Has CJF ever had a mid week practice Q&A where he said less??? (link)

[GregInPitt]

Haven't even talked about the QB depth chart and don't know exactly when the staff will. Has a note on paper that it needs to happen. Duh.

Haven't even discussed any depth or position battles issues....

Yep, we know Mustipher has worked hard and improved.

Yep, there are true freshmen that CJF will try to redshirt, some of which will play early for evaluation and some that will be saved to play late in the season if injuries dictate it. BUT WHO ARE THEY???

Really, pretty much a waste of 11 minutes to listen to this. Have not felt that way listening to any previous media scrum, but it's obviously by design....





And here are the other interviews from Tuesday:

 

[step.eng69]

Haven't even talked about the QB depth chart and don't know exactly when the staff will. Has a note on paper that it needs to happen. Duh.

Haven't even discussed any depth or position battles issues....

Yep, we know Mustipher has worked hard and improved.

Yep, there are true freshmen that CJF will try to redshirt, some of which will play early for evaluation and some that will be saved to play late in the season if injuries dictate it. BUT WHO ARE THEY???

Really, pretty much a waste of 11 minutes to listen to this. Have not felt that way listening to any previous media scrum, but it's obviously by design....

View embedded media

Hell, Greg, maybe James is facing his demons for the 2019 season and is looking down the barrel of a 7 & 5 season and doesn't want the fans to become too excited.

 

[marshall23]

Hell, Greg, maybe James is facing his demons for the 2019 season and is looking down the barrel of a 7 & 5 season and doesn't want the fans to become too excited.

Or he has rethought his high praise approach (last preseason) and decided it might be better to promise less and deliver more.

 

[psuro]

You were expecting....what exactly?

 

[RickinDayton]

Haven't even talked about the QB depth chart and don't know exactly when the staff will. Has a note on paper that it needs to happen. Duh.

Haven't even discussed any depth or position battles issues....

Yep, we know Mustipher has worked hard and improved.

Yep, there are true freshmen that CJF will try to redshirt, some of which will play early for evaluation and some that will be saved to play late in the season if injuries dictate it. BUT WHO ARE THEY???

Really, pretty much a waste of 11 minutes to listen to this. Have not felt that way listening to any previous media scrum, but it's obviously by design....

View embedded media

Just listened myself. It was kind of a 'nothing burger'. My question from that so called media scrum, "where's the beef"? He is becoming more secretive than JOEPA was. Personally wasn't expecting QB info, but perhaps the writers should have asked about the OL situation and if they believe they have better depth. Is the OL showing more agressiveness/nastiness now? Perhaps ask how the installs are going. Surely the coaches know if they will rotate 3 or 4 RBs. Surely the coaches can throw a bone about WR progress/depth. The questioning was weak.

 

[djr4rebs]

The questioning was weak.

This is why I usually avoid these. Poor questions, very little information in the answers.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

Pretty much an eliteless PC from both the Q and the A sides.

 

[canuckhal]

Just listened myself. It was kind of a 'nothing burger'. My question from that so called media scrum, "where's the beef"? He is becoming more secretive than JOEPA was. Personally wasn't expecting QB info, but perhaps the writers should have asked about the OL situation and if they believe they have better depth. Is the OL showing more agressiveness/nastiness now? Perhaps ask how the installs are going. Surely the coaches know if they will rotate 3 or 4 RBs. Surely the coaches can throw a bone about WR progress/depth. The questioning was weak.

Totally agree. They asked about DL when everyone knows that is a strength. OL seems to be where concerns exist.

As game prep nears, would expect a decision soon. When is depth chart released for the first week? I suppose he could wait until that date.

The one tidbit I did find interesting was when he said the starting QB (he said Clifford, then mentioned Levis) needs reps. so didn't know if both would receive reps. even in a blow-out. Also said Clifford was seeing more time with the 1s and Levis was with 1s to get a look. So even without saying it, I think it would be a shocker if Clifford isn't named the starter.

 

[PeetzPoolBoy]

Haven't even talked about the QB depth chart and don't know exactly when the staff will. Has a note on paper that it needs to happen. Duh.

Haven't even discussed any depth or position battles issues....

Yep, we know Mustipher has worked hard and improved.

Yep, there are true freshmen that CJF will try to redshirt, some of which will play early for evaluation and some that will be saved to play late in the season if injuries dictate it. BUT WHO ARE THEY???

Really, pretty much a waste of 11 minutes to listen to this. Have not felt that way listening to any previous media scrum, but it's obviously by design....

View embedded media

He’s getting good at “Joe Speak”

 

[NittanyLion15]

Totally agree. They asked about DL when everyone knows that is a strength. OL seems to be where concerns exist.

As game prep nears, would expect a decision soon. When is depth chart released for the first week? I suppose he could wait until that date.

The one tidbit I did find interesting was when he said the starting QB (he said Clifford, then mentioned Levis) needs reps. so didn't know if both would receive reps. even in a blow-out. Also said Clifford was seeing more time with the 1s and Levis was with 1s to get a look. So even without saying it, I think it would be a shocker if Clifford isn't named the starter.

