Wow! It sure has been a whirlwind couple of weeks, as upperclassmen - usually the foundation of good to great teams - have caught the bus out of Dodge, in droves..
Some fans see a collapse. Some, an inflection point. Some see coaching issues. Others, a predictable reaction to the waves of incoming talent CJF has brought to Happy Valley.
Coach continues to bring in the best talent we've seen in years. Unfortunately, such talent pushes the hardworking kids who came to Penn State to be part of our return to glory further back down the depth chart. They are good enough to play at other schools, even if only for one or two years. And theyve given of themselves and made us a better team.
Dreams deferred can seem mighty tempting, so they go, seeking those dreams. Some with mixed feelings. Perhaps some feeling wronged or unappreciated.. But in any case, I appreciate all theyve given us, often times behind the scenes.
So as these good Penn Staters move on, their places will be taken by a multitude of new names, kids with perhaps a tad more talent. The 2019 season will undoubtedly shape up as one of powerful - if not monumental - change for Penn State football. And perhaps for years to come .
The coaches certainly have their work cut out. How DO you manage such a dramatic transformation? How do you blend a talented group of upperclassmen with an equally talented group of newcomers? Get them to work together. Believe in the same goals? Find elusive chemistry.
Sometimes , the results can be surprising. Almost stunning.
Some years ago I was promoted into a position that managed the lowest rated group of engineers in the country, with approval given to "terminate" as many as necessary, to meet the company goals. After working with this group for one year, two recognized their talents were better suited for another career path, and "left." The others worked hard to improve their "game." You could see the progrress almost on a month to month basis.
One more year down the road, the company decided to have each office vote on the top three offices in the country providing the best service to their accounts. Two offices, Chicago and Atlanta, were especially confident they were the best. Chicago, which was the "home office /corporate HQ, were absolutely certain it was them. Meanwhile the people in my midwestern office, who had been ridiculed for years, werent even in the picture.
When the final results were released, this midwestern group of engineers was voted #1 in the US, of thirteen . To say we shocked the ( our) world would be an understatement. The Elites lost out to Podunk U. and the company never again held such an internal evaluation.
Whether it was doing the right things or NOT doing the wrong things, asking the wrong things of talented people, I dont know. But I do know it involved coaching and self development. Such transformations can happen quickly. Within a year or two. But only when everyone works together.
Some fans see a collapse. Some, an inflection point. Some see coaching issues. Others, a predictable reaction to the waves of incoming talent CJF has brought to Happy Valley.
Coach continues to bring in the best talent we've seen in years. Unfortunately, such talent pushes the hardworking kids who came to Penn State to be part of our return to glory further back down the depth chart. They are good enough to play at other schools, even if only for one or two years. And theyve given of themselves and made us a better team.
Dreams deferred can seem mighty tempting, so they go, seeking those dreams. Some with mixed feelings. Perhaps some feeling wronged or unappreciated.. But in any case, I appreciate all theyve given us, often times behind the scenes.
So as these good Penn Staters move on, their places will be taken by a multitude of new names, kids with perhaps a tad more talent. The 2019 season will undoubtedly shape up as one of powerful - if not monumental - change for Penn State football. And perhaps for years to come .
The coaches certainly have their work cut out. How DO you manage such a dramatic transformation? How do you blend a talented group of upperclassmen with an equally talented group of newcomers? Get them to work together. Believe in the same goals? Find elusive chemistry.
Sometimes , the results can be surprising. Almost stunning.
Some years ago I was promoted into a position that managed the lowest rated group of engineers in the country, with approval given to "terminate" as many as necessary, to meet the company goals. After working with this group for one year, two recognized their talents were better suited for another career path, and "left." The others worked hard to improve their "game." You could see the progrress almost on a month to month basis.
One more year down the road, the company decided to have each office vote on the top three offices in the country providing the best service to their accounts. Two offices, Chicago and Atlanta, were especially confident they were the best. Chicago, which was the "home office /corporate HQ, were absolutely certain it was them. Meanwhile the people in my midwestern office, who had been ridiculed for years, werent even in the picture.
When the final results were released, this midwestern group of engineers was voted #1 in the US, of thirteen . To say we shocked the ( our) world would be an understatement. The Elites lost out to Podunk U. and the company never again held such an internal evaluation.
Whether it was doing the right things or NOT doing the wrong things, asking the wrong things of talented people, I dont know. But I do know it involved coaching and self development. Such transformations can happen quickly. Within a year or two. But only when everyone works together.
