OK doesn’t belong in that top 5 simply because their conference and strength of schedule has been garbage. If they were in the Big 10, they wouldn’t finish ahead of PSU.
Franklin is here to stay!
- Thread starter NittanyChris
- Start date
If you re-read Obli's post I believe you will see him giving Franklin quite a bit of credit. I don't want to speak for Obli, but he seems to be of the same mind as me. I'm in, but I'm not all in.
Penn State announced a contract extensionfor head coach James Franklin on Tuesday, which was the way Franklin’s time in the coaching carousel was always going to end. The deal spans 10 years at $7.5 million a year plus incentives for the coach who is 7-4 this year, after going 4-5 last year.
Franklin has made a literal fortune off the game these high-level coaches play:
- Be good enough to get your name brought up in coaching searches. Franklin is charismatic, a great recruiter and has a knack for issuing non-denials when asked about other jobs. He has been solidly above average at Penn State — and that works for this.
- Never officially say you’re interested in USC, LSU or Florida, but you don’t have to. Your agents can do that for you on the sly. Coaching searches are full of smokescreens and opacity; back-channel overtures are how they get done.
- Make your current employer worry that you’ll leave for those jobs your name keeps getting attached to. Franklin’s new contract is his fourth at Penn State. He took the job in 2014.
Fair enough. I am neither a CJF hater or supporter. CJF is a tool that has great benefits and flaws. I am not sure why everyone has to be classified as a "lover" or "hater" as I am neither of those.
I get your point on Barley but we'll never see another one like him again in all probability. He was a last minute addition and developed. We were fortunate in that we were coming off the sanction years and a star like that fell into our laps to get the program headed back in a positive direction. But at that same time, we had big holes. Donovan was a disaster at OC. We brought in an OC that didn't match our QB and personnel. Trace had a good year couple of years, we had some excellent WRs but our defense let us down against teams like USC, and tOSU (and almost Wisconsin in the B1G). We lost to an inferior Pitt team.
So if you want to go with facts...we failed to qualify for the big dance in all of Franklin's time as HC. in the last four years, since Barkley, we've gone:
- 9-3, 6-4 in the B1G
- 11-2, 7-2
- 4-5, 4-5
- 7-4, 4-4 so far this year
The fact is, we are not trending well and may have a losing B1G record two years in a row. Next year, in probability, we will have to break in a new QB. So we won't be dancing next year either. Given that, a ten year contract was a big gamble
Florida, USC, Nebraska, Texas, Florida State. Heck, you could even throw LSU in the list, although they did catch lightning in a bottle with a natty in 2019. All are big name schools that have been chasing that next great coach with less than ideal results for years. If PSU would have dumped CJF they very easily may have joined that list.
I'll take my chances with 3 11 win seasons, 3 top 10 finishes and one B1G championship in the last 6 years, including what many consider a "throw away" covid year, while coaching in what is arguably the most competitive division in college football. I'm hoping his deal includes big time shekels for assistant coaches because I'd really like to see what MY can do in the next few years.
I'll take my chances with 3 11 win seasons, 3 top 10 finishes and one B1G championship in the last 6 years, including what many consider a "throw away" covid year, while coaching in what is arguably the most competitive division in college football. I'm hoping his deal includes big time shekels for assistant coaches because I'd really like to see what MY can do in the next few years.
I agree. CJF is a good coach that may get lucky from time to time. But PSU certainly doesn't have the appetite to reach. CJF has had some great talent and didn't cash in. It's not all his fault and he's made some aggressive moves (JoeMo, firing last year's OC). But when I watch the big five (AL, CL, GA, OK and tOSU) they always look far more prepared week in and week out. I'd go so far as to say we've handed tOSU and USC games (two to tOSU) by mismanaging the games.
Seems as though we agree to agree.
I'd change your big five to a big 4 (AL, Clem, UGA and OSU) and offer that the one thing they all have had for the last several years are top flight recruiting classes. Hopefully this year is the beginning of PSU closing the gap and that trends continues.
With all due respect to Captain Obvious, looking at starting NFL rosters gives the answer as to why Oklahoma had such amazing recent success - back to back Heisman winning quarterbacks. They seem to be falling back closer to Earth this season as I don't believe either Rattler or Williams are anywhere near as good as Mayfield or Murray.
or we can disagree to disagree, amiright?Seems as though we agree to agree.
I'd change your big five to a big 4 (AL, Clem, UGA and OSU) and offer that the one thing they all have had for the last several years are top flight recruiting classes. Hopefully this year is the beginning of PSU closing the gap and that trends continues.
With all due respect to Captain Obvious, looking at starting NFL rosters gives the answer as to why Oklahoma had such amazing recent success - back to back Heisman winning quarterbacks. They seem to be falling back closer to Earth this season as I don't believe either Rattler or Williams are anywhere near as good as Mayfield or Murray.
If he stays more than 5 years I will retire from the message board. His buyout goes way down after 2025 which coincideds with the 2022 class in their prime.
I don't disagree but he was smart. He guarantees a lot of cash and if he's successful, will simply negotiate a new extension at the going rate in 2025.
We all wish it was different but we all also know deep down inside Franklin will never be a top tier coach. He has reached his level of incompetence. I hear the recruiting but as i said before- doesn’t matter if you cannot coach!! And he cant. His game management- atrocious! Never has ability to correct year after year. Cannot win after a bye or a lose because he loses the team, he is a statue on the sidelines staring into space when things get tough, never makes in game changes to schemes or approach, is entirely to love with himself and social media, thinks he is better than he is and his record shows that! But we are STUCK with him. I read people say- so who would we get- The future of some assistants - aka defense coach- would be much better than it ever will be with Franklin. We are now locked into being a middle of the pack big ten team for A Long time
sprinkle in away @Purdue, Auburn and Michigan and add a home game vs OSU in the first 6. It might be an ugly start.