Football fans are hungry for football content.

The season is 2 weeks away and counting.

It's becoming painfully obvious, that constant media attention ends up telling less of what's really going on, because coaches are constantly asked the same thing over and over again, and even if the coach does have the answer, he's not about to break the level of competition he's got going on with his players... These videos are just fluff.

Yet here I sit, watching them, liking them, sometimes commenting on them, and now commenting on commenting on them.

Is it gameday yet?

 

[Zone-Blitz]

It’s not often you see CJF in a foul mood but that’s what it seemed at first. Maybe practice wasn’t crisp tonight. But the questions are generally bad, no real thought put into them at all.

Nobody asks if he’s happy with what he’s seen from Pinegar in camp after a so-so frosh year

Nobody asks if there’s an area that he’s not pleased with so far

Nobody asks about the running backs

Nobody asks about how the young LB’s are coming along

Instead we get “what did you learn from the first year of the redshirt rule?” C’mon really? How hard is it to ask “coach, Wade or Sutherland?” Put him on the spot and see what you get

 

[Ian]

Haven't even talked about the QB depth chart and don't know exactly when the staff will. Has a note on paper that it needs to happen. Duh.

Haven't even discussed any depth or position battles issues....

Yep, we know Mustipher has worked hard and improved.

Yep, there are true freshmen that CJF will try to redshirt, some of which will play early for evaluation and some that will be saved to play late in the season if injuries dictate it. BUT WHO ARE THEY???

Really, pretty much a waste of 11 minutes to listen to this. Have not felt that way listening to any previous media scrum, but it's obviously by design....

View embedded media

He says less and less anymore. Usually don’t listen to these whole sessions as it’s just same old same old. Never could understand why do them if you aren’t going to say anything. I value my 10 minutes.

 

[BobPSU92]

It’s none of our business.

 

[NJPSU]

I don’t blame Franklin.

This is a direct result of the transfer portal. Coaches really need to coddle these guys now and proclaiming to the media that Player A is head and shoulders better than Player B is a recipe for driving Player B into the transfer portal.

That’s the reality of what these coaches are dealing with now.

 

[sss]

I guess I don’t understand what people are expecting? Pat Fitzgerald was asked today if they had picked a starting QB yet and if not when would he announce it? His response: we play at 2:00 on Aug 31 and I will tell you at 1:59:59 on Aug 31.
If a reporter had asked about depth on the OL, Franklin would have said something along the lines of: we like our depth. Maybe even thrown in a few random names of whomever popped in his head. All of which would have been meaningless. What he certainly would not have said is who is not performing well. It’s 2 weeks before the 1st game folks.

 

[pandaczar12]

OL seems to be where concerns exist.

When was the last time OL was a strength? Hell... when was the last time there just weren't OL concerns? Seems like forever.

 

[sss]

Before Bob made the decision to not recruit OL with his limited schollys. Which was the right move for someone planning to move on quickly. We are finally getting close to having the proper depth of a top team. Not quite there yet.

 

[NJPSU]

Before Bob made the decision to not recruit OL with his limited schollys. Which was the right move for someone planning to move on quickly. We are finally getting close to having the proper depth of a top team. Not quite there yet.

Depth would look a look better if Nana and Juice Scruggs were available.

 

[interrobang]

Depth isn't depth if the starters aren't good

 

[GregInPitt]

Before Bob made the decision to not recruit OL with his limited schollys. Which was the right move for someone planning to move on quickly. We are finally getting close to having the proper depth of a top team. Not quite there yet.

Agree that OL depth is not yet where a top 15, 85 scholarship team should be. I believe there really should be around 12+ OL players redshirt freshmen and older, which we likely won't see for a while yet. A 6 OL 2020 class would work towards that kind of depth, but the transfer portal works against it.....

Some don't believe CJF would ever anoint starters this early, but he has in the past. Granted it would not be unheard of to wait until even game day to announce his starters at QB, Safety, WR, DE opposite YGM, DT opposite Windsor and on the OL where it will be a surprise if Thorpe and Miranda are not named co-starters that will rotate. And there are plenty of other opportunities to name starters before game day - next weeks game week media conference, CJF's radio show,.... But it really is/was 1.5 weeks before the first game, not 2 weeks, and it's not like the first two coaches he faces this season are really going to use any of that information to impact their game plans. So it does seem to be a result of the demands for team chemistry and continued competition which has been impacted by the portal.

But we do need some reporters to cover the team that can ask better questions, as noted by some above..........

 

[psuro]

I will say this...I liked Franklin's blue vest. Wonder if they are for sale to the general public?

 

[marshall23]

Funny how coaching rhetoric has changed.......Back in the Bear Bryant, Joe Paterno, Lou Holtz era, it was SOP to poor mouth your team. "We are thin and young.....I just hope (insert opponent) doesn't give us an old country butt whipping......we're just trying to put one foot in front of the other out there...."" Its gonna be David vs. Goliath I tell ya!"
Even high school coaches did this sort of thing.....I told my teams constantly...don't read the paper and if someone asks you about what I said....tell them I lied.

