Football Penn State set to open 2022 season unranked in Coaches Poll

[lazydave841]

I know more about football than every person and writer on this site. The problem is you don't want your opinion and belief's challenged.

Never heard that before but it is so true. From now on, Wally will be referred to as The Pigeon.

The Pigeon hath spoken. We are being graced by ... something.

 

[IANit]

9-3 was a reasonable best case. That is true now. However, every team on the schedule sans Michigan and Ohio State underperformed all expectations. Penn State performed exactly as I expected. We are slightly better on both sides of the ball. If we played last year's schedule with this team, we'd be 7 and 5 or 8 and 4. Look at who we beat. Purdue. Very average. Everyone else was below average to bad. If Notre Dame played our schedule, they would be 10 and 2. Same for North Carolina, Iowa, Florida State, UNC, Pitt, Illinois, pretty much every 9 and 3 or 8 and 4 team in the country would finish 10 and 2 with our schedule, not to mention a few 7 and 5 teams.

(updated to reflect my omission of Northwestern, the Illini's final opponent)
We didn't have a great schedule, perhaps, but Illinois had 5 6 common opponents. We went 4-1 5-1 with wins over Purdue, Michigan State, Indiana, Northwestern, and Minnesota and a loss to Michigan. Illinois went 1-4 2-4 with losses to Michigan, Purdue, Michigan State, and Indiana. The Purdue and Michigan State losses were at home. I doubt if very many of the teams you mention would be 10-2 with our schedule. And North Carolina IS UNC, in case you thought they were different. Iowa did better against common opponents but lost to the above-mentioned Illinois team, a 4-win Nebraska team, and a 4-win Iowa State, with the last two at home. I don't think they would have been 10-2 against any schedule with that offense.

 

[IANit]

Actually, I was right. Our schedule was beyond weak. The improbable happened. We played two quality teams all year and lost badly. We played 10 below average teams and beat them. Pretty much a Franklin special.

We lost 2 games this year, but neither turned into another loss the following week. I thought we got outcoached against UM, but Ohio State had some of the same problems we did - getting gashed for long TD runs in the second half. UM is actually pretty good this year, I think.

We played Ohio State about as well as we could up until the 4th quarter. I'm not blaming the coaches for that one - thought they had a great game plan. Since #44 hasn't been the world beater we thought he was, I think Clifford has to take some of the blame for what happened to turn that game around. That kind of thing was not happening for Ohio State against Michigan - their QB is too good.

 

[Jerry]

I just wish someone could explain to me how someone would take the time to come here and repeatedly demonstrate how much they detest the coach and concoct every scenario to discredit team accomplishments.
Not for one season.....but year after year.
No one, even the most biased Franklin supporter or die hard Nittany Lion fan, could have been happy with the past two seasons. That is understandable. Those seasons creating skepticism.....understandable.
But 10-2 is a very good season. Not great because you couldn't beat the best teams on the schedule. But ten wins and by every measure a roster (recruited by the "hapless" Franklin) that has already demonstrated ability and points to greater achievement for another two seasons.
If you are that bitter......why come here? I've turned away from many things. If I go to a business establishment, say a restaurant, and the experience isn't pleasant, I go somewhere else. Isn't that what most normal people do?
Franklin has 9 years left on his contract. (for what we are paying him) LOL we are paying him ). After the Kiffen extension and the Rhule contract...CJF at 7 million per year isn't even in the top 12 anymore. Get over it.
If you are dumb enough to think money guarantees wins...think Mel Tucker, Jimbo Fisher, David Shaw and Mario Cristobal. James Franklin isn't going anywhere and PSU is unlikely to become the perennial master of both Michigan and Ohio State. We'd all like to beat OSU 2 out of 5 at least....I believe that is about where PSU has been the past 6 years with Michigan. With the new playoff format, a goal of being in 3 of 4 years would be reasonable. But the outright hatred and ridiculous posturing to discredit potential positive achievement....is IMO a malady.

Well said.

Personally, I don't mind having the naysayers around, but they do seem to be laying low these days. Can't imagine why. Oh well, at least we have Lando.

Re Franklin, I was a huge fan of his hiring, applauded his record during the first six years or so of his tenure, and have strongly defended him here in the past.