Aren’t you the guy who said Johnny Langan was the next Tom Brady. Dude you’re a bigger clown than Rutgers Al. Sit down while the adults are talking.
Go away child. Facts. 66-34. 1-7 v Ohio St. 3-5 v Michigan. 3-5 v Michigan st. Losing record after bye weeks. Loss at home to a 25 point underdog.
Truly hope you are mistaken... i want him to succeed. He does, it means we're winning. Not... we become irrelevant in the big picture. But '22 is a big hurdle.
All - please understand that this poster is not a Penn State fan. Allowing clowns like this to litter the board with nonsensical drivel will be the downfall of this new board.
On the contrary....it's YOU throwing name calling around instead of arguing FACTS.
Basically two schools of thought with the fan base.
1) Franklin has done a good to very good job with the program. He has led it with integrity and a good focus on academics and building strong character men. The record is well above average and we have a B10 championship and two News Years 6 bowl games. We are recruiting at a high level and are poised to become elite but he admits it won't be easy but the foundation is being set. This camp believes Franklin can get us a NC BUT if we don't win a natty but still field competitive top 15 teams with NY6 bowl berths including Rose Bowls every third year or every other year we are good.
2) Franklin has reached his ceiling. We will never get to elite status with him. If we are comfortable and okay with always playing 2nd fiddle to O$U (possibly scUM) and not seriously contending for a NC but having top 15 teams then we are all fine and dandy. Most people in this camp are obviously not okay with this outlook.
There is this third camp that may be a version of #1 which is O$U centric. Essentially it believes we are not built to be a football factory like O$U and should not use them as a benchmark.
What gets messy is if you had asked anyone after the '19 season and even after the Covid marred '20 season if scenario 2 was plausible and a rationale take I think it would be few people believing that. Now, many more in the fan base are questioning Franklin's ability to get us to elite status.
1) Franklin has done a good to very good job with the program. He has led it with integrity and a good focus on academics and building strong character men. The record is well above average and we have a B10 championship and two News Years 6 bowl games. We are recruiting at a high level and are poised to become elite but he admits it won't be easy but the foundation is being set. This camp believes Franklin can get us a NC BUT if we don't win a natty but still field competitive top 15 teams with NY6 bowl berths including Rose Bowls every third year or every other year we are good.
2) Franklin has reached his ceiling. We will never get to elite status with him. If we are comfortable and okay with always playing 2nd fiddle to O$U (possibly scUM) and not seriously contending for a NC but having top 15 teams then we are all fine and dandy. Most people in this camp are obviously not okay with this outlook.
There is this third camp that may be a version of #1 which is O$U centric. Essentially it believes we are not built to be a football factory like O$U and should not use them as a benchmark.
What gets messy is if you had asked anyone after the '19 season and even after the Covid marred '20 season if scenario 2 was plausible and a rationale take I think it would be few people believing that. Now, many more in the fan base are questioning Franklin's ability to get us to elite status.
Man….I guess at this point one would be happy to have just one of those 3 undefeated seasons he had before he won the title in 82. That would be fair.
In 68 and 69 yes. In 73, actually no, they were somehow ranked 5th at the close of the regular season.
The one I always think about is 77. I honestly believe he had the best team in the nation that year. They would have made the playoffs coming in at 4 at r
The end of the regular season, and had they not given away the game in a downpour against Kentucky, they would have played for the national championship that year against notre dame.
This has become comical. Not only is the board debating the value of Franklin, then Franklin vs Paterno. Now people are deciding IF his undefeated seasons would have made the Invitational.
Please. Stop.
The number of D1 teams that have ever had an undefeated season is incredibly small no matter who they played. JoePa had 5 of them. That is rarefied air. Saying that Joe only got his first championship in. Year 16 is almost impossibly diminishing.
You CAN argue the bar is set high to say we should contend for National championships at PSU. That’s fair.
Comparing to JoePa himself and his record and somehow suggesting it wasn’t all that….not fair. Rushmore…..Top 4 ever.
Please. Stop.
The number of D1 teams that have ever had an undefeated season is incredibly small no matter who they played. JoePa had 5 of them. That is rarefied air. Saying that Joe only got his first championship in. Year 16 is almost impossibly diminishing.
You CAN argue the bar is set high to say we should contend for National championships at PSU. That’s fair.
Comparing to JoePa himself and his record and somehow suggesting it wasn’t all that….not fair. Rushmore…..Top 4 ever.
Joe Paterno was in a talent rich area with 105 scholarships to give away. The reduction to 85 to promote parity has worked with varying success over the past few decades. See the decline of Miami, USC, Texas, FSU. Also, see the advance of Memphis, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Charlotte and App St. The sanctions placed on PSU with even fewer 'ships was supposedly the 'death knell' of the program. The 60 million the Big Ten stole and the bowl revenue the Big Ten stole played a big part in us falling behind OSU in the facilities/recruiting battle. Wasn't the Big 10 commish, silent with the OSU and MSU sexual assault cases instrumental in that? There was no press on those stories because the media couldn't bring down a national icon. I hope PSU backs Franklin 100% and he gets everything he's asking for. Other universities in the Big Ten deserve a big time payback. I'm pro Franklin and I hope he kicks a$$ soon and for a long time.
EDIT: Wasn't there supposed to be a realized finding of the Freeh Report years ago? Did I miss that? Which university representative promised that?
EDIT: Wasn't there supposed to be a realized finding of the Freeh Report years ago? Did I miss that? Which university representative promised that?
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