 

[sss]

Depth would look a look better if Nana and Juice Scruggs were available.

Agreed 100%. And it is magnified by the scholarship reductions. Having a miss (counting inuries as a miss, which isn't neccessarily fair). How much better would you feel if our top4 OTs were Walker, Fries, Nana, and Holmes/Whigan. You could feel pretty confident that whomever starts at LT would have beaten out good competition. Now, maybe Walker would have emerged anyways, but it would have been better competition. And Scruggs as backup OC would have allowed Miranda to focus on OG. We really are just a couple players away from solid depth. And as a poster above mentioned, a 6 man OL class will help to fix this situation in a couple years.

 

[BobPSU92]

I will say this...I liked Franklin's blue vest. Wonder if they are for sale to the general public?

That explains it. Franklin is playing it close to the blue vest.

 

[BobPSU92]

Funny how coaching rhetoric has changed.......Back in the Bear Bryant, Joe Paterno, Lou Holtz era, it was SOP to poor mouth your team. "We are thin and young.....I just hope (insert opponent) doesn't give us an old country butt whipping......we're just trying to put one foot in front of the other out there...."" Its gonna be David vs. Goliath I tell ya!"
Even high school coaches did this sort of thing.....I told my teams constantly...don't read the paper and if someone asks you about what I said....tell them I lied.

Today's kids are SNOWFLAKES. . A coach has to constantly tell these kids how great they are, them them how proud of them they are, give them milk and cookies, etc. It's hell.

 

[step.eng69]

Uh....... aside from letting folks know about an injury, just WTF of any informational value could you possibly expect during pre-season practice?

Stormin.....If you f'n didn't chase 21 guns away, we would have all of the information desired.

 

[psuro]

That explains it. Franklin is playing it close to the blue vest.

Now you are catching on.

 

[step.eng69]

Today's kids are SNOWFLAKES. . A coach has to constantly tell these kids how great they are, them them how proud of them they are, give them milk and cookies, etc. It's hell.

 

[BobPSU92]

Perfect.

 

[nits74]

He's learning that talking in any sort of depth with the media is a no win situation. Over time Joe became more and more cynical regarding the media and with good reason.

 

[GregInPitt]

He's learning that talking in any sort of depth with the media is a no win situation. Over time Joe became more and more cynical regarding the media and with good reason.

Yep, I recorded all of Joe's Tue game week press conferences when they were tape delayed broadcast on cable TV and watched them when I got home from work, and I remember a reporter asking him a question that vaguely dealt with game strategy. Something along the lines of taking advantage of poor run defense the upcoming opponent had a history of. Joe shot back that the question was about his game plan, and that he wouldn't even tell that to his wife!!!

Next (stupid) question....

 

[GregInPitt]

Agreed 100%. And it is magnified by the scholarship reductions. Having a miss (counting inuries as a miss, which isn't neccessarily fair). How much better would you feel if our top4 OTs were Walker, Fries, Nana, and Holmes/Whigan. You could feel pretty confident that whomever starts at LT would have beaten out good competition. Now, maybe Walker would have emerged anyways, but it would have been better competition. And Scruggs as backup OC would have allowed Miranda to focus on OG. We really are just a couple players away from solid depth. And as a poster above mentioned, a 6 man OL class will help to fix this situation in a couple years.

Yep, a good team should really have 5 OT's capable of playing, other than true freshmen. Nana and Scruggs are big losses, with Scruggs hopefully back full strength for 2020 but the loss of Nana likely felt for a couple more years. But to your list, Whigan is now supposedly practicing at Guard from what has been reported, so it looks like the top 4 OT's at this point could be Walker, Fries, Holmes, and Wallace.

 

[Nitt1300]

The less he shows his hand the more I like it.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

The less he shows his hand the more I like it.

That’s what GLOV says.....!

 

[SR108]

Depth would look a look better if Nana and Juice Scruggs were available.

I don’t blame Franklin.

This is a direct result of the transfer portal. Coaches really need to coddle these guys now and proclaiming to the media that Player A is head and shoulders better than Player B is a recipe for driving Player B into the transfer portal.

That’s the reality of what these coaches are dealing with now.

Bingo

 

[bdgan]

Haven't even talked about the QB depth chart and don't know exactly when the staff will. Has a note on paper that it needs to happen. Duh.

Haven't even discussed any depth or position battles issues....

Yep, we know Mustipher has worked hard and improved.

Yep, there are true freshmen that CJF will try to redshirt, some of which will play early for evaluation and some that will be saved to play late in the season if injuries dictate it. BUT WHO ARE THEY???

Really, pretty much a waste of 11 minutes to listen to this. Have not felt that way listening to any previous media scrum, but it's obviously by design....

View embedded media

And here are the other interviews from Tuesday:

Franklin wants to keep the Vandals guessing.

 

[bdgan]

Now you are catching on.

That girl in your sig pic has a very pretty face. I'm pointing this out because I'm not sure anybody else would notice.