
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KingLando

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
4,376
2,697
113
A book, from an insider, as to how a final four football program completely imploded in 2 weeks to become not just an also-ran, but a complete disaster. NO ONE saw this coming - how did it go so wrong, so quickly? I’ve been watching college football habitually since the mid 1970s, and can’t remember a similar situation - what on earth happened? Someone must have some insight on this?
We watched something very similar at Florida State...sometimes things just don't work.

Clemson's collapse was a little more gradual but they also fell off the cliff this year.
 

84lion

All-Conference
Oct 7, 2021
781
1,339
93
Kraft knew Franklin let the talent level drop. He also knew Franklin wasn't willing to use the portal even though Kraft got him plenty of money to do so. Kraft also knew the only reason the team got as far last year was Warren, Carter and a lucky playoff draw. Franklin thought he was in charge and not Kraft, he wanted to cash in on a final four appearance before what might happen during the season. Let's not forget a lot of fans grew tired of Franklins failures before Oregon---after the dam broke his support dropped well below 50%.
Very well put and spot on. The only thing I would add is that Franklin committed the cardinal sin of going over the boss' head, something you just never, ever do, even at his level. Then again, Franklin knew that this would be the only shot to get the extension, as lean times were coming. Even optimists can see when the ship is in deep trouble. Sometimes stupid moves are born out of desperation.
 

Texas Lion

Sophomore
Aug 10, 2018
145
191
43
That explains why Franklin seemed distracted and checked out, and why he was fired, but not why this team is so terrible. We looked horrible versus much lesser OOC games (even though we won big), and lost to UCLA and Northwestern. Let that sink in. There is something deeper to all of this.
This is where the Franklin ego comes in to play. JF always wanted to hire what would be precived as the next best thing to hit football. If JF was going to stick with Allar, the AK was absolutley the worst hire he could have made. But he didn't want to because his ego wanted to be percieved as the best want to work for him. Same thing with Jim Knolwes. Everyone knows that a Jim Knowles Defense needs a few years to get the right people in to place. We didn't have a few years, we were built to win the title now. But JF wanted to prove that he could st6eal away the DC from the National Champs.
 

Texas Lion

Sophomore
Aug 10, 2018
145
191
43
Basically JF ego was a huge issue of why this season happened. And as soon as it did, he went in to pouty JF like he did the COVID Season.
 
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bbrown

Heisman
Jul 26, 2001
13,191
27,148
113
Kraft knew Franklin let the talent level drop. He also knew Franklin wasn't willing to use the portal even though Kraft got him plenty of money to do so. Kraft also knew the only reason the team got as far last year was Warren, Carter and a lucky playoff draw. Franklin thought he was in charge and not Kraft, he wanted to cash in on a final four appearance before what might happen during the season. Let's not forget a lot of fans grew tired of Franklins failures before Oregon---after the dam broke his support dropped well below 50%.
Are you sure about that, cause I don't think we rank in the top 5 in the B1G NIL rankings.
Kraft acts like he has a lot of new found money now, maybe because of the Addidas deal but I'm not sure we had all the money when we were portal hunting last year.
 

wptlion

Freshman
Jan 7, 2002
60
62
18
Are you sure about that, cause I don't think we rank in the top 5 in the B1G NIL rankings.
Kraft acts like he has a lot of new found money now, maybe because of the Addidas deal but I'm not sure we had all the money when we were portal hunting last year.
I don't for a fact, just that Kraft said he gave him everything he wanted and needed to be successful. I don't remember the exact quote so maybe James didn't actually want portal money.