New coach

[fastlax16]

Granted, flight tracking is not in my wheelhouse, but I went to that site and don’t see that flight, or any, outbound from Columbus to SC, or inbound from SC from Columbus. That particular Jet EJA640 has none of those routes scheduled.

That plane is currently flying from OKC to Dallas. It flew from C-Bus to OKC this morning. Never touched PA.

1I640 (EJA640) NetJets Aviation Flight Tracking and History 02-Dec-2025 (KOKC-KDFW) - FlightAware

Track NetJets Aviation (1I) #640 flight from OKC Will Rogers Intl to Dallas-Fort Worth Intl

www.flightaware.com

 

[Alphalion75]

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.

I agree.

 

[TheWizardofCamelot]

Fitz and Nate said Hartline isn't even in consideration anymore....

 

[djmccaslin]

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

There is NO smokescreen. You don't put that BYU coach through all that and just to create a diversion for someone else. This is real life.

 

[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 slreadyi

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

the irony is that given the status of the class, it means that PSU was the school that most critically needed someone to be announced on Sunday. This is an abomination

 

[EricStratton-RushChairman]

I have been thinking about why we have not tried to hold class together... my guess is Kraft (and possibly incoming coach) wants to hold all the $$$ so they have the biggest bag to spend come portal time in January and springtime. At this point it has to be clearly purposeful. They may have even told some of the PA kids to go get their bag and come back and talk to us in a year.

 

[Nitanee1234]

How do we know he didn't interview with them? Maybe he already had a deal cut with Kraft and passed on their inquiries. We won't know if those schools were interested or not.

I’d suggest that his agent would have floated it so that in the very least he’d have BYU upping their offer.

 

[djmccaslin]

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

Ummm, he was drafted by Pittsburgh and yes, he stayed his whole career but that's not the same as recruiting HS guys.

 

[bdgan]

I have been thinking about why we have not tried to hold class together... my guess is Kraft (and possibly incoming coach) wants to hold all the $$$ so they have the biggest bag to spend come portal time in January and springtime. At this point it has to be clearly purposeful. They may have even told some of the PA kids to go get their bag and come back and talk to us in a year.

Tengwall said that NIL deals are being signed starting tomorrow (Wednesday) through Friday which is long before the portal opens on January 2nd. If that's true a lot of top kids will be unofficially committed elsewhere by week's end.

 

[LB99]

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

And Penn State would have been lucky to win five or six games a year with that combo.

 

[fastlax16]

Ummm, he was drafted by Pittsburgh and yes, he stayed his whole career but that's not the same as recruiting HS guys.

/s means sarcasm.

 

[LB99]

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.

To be fair, I don’t think Kentucky football is the benchmark.

 

[Connorpozlee]

We Are!

We Were!!!

 

[donboy6499]

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

With no guarantee the crumbs are promised in the first place.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Fitz and Nate said Hartline isn't even in consideration anymore....

Well FFS, somebody has to get the job at some point!

 

[LB99]

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

I keep being told by some in here that it doesn’t matter. I disagree. I think it is a massive blunder by PSU. Massive.

 

[SummitLion]

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

This is absolutely crazy!!! Penn State football may well be over, no matter who they get as HC.

 

[Nitt1300]

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

no worries- Kraft has a plan

 

[donboy6499]

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

He's also not dumb.

With no guarantee of a spot, he's not different than the recruits leaving. Hard to say No to Franklin and wait for an opportunity that might not exist at Penn State.

 

[fastlax16]

I have been thinking about why we have not tried to hold class together... my guess is Kraft (and possibly incoming coach) wants to hold all the $$$ so they have the biggest bag to spend come portal time in January and springtime. At this point it has to be clearly purposeful. They may have even told some of the PA kids to go get their bag and come back and talk to us in a year.

That viewpoint is just copium. If Kraft came out and said they were ok signing 0 recruits this cycle, and this is why, after announcing the Franklin firing. Everyone here would have said he'd lost his f'ing mind.

 

[fastlax16]

With no guarantee the crumbs are promised in the first place.

Is that why Crumbl is now involved?

 

[LB99]

Tengwall said that NIL deals are being signed starting tomorrow (Wednesday) through Friday which is long before the portal opens on January 2nd. If that's true a lot of top kids will be unofficially committed elsewhere by week's end.

Yes. Neuheisel alluded to this on yesterday’s show also.

 

[LB99]

I have been thinking about why we have not tried to hold class together... my guess is Kraft (and possibly incoming coach) wants to hold all the $$$ so they have the biggest bag to spend come portal time in January and springtime. At this point it has to be clearly purposeful. They may have even told some of the PA kids to go get their bag and come back and talk to us in a year.

