New coach

[Itraindogs]

Sure, but then look at Kelly/LSU. There are examples both ways. Why risk it?

Kraft wasn't ready for this - he made an emotionally driven (semi-panicked) decision and had no plan in place other than to attempt to steal all the top programs' coaches. They all used him to get a better personal financial commitment from their universities. The coach he fired immediately went to a regional school, and has poached all of our recruits. The recruiting class has been nuked, and I think we can all agree the roster will be nuked come next month. And now here we are asking a west coast lifer and current BYU alumni/parishioner to leave his post as HC - who has ZERO ties to PA. Every other school had a plan in place and PSU's dumpster fire of a search is mainstream media.

And we'll all hold our hat on "look what Cignetti did at Indiana!" - yeah, let's look at one of the biggest outliers of the past decade. While you're banking on a Cignetti/Indiana situation, take a peek at the portal and roster failures at FSU, Auburn, Florida, Michigan State, Nebraska, etc.

Point well made. Yes, sometimes culture matters, sometimes it does not.

I am reserving judgment on Kraft until all the cards are on the table. Personally, on paper, Bob Chesney was the chance I would have taken, just like UF is taking Sumrall after striking out on Kiffin, but none of this negates the fact that Sitake is done very well at BYU. Kraft passed on Chesney because he wanted to go big game hunting. Not sure what that will result in.

I am not happy about the complete evaporation of the 2026 class nor the lack of guardrails for the upcoming exodus of players on the roster. It will result in PSU wading in unchartered waters (30+ portal players), but it may ultimately be a net gain.

 

[Binder74]

Yeah - I am sure the Samoans will love the snow and sleet in State College - no way any of them come here - he knows no one East of the Mississippi - we are screwed if that dope hires this guy. He coaches in a sh&t conference - yeah they are they best of the worst there big deal.

You do realize that Utah isn't in Florida.

 

[VT00]

You do realize that Utah isn't in Florida.

Source?

 

[WVilleLion23]

Source?

Wptlion, cause he spits facts!!!!!!!

 

[Binder74]

You do realize that Utah isn't in Florida.

And the forecast for Provo Wednesday is 30 degrees with snow.

 

[BobPSU92]

And the forecast for Provo Wednesday is 30 degrees with snow.

With a 0% chance of coffee.

 

[SRURock24]

So guys when Sitake gets a pay bump and extension who is left.
Brohm?
Hartline?
Daboll god know!
Fisch? Unlikely

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

So Sexton hates PSU ?

McShay (another hack) is saying the same thing…that Sexton is holding a huge grudge against PSU, not necessarily because they fired his client, but maybe how they went about firing him.

 

[doctornick]

So guys when Sitake gets a pay bump and extension who is left.
Brohm?
Hartline?
Daboll god know!
Fisch? Unlikely

The only thing I will say is that I have not been impressed with who other schools have signed. Outside of Kiffin - who is complicated and not without possible drawbacks - there is no one that has been hired that I would think is clearly better than someone we could still sign like Sitake, Brohm, Diaz, etc.

My concern is less about “will we get someone competent?” and more about why the heck you haven’t announced yet. Unless the signing is Freeman or DeBoer, etc there is no reason to not have announced by now for a more modest candidate. These candidates all have their pluses and minuses such that getting someone in now is more critical than the individual chosen

 

[rigi19040]

2

He might, MIGHT, be able to attract Samoan players. Not a guarantee of course, especially given that the majority are Mormon and wind up at West coast schools, especially those with Mormon communities.

That being said, there are over 30 Samoans on BYU's roster. I'm thinking that some might join him as transfers, and high schoolers willing to be recruited to the East on an ongoing basis.
It's just a thought.

Forget the Samoans. We will never consistently get them. If sitake is the guy he simply needs some east coast recruiters on staff.

The NFL has a bunch of Polynesian players past and present. They are good people and good football players.

That is not the issue. The issue is almost none of them are coming to psu.

 

[JoeLion]

I can’t wait to see how this plays out. I don’t think Kraft is a dumb a$$ and believe the announcement is more a timing issue than anything else. The new coach to be has made a commitment to stay with current team to a specific date tied into a championship game. A lot of opinions expressed here which is why this is such a vibrant board. Let the good times roll!

