At the end of the day, teams usually reflect their coach. Oregon certainly did.
If only the head coach actually had to worry about his job security. Penn State is completely powerless to hold him accountable with his contract.
In reality, I think this is the first BIG game where he really couldn't blame anyone else. There was no long weather delay like in 2017 against MSU, no poor scheduling where the BIG 10 made them go on the road and play a tough opponent for this one, no major injuries....off a bye, his self proclaimed best package of players and coaches in 12 years. Home game, white out, a fanbase and an administration who has been "all in" and paying major coin for resources, most expensive coordinator in the country, $3M QB. I like Franklin as a guy, and I honestly feared for him coming into this game.....truly nowhere to hide and no-one to blame. He had to take ownership....and I really do believe the clock is ticking on him even if others don't.
If this season devolves like the 2021 season did, and I’m not ruling that out, I could see this being his last season here. Then the pressure will be on Kraft to make the hire of his life like IU did with Cignetti, and it’s probably going to have to be somebody who can bring a lot of players with him because we’ll lose most of our recruits and probably a lot of current players.
Divorce can be amicable. With the money being sloshed around, James could almost certainly get a raise in 3 months by leaving, or next year at this time. With virtually no payback to the school beginning next year (and a comically small one this year).
I’m sure some of it comes from AK, but the post bye week flops were occurring before he arrived at Penn State. Looking back at his Kansas days, it’s true they didn’t play a great schedule but they did put up points against teams from “defensive” conferences.
I’ve been wondering about this the last few weeks. It does seem to be soon time for his agent to start the rumors of Franklin to Florida, OkSt, or wherever else in order to push for an extension.
Drew did cry in the OSU post game presser and I knew right there he didn't have "it" nor would he ever have "it". That has been proven out in subsequent big games. You would think they would have assigned him a sports psychologist to work on the mental aspects. Or maybe they have and it's just not fixable. Sad to see such a promising prospect not reach his potential.I have no idea what goes on in a kid’s head or the program, but I feel as though Drew lacks the tough mentality needed to be a big-time QB. After a big loss last year (Tosu?), Drew in the postgame PRESSER.
looked like he was going to cry. Maybe he did a little. He needs to be pissed there and show resolve to put it behind him and get better. He’s been seen sulking and temperamental at other times too. Blackledge expressed concern with Drew’s sideline demeanor during the oregon game.
Sometimes it is what it is, but Drew needs to calm down and move on to the next play.
PSU has been doing just fine, elite even, at DE where they are churning out high draft picks one after another. Chaz is the next in line after DDS. DT has been a different story though.
They won't. And it's been that way since long before Franklin.
The OSU goal line stand is an odd example when OSU has had a ton of goal line stands in 2024/25 against a number of different teams.
Agree to disagree. The WRs scare no one - not even Villanova. Just a colossal recruiting miss. Time to change HFC.
Welcome. What took you so long?I have no idea what goes on in a kid’s head or the program, but I feel as though Drew lacks the tough mentality needed to be a big-time QB. After a big loss last year (T
Sometimes it is what it is, but Drew needs to calm down and move on to the next play.
Time to start over. Hopefully we will have leadership that can make much better decisions. Krafty should be back-channeling to Urban as we speak.
Not being results-oriented, just don't understand the plan from Penn State's perspective and the context of the situation.
Good point on some of the receivers who washed out here. And none if our receivers are blue chips. But they are good enough that they should be able to be coached up enough to be competent.
Yeah, I just can't get away from watching some really middling CFB teams and they have receivers running naked all over the middle of the field. I literally can't think of any easy in time throws to an in-breaking WR. Maybe Harrison Wallace against WVU on his long TD that day. We just don't scheme them open in the middle of the field, really never have under Franklin. I have a hard time blaming all of our OC's. I agree the responsibility lies with Franklin and I've addressed in other threads the clock needs to be ticking on him, he needs to start feeling the heat.
Franklin’s heat is relative. He is a multi- millionaire who never needs to work another day in his life. And he has lots of leverage to ride out a few more years here, continue to underachieve and bank a few more million. At a minimum, maybe he would be fair-minded enough to “reach an agreement” to settle for a little less than a buyout. But his previous behavior says that is unlikely. Who could blame him?
Throws to the middle of the field are more dangerous. Hence, very few throws to the middle of the field. The wildcat and throws to the sidelines are safe so that’s what we do.
This is a forum for talking about the team. Some people aren’t calling for Franklin’s head but still want to discuss his failures when he repeatedly sh*ts the bed in big games.
While I've taken this viewpoint in the past, I think its defeatist now. I don't think the program should be compared to Nebraska, a place that clearly had a ceiling, wasn't spending a ton and is not in a recruiting hotbed in the least. No, I don't think we slide into obscurity after Franklin. We have proven in the darkest of times(sanctions) that we can compete and resource good players and coaches. Franklin, empirically, has proven two things......he can turn a good program great, but cannot turn a great program elite. We have maybe the highest paid coordinators in the country combined. Our QB has started 43 games and is paid $3M, we are building a $700M renovation and we have sponsorship galore. I think Penn State is a HIGHLY desirable job for a good young coach. And yes, I think a conversation can be had with Franklin that pays him a buyout, maybe not at $56M, but dignifies his wonderful work here and prevents all parties from the total embarrassment of just Firing him. Franklin is thin-skinned and prideful if he thinks the "fire Franklin" chants at the stadium are bad this year, wait until next year when all these guys are gone.
Very true. A ton of departures from the starting lineup after this year.
Good point regarding next year's schedule. We'll be back to Franklin patting his back talking about 10 wins, but, and its a big one, assuming they lose to Michigan, they may be going on the road the 1st game of the playoffs against a team with a pulse and we'll be back to groundhog day.
He wasn't that great either tbh. People just remember him fondly because we won the Big 10 that year but his offenses were feast or famine, no consistency. Remember how often Barkley had to avoid TFLs because of the slow mesh handoffs? Moorhead was successful because we had some phenomenal talent at the time, and Trace while not the most talented was a warrior on the field, he was one hell of a leader and had "it", the opposite of the current team. But even with Moorhead and a generational talent in Barkley, things on offense still looked like more work and effort than many other teams, just like they do today.
I know there were some complications to that offense that were difficult to initially grasp, and the running back mesh points were less than to be desired, but at least the offense was explosive and fun.
There was certainly a nexus of circumstances for this game: