pat kraFt gets an F

1983PhiSig said:

“Decent recruiting class and great recruiting class”. You’re talking about 2026 & 2027? Please stop this narrative! 2027 fell apart after the 1st 2 losses with decommits— And Spell opening up to trips. Pat LOVES splash recruits (see Gavin McKenna). This is an attempt to save 2027.

BleedB-W said:

Anyone who has ever run a business knows that when making major changes, a clear concise plan must be in place that is pre-planned and contains a solution to fix the existing problems. At this point, it is abundantly clear that Kraft has NO plan in place other than that he intends to conduct a national search among candidates who are currently employed and who won't be announced anytime soon. You might argue that CJF was a problem (for his inability to reach long-term goals) but he was not a real time problem nor a liability to Penn State. He had not "lost" the locker room. Read what the current players have said about him. He was an articulate face of the program with a respectable past who despite the losses was not going to embarrass the university. He also had a decent recruiting class and a great recruiting class and was continuing to pound the recruiting trail. Firing him did nothing to solve any existing "problems" but created many new ones. A real leader would have had CJF's replacement in hand so that immediate fires could be put out and immediate improvements be made. This was an ill-timed and frankly stupid decision and I have zero faith that an executive who chose this course, at this time, will right this ship.

danvillenit said:

2027 didn’t fall apart under Franklin. We had one decommit and still the #2 class. Yes Spell was looking but Franklin and Dayton had a decent shot at keeping him

Countrylion said:

Why are people so clueless? Kraft has a plan and financial backing. Do you really think he made the move to fire Franklin in a void?

Rick76 said:

It's all about the money. He had to take decisive action to ensure the $700 million stadium expansion didn't fall flat. Club seat sales lagged after the loss to UCLA. And those seats that were selected don't have to be paid for until 2026.

BleedB-W said:

Anyone who has ever run a business knows that when making major changes, a clear concise plan must be in place that is pre-planned and contains a solution to fix the existing problems. At this point, it is abundantly clear that Kraft has NO plan in place other than that he intends to conduct a national search among candidates who are currently employed and who won't be announced anytime soon. You might argue that CJF was a problem (for his inability to reach long-term goals) but he was not a real time problem nor a liability to Penn State. He had not "lost" the locker room. Read what the current players have said about him. He was an articulate face of the program with a respectable past who despite the losses was not going to embarrass the university. He also had a decent recruiting class and a great recruiting class and was continuing to pound the recruiting trail. Firing him did nothing to solve any existing "problems" but created many new ones. A real leader would have had CJF's replacement in hand so that immediate fires could be put out and immediate improvements be made. This was an ill-timed and frankly stupid decision and I have zero faith that an executive who chose this course, at this time, will right this ship.

Countrylion said:

Why are people so clueless? Kraft has a plan and financial backing. Do you really think he made the move to fire Franklin in a void?

BleedB-W said:

"... Firing him did nothing to solve any existing "problems" but created many new ones. A real leader would have had CJF's replacement in hand so that immediate fires could be put out and immediate improvements be made. This was an ill-timed and frankly stupid decision and I have zero faith that an executive who chose this course, at this time, will right this ship.

DCPSU said:

I have no choice but to sit and watch Kraft. He has earned the right to make the calls. But whatever his plan is, the program is now in freefall. This is not the NFL where the roster can stay intact. Our recruiting class is falling apart. The transfers out may be severe. Bold action has been taken but now we are drifting in the void. Whatever happens I will always support PSU football because I am alum and there is no other option. And I signed up for Peacock to watch the Iowa game. But Kraft better deliver the goods, and soon.

BleedB-W said:

Anyone who has ever run a business knows that when making major changes, a clear concise plan must be in place that is pre-planned and contains a solution to fix the existing problems. At this point, it is abundantly clear that Kraft has NO plan in place other than that he intends to conduct a national search among candidates who are currently employed and who won't be announced anytime soon. You might argue that CJF was a problem (for his inability to reach long-term goals) but he was not a real time problem nor a liability to Penn State. He had not "lost" the locker room. Read what the current players have said about him. He was an articulate face of the program with a respectable past who despite the losses was not going to embarrass the university. He also had a decent recruiting class and a great recruiting class and was continuing to pound the recruiting trail. Firing him did nothing to solve any existing "problems" but created many new ones. A real leader would have had CJF's replacement in hand so that immediate fires could be put out and immediate improvements be made. This was an ill-timed and frankly stupid decision and I have zero faith that an executive who chose this course, at this time, will right this ship.

danvillenit said:

2027 didn’t fall apart under Franklin. We had one decommit and still the #2 class. Yes Spell was looking but Franklin and Dayton had a decent shot at keeping him

PSUJD said:

“Decent shot at keeping him” but in reality would have lost him at the last second because of the policy to not spend big on HS recruits. That’s why we lost out on basically every top prospect in the last two cycles

BleedB-W said:

Anyone who has ever run a business knows that when making major changes, a clear concise plan must be in place that is pre-planned and contains a solution to fix the existing problems. At this point, it is abundantly clear that Kraft has NO plan in place other than that he intends to conduct a national search among candidates who are currently employed and who won't be announced anytime soon. You might argue that CJF was a problem (for his inability to reach long-term goals) but he was not a real time problem nor a liability to Penn State. He had not "lost" the locker room. Read what the current players have said about him. He was an articulate face of the program with a respectable past who despite the losses was not going to embarrass the university. He also had a decent recruiting class and a great recruiting class and was continuing to pound the recruiting trail. Firing him did nothing to solve any existing "problems" but created many new ones. A real leader would have had CJF's replacement in hand so that immediate fires could be put out and immediate improvements be made. This was an ill-timed and frankly stupid decision and I have zero faith that an executive who chose this course, at this time, will right this ship.

Rick76 said:

It's all about the money. He had to take decisive action to ensure the $700 million stadium expansion didn't fall flat. Club seat sales lagged after the loss to UCLA. And those seats that were selected don't have to be paid for until 2026.

Sunset 43 said:

Could not disagree more. He lost the locker room. Discipline on the field had vanished. Personal foul injuries that should never have occurred were abundant. It’s like they forgot how to tackle. Kraft did the hard thing but the right thing. And I gave them all the credit in the world for that. This year was gone. Franklin‘s arrogance had gotten intolerable