 

[Rudy4526]

McShay (another hack) is saying the same thing…that Sexton is holding a huge grudge against PSU, not necessarily because they fired his client, but maybe how they went about firing him.

There might be truth to this but in reality who were clients that were leaving a place and coming to us.

 

[PSU4U]

I can’t wait to see how this plays out. I don’t think Kraft is a dumb a$$ and believe the announcement is more a timing issue than anything else. The new coach to be has made a commitment to stay with current team to a specific date tied into a championship game. A lot of opinions expressed here which is why this is such a vibrant board. Let the good times roll!

Then why did they go all in on Sitake. And they did. In my opinion Kraft will now be circling back around to what is left whatever that is beside Hartline interviewing today?

 

[djmccaslin]

Then why did they go all in on Sitake. And they did.

Exactly--this idea that he's playing 3-dimensional chess is wishful thinking at best and most likely just grasping at some hopeful straws.

 

[Alphabets]

Every time I think about how much of a debacle this seems to be, I remind myself that Franklin had to go. Kraft had to fire him, he did the right thing. The aftermath is irrelevant, Franklin gave up on this team and Kraft did what he had to do.

 

[MacNit]

lol. Of course it is ok for the new guy to get a few years. James got 12! Some of you would have let paterno coach through a psychic if you could.

 

[Texas Lion]

Point well made. Yes, sometimes culture matters, sometimes it does not.

I am reserving judgment on Kraft until all the cards are on the table. Personally, on paper, Bob Chesney was the chance I would have taken, just like UF is taking Sumrall after striking out on Kiffin, but none of this negates the fact that Sitake is done very well at BYU. Kraft passed on Chesney because he wanted to go big game hunting. Not sure what that will result in.

I am not happy about the complete evaporation of the 2026 class nor the lack of guardrails for the upcoming exodus of players on the roster. It will result in PSU wading in unchartered waters (30+ portal players), but it may ultimately be a net gain.

I wondered this to a friend yesterday.....Why have we seen no PSU Portals yet?

 

[Texas Lion]

So guys when Sitake gets a pay bump and extension who is left.
Brohm?
Hartline?
Daboll god know!
Fisch? Unlikely

You taker a stab at Hartline and then admit he f'd up and take Terry.

 

[Texas Lion]

The only thing I will say is that I have not been impressed with who other schools have signed. Outside of Kiffin - who is complicated and not without possible drawbacks - there is no one that has been hired that I would think is clearly better than someone we could still sign like Sitake, Brohm, Diaz, etc.

My concern is less about “will we get someone competent?” and more about why the heck you haven’t announced yet. Unless the signing is Freeman or DeBoer, etc there is no reason to not have announced by now for a more modest candidate. These candidates all have their pluses and minuses such that getting someone in now is more critical than the individual chosen

If it is KD or MF I will create an I love Pat Kraft T-Shirt and wear it proudly.

 

[Texas Lion]

I can’t wait to see how this plays out. I don’t think Kraft is a dumb a$$ and believe the announcement is more a timing issue than anything else. The new coach to be has made a commitment to stay with current team to a specific date tied into a championship game. A lot of opinions expressed here which is why this is such a vibrant board. Let the good times roll!

I get that and can buy it, then why the BYU smokescreen yesterday if it is indeed someone else?

 

[PSUFTG]

Every time I think about how much of a debacle this seems to be, I remind myself that Franklin had to go. Kraft had to fire him, he did the right thing. The aftermath is irrelevant, Franklin gave up on this team and Kraft did what he had to do.

"The aftermath is irrelevant"?

I would posit that the "aftermath" - how does one best handle the situation from Point A of the firing to Point B of having the next regime in place - is critical.

Along with all of what transpired over the last year or more that set up the situation to be more damaging than it may have been otherwise - so that such situations can be avoided/mitigated in the future.

 

[PSUFTG]

I wondered this to a friend yesterday.....Why have we seen no PSU Portals yet?

Because it is not yet "portal season"? Perhaps?
(And there was at least one guy who has announced his intention to "portal")

 

[redwine65]

I would of got Pat Fitzgerald at Penn State as HC with Leonhard as DC.

 

[doctornick]

Then why did they go all in on Sitake. And they did. In my opinion Kraft will now be circling back around to what is left whatever that is beside Hartline interviewing today?