I think you are giving them too much credit.

 

[PSU4U]

Fitz and Nate said Hartline isn't even in consideration anymore....

Really, he never was. It was Hartline that had the interest not the other way around but you entertain all those who pursue you. However, now Hartline finally gets his interview. All is not well in Happy Valley.

 

[Midnighter]

Honestly, no real home run hires this cycle save Kiffin to LSU. Biggest issue for us is Franklin being hired so early by a geographic competitor and he and his allies fleecing the PSU recruits on his way out (and after to be honest). Was Smith complicit in that effort? Dunno - but a few folks on staff were and that should be investigated. In any case, what are your grades?

Florida - John Sumrall (Tulane HC) - Basically a retread of Napier. And Sumralll started his PC by saying Kiffin gave him permission to coach there. Bleh. Florida fans aren't happy.

Auburn - Alex Golesh (South Florida HC) - On their 5th coach in five years (Harsin, Williams, Freeze, Durkin, Golesh). Mid hire at best.

UCLA - Bob Chesney (JMU HC) - He's done well in two years at JMU and on paper believe this is the best hire after Kiffin and Franklin.

VT - James Franklin - VT will be the PSU of the Mid-Atlantic with fewer resources and top end players (no 5* is going to go VT unless they loved the school growing up, and since none were alive in Vick's heyday, it's not many), and a super narrow path to the playoff. He'll be fine but much lower ceiling there and he hasn't shown he can fix his on field issues and moreover, we know he is all about himself and will scheme as needed. Good riddance.

Michigan State - Pat Fitzgerald - Did 'fine' as HC of NW, but that was enough. Good hire, but not dynamic or exciting. Not sure MSU fans are thrilled.

Arkansas - Ryan Silverfield (Memphis HC) - 50-25 since 2019; Norvell II.

Kentucky - Will Stein (Oregon OC) - If you're looking to get a hot coordinator and give him a shot at HC, he and Hartline are the top two IMO. Solid hire by UK.

I think it's rare to take a top coach from a top program but because it happened recently (Kelly, Riley) I think people thought it could happen again. I don't think Kraft really f'd up here; timing was bad and Franklin is a snake, but not much you can do about either. Get rid of the early signing period and make it February only again and you can hire a coach in January (and not have to fire mid-season).

 

[Treadstone33]

Until Chesney signs with UCLA I think he's still an option.

 

[redwine65]

And Penn State would have been lucky to win five or six games a year with that combo.

idk, they seem to do well with what they had to work with

 

[BVSt.Paul]

Maybe hotel prices for football weekends will come down in price.

 

[KingLando]

This is absolutely crazy!!! Penn State football may well be over, no matter who they get as HC.

The 2026 class won't kill the program. Stop being overly dramatic

 

[KingLando]

Really, he never was. It was Hartline that had the interest not the other way around but you entertain all those who pursue you. However, now Hartline finally gets his interview. All is not well in Happy Valley.

All false

 

[LB99]

idk, they seem to do well with what they had to work with

Fitz was 4-20 in his last two years at NW. He’s never dealt with the portal, much less NIL. Horrible idea to put him in as HC at PSU.

 

[4theglory54]

Perhaps PK is finalizing his deal for his next career move in a different role outside of collegiate administration and simply has given up on the chaos he is leaving?!?!...........................(Honey, grab the bags....we're outah here!!!)

Just kidding........... A week or two after the new coach is hired all the postulating, hand wringing, nit picking, finger pointing, over 260 pages of posts (that's my current estimate of this thread) will be history......hopefully forgotten......and we can get back to the serious, necessary business of providing our expert coaching advice to the next staff!!

 

[doctornick]

Honestly, no real home run hires this cycle save Kiffin to LSU. Biggest issue for us is Franklin being hired so early by a geographic competitor and he and his allies fleecing the PSU recruits on his way out (and after to be honest). Was Smith complicit in that effort? Dunno - but a few folks on staff were and that should be investigated. In any case, what are your grades?

Florida - John Sumrall (Tulane HC) - Basically a retread of Napier. And Sumralll started his PC by saying Kiffin gave him permission to coach there. Bleh. Florida fans aren't happy.

Auburn - Alex Golesh (South Florida HC) - On their 5th coach in five years (Harsin, Williams, Freeze, Durkin, Golesh). Mid hire at best.

UCLA - Bob Chesney (JMU HC) - He's done well in two years at JMU and on paper believe this is the best hire after Kiffin and Franklin.