Unless he didn’t. Honestly I don’t believe most of the rumors swirling. And if it were Sitake, why wasn’t everything worked out and announced already?

 

[WPB_lion]

Every time I think about how much of a debacle this seems to be, I remind myself that Franklin had to go. Kraft had to fire him, he did the right thing. The aftermath is irrelevant, Franklin gave up on this team and Kraft did what he had to do.

I agree that Franklin had to go and firing him when he did was the right thing. However, the aftermath is not irrelevant. The analysis of Kraft's firing of Franklin and the analysis of Kraft's job in finding a coach in the aftermath are mutually exclusive.

Kraft made the right decision to fire Franklin but, apparently, botched the aftermath. Obviously, hindsight is 20/20, but it appears Kraft swung for the fences and missed. We are now down to higher risk coaches who could turn out to be a home run but will not be considered an immediate home run upon hiring. These riskier coaches needed to be hired as early as possible to give them a legitimate chance stem the tide of outgoing recruits and to convince current players to stay. The aftermath of waiting so long to hire these riskier coaches is an unqualified failure by Kraft.

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

Who wants to start their morning with more chaos?

My hunch is he’s already interviewed a long time ago.

 

[Midnighter]

My hunch is he’s already interviewed a long time ago.

Will Stein (Oregon OC) did as well and according to 'PSU sources' they felt he was too inexperienced. Then Kentucky hires him in less than 24 hours after firing Stoops. WTF.

 

[PSU4U]

You taker a stab at Hartline and then admit he f'd up and take Terry.

I said it before the way this whole thing has trended Terry Smith may be the Last Man Standing and I'm OK with that.

 

[Nitt1300]

I said it before the way this whole thing has trended Terry Smith may be the Last Man Standing and I'm OK with that.

At some point he may decide that waiting for crumbs at the big table is just too demeaning and head south instead.

 

[PSUcup]

At some point he may decide that waiting for crumbs at the big table is just too demeaning and head south instead.

You think he’d turn down $5 million a year from Penn state to take $1.5 million from Va Tech?

I’m sure he’s prideful but i doubt he’s that prideful

 

[Nitt1300]

You think he’d turn down $5 million a year from Penn state to take $1.5 million from Va Tech?

I’m sure he’s prideful but i doubt he’s that prideful

only time will tell

 

[PSU4U]

At some point he may decide that waiting for crumbs at the big table is just too demeaning and head south instead.

I hope not but I certainly get your point.

 

[Alphalion75]

My hunch is he’s already interviewed a long time ago.

I agree. This may be a possible closing meeting. At least I hope so.

 

[WPB_lion]

At some point he may decide that waiting for crumbs at the big table is just too demeaning and head south instead.

That is not happening. There is no scenario where offering the head coaching job to Smith will be too demeaning. It is not often that a head coaching opportunity is offered to a position coach and I am sure he will be grateful if it happens. This would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for Smith to coach the team he loves and he won't even have to move his family.

 

[Catch1lion]

We are #1. At least first of the kind you don’t want .

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

I agree. This may be a possible closing meeting. At least I hope so.

He’s likely working today. Perhaps his family is house-hunting or registering the kids for school? More likely, it’s an unrelated happenstance. Regardless, if he’s the guy (which makes the most sense to me), he’s well past the interview stage of the process.

 

[fastlax16]

2


Forget the Samoans. We will never consistently get them. If sitake is the guy he simply needs some east coast recruiters on staff.


That is not the issue. The issue is almost none of them are coming to psu.

Troy Polamalu had a great career playing football in Pennsylvania so there's no reason they shouldn't come... /s

 

[BobPSU92]

We are #1. At least first of the kind you don’t want .

We Are!

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

Then why did they go all in on Sitake. And they did. In my opinion Kraft will now be circling back around to what is left whatever that is beside Hartline interviewing today?

Just my opinion - I don’t believe they went all in on Sitake at all.

 

[psu0408]

Sounding like a broken record - go get Hartline at $8-10M/yr on a 5 year deal with performance incentives and pair him with an experienced OC. PSU was prepared to pay a $40m buyout to Franklin. If Hartline doesn't work out after 2-3 years, you have a manageable buyout and can go for the $10-15m/yr coach at that time. At a bare minimum, he understands how to recruit the region and develop offensive skill players.
All of the candidates left are high risk, high reward, so might as well go for the highest reward candidate.