VT - James Franklin - VT will be the PSU of the Mid-Atlantic with fewer resources and top end players (no 5* is going to go VT unless they loved the school growing up, and since none were alive in Vick's heyday, it's not many), and a super narrow path to the playoff. He'll be fine but much lower ceiling there and he hasn't shown he can fix his on field issues and moreover, we know he is all about himself and will scheme as needed. Good riddance.

Michigan State - Pat Fitzgerald - Did 'fine' as HC of NW, but that was enough. Good hire, but not dynamic or exciting. Not sure MSU fans are thrilled.

Arkansas - Ryan Silverfield (Memphis HC) - 50-25 since 2019; Norvell II.

Kentucky - Will Stein (Oregon OC) - If you're looking to get a hot coordinator and give him a shot at HC, he and Hartline are the top two IMO. Solid hire by UK.

I think it's rare to take a top coach from a top program but because it happened recently (Kelly, Riley) I think people thought it could happen again. I don't think Kraft really f'd up here; timing was bad and Franklin is a snake, but not much you can do about either. Get rid of the early signing period and make it February only again and you can hire a coach in January (and not have to fire mid-season).

Honestly, I look at the list and am unimpressed. There's no one that I'm like "I cannot believe that we couldn't sign <so and so> and <other school> got him instead". Everyone is basically similar - some upside, some downside, lots of variability.

But the big difference is that all those schools had a plan and signed someone immediately when they could. so they can move on with a structure in place. And none of them had a decimated recruiting class like we did.

It's just beyond idiotic at this point that we have not announced someone. Even if it were a "home run" hire who just wanted to keep it quiet, who would want to step into this mess now and have to make massive changes to even get things back up to snuff?

 

[Texas Lion]

There is NO smokescreen. You don't put that BYU coach through all that and just to create a diversion for someone else. This is real life.

Maybe I misspoke because that isn't what I meant. I was talking to another poster that said they already had a guy, insinuating KD or MF. I said if it is one of them then why the stuff from yesterday.

 

[BobPSU92]

We Were!!!

We Are even though We Were.

 

[KingLando]

Honestly, I look at the list and am unimpressed. There's no one that I'm like "I cannot believe that we couldn't sign <so and so> and <other school> got him instead". Everyone is basically similar - some upside, some downside, lots of variability.

But the big difference is that all those schools had a plan and signed someone immediately when they could. so they can move on with a structure in place. And none of them had a decimated recruiting class like we did.

It's just beyond idiotic at this point that we have not announced someone. Even if it were a "home run" hire who just wanted to keep it quiet, who would want to step into this mess now and have to make massive changes to even get things back up to snuff?

Who had someone immediately in place other than Michigan State and Kentucky? Florida nor LSU did

 

[Catch1lion]

Fitz and Nate said Hartline isn't even in consideration anymore....

Well who’s is left to consider ? Dabol ?

 

[Psumatt85]

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.

Although I agree, it doesn’t justify where we are now, and if Kraft had a part in losing the team. Kraft appears to be a bully, which is the wrong way to manage thin skinned James. Either Kraft is a mastermind or a naive arrogant yes man is the question being played out now, and it feels like he’s all in with a pair of twos waiting for everyone else to fold.

 

[Midnighter]

Honestly, I look at the list and am unimpressed. There's no one that I'm like "I cannot believe that we couldn't sign <so and so> and <other school> got him instead". Everyone is basically similar - some upside, some downside, lots of variability.

But the big difference is that all those schools had a plan and signed someone immediately when they could. so they can move on with a structure in place. And none of them had a decimated recruiting class like we did.

It's just beyond idiotic at this point that we have not announced someone. Even if it were a "home run" hire who just wanted to keep it quiet, who would want to step into this mess now and have to make massive changes to even get things back up to snuff?

True, but if 'your guy' is the HC of a team playing in a championship game this weekend (and that would only be Sumrall and Sitaki), it takes a little longer I think. Everyone else hired someone who was done with their season or otherwise available. Kiffin and Sitaki the only two P4 HC exceptions.

 

[JoePaMajorCFBrecord409Ws]

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.

I have no problem with Terry Smith being named HC and being given a very intermediate contract with a light buyout (UCLA reportedly only gave Chesney a 5 year contract @$6mm per year), but this should have been done weeks ago to give Terry a chance to keep as much of the roster and recruiting class as possible..... Kraft should be fired if the job is now given to Terry at this late date - he has made it about as difficult to succeed as an AD possibly could. Look at what 'Ole Miss did in an attempt to stabilize their roster. Just utterly ridiculous how Kraft has handled this.