That said, my confidence took a hit during the 2020-21 period, which raised some red flags as I saw it. But this has been a very successful season by any measure, and hopefully things are back on the same track as 2014-2019. So much young talent.

Still, whatever one's opinion of Franklin, the notion some of the bashers seem to have that a finger could be snapped and he'd be gone is delusional. Seriously, have they read the terms of the contract? Franklin is not going anywhere unless he wants to, and if this year's record is an indicator of things to come, that's good news for us. ((Knock on wood.))

 

[Wallace Breen]

Well said.

Personally, I don't mind having the naysayers around, but they do seem to be laying low these days. Can't imagine why. Oh well, at least we have Lando.

Re Franklin, I was a huge fan of his hiring, applauded his record during the first six years or so of his tenure, and have strongly defended him here in the past.

That said, my confidence took a hit during the 2020-21 period, which raised some red flags as I saw it. But this has been a very successful season by any measure, and hopefully things are back on the same track as 2014-2019. So much young talent.

Still, whatever one's opinion of Franklin, the notion some of the bashers seem to have that a finger could be snapped and he'd be gone is delusional. Seriously, have they read the terms of the contract? Franklin is not going anywhere unless he wants to, and if this year's record is an indicator of things to come, that's good news for us. ((Knock on wood.))

Franklin is not leaving unless he chooses to do so. He is a straight shooter and will not get fired for cause so those hoping can just give it up. With that said, who knows if he leaves on his own. Our 10-2 record is clearly a product of schedule. But, we are on pace to compete in 2024, maybe 2023.

 

[IANit]

Franklin is not leaving unless he chooses to do so. He is a straight shooter and will not get fired for cause so those hoping can just give it up. With that said, who knows if he leaves on his own. Our 10-2 record is clearly a product of schedule. But, we are on pace to compete in 2024, maybe 2023.

Wait, is that you Wally? That almost sounds positive. Our schedule didn't hurt this year - but I think the team has improved and actually is looking/playing like a 10-2 team right now. We've had some 2-loss teams that ended up #3 prior to the CFP and several #7/#8 teams. This feels more like the latter, but it also feels like a team that could be pointing to something bigger.

 

[AWS1022]

9-3 was a reasonable best case. That is true now. However, every team on the schedule sans Michigan and Ohio State underperformed all expectations. Penn State performed exactly as I expected. We are slightly better on both sides of the ball. If we played last year's schedule with this team, we'd be 7 and 5 or 8 and 4. Look at who we beat. Purdue. Very average. Everyone else was below average to bad. If Notre Dame played our schedule, they would be 10 and 2. Same for North Carolina, Iowa, Florida State, UNC, Pitt, Illinois, pretty much every 9 and 3 or 8 and 4 team in the country would finish 10 and 2 with our schedule, not to mention a few 7 and 5 teams.

Have you ever admitted you were wrong in your life? You must be an absolute joy to live with. Let it go, man…you were wrong, everyone knows it, and no amount of twisting will convince anyone you were right. If we were better this year and we played the same teams as last year, how exactly would we end up with the same record? You’ve twisted yourself so much you’ve forgotten where you’re at.

 

[AWS1022]

"PSU performed exactly as I expected." It's just that 10 of the teams on their schedule were worse than I expected. -Wally the Waffle Wiffer......LOL

And I had Colorado going undefeated, but all the teams on their schedule were better than I expected, so their 1-11 record is exactly what I predicted.

 

[AWS1022]

I hate to pile on Wallace, but he did predict 7-5 and then added >>I am unhappy with anything less than 10 and 2 but we look years away from that.<<

Pretty spectacular misfire there. Moreover, if you're "unhappy with anything less than 10-2," then by definition you're satisfied (at least) with 10-2. The plain meaning of English words.

I credit Wallace for coming back to take his medicine whereas most of the other naysayers appear to have melted into the woodwork. But he makes his predicament worse by all the dodging, evading, and silly reinterpreting of his preseason statement.

There's no shame in having predicted 7-5. Very few had 10-2. I didn't. But damn, just man up and admit you got it wrong. It's OK, you can still hate Franklin if you want...

But he wasn’t wrong, they were actually a 7-5 team who just played like a 10-2 team.

 

[voltz99]

Franklin is not leaving unless he chooses to do so. He is a straight shooter and will not get fired for cause so those hoping can just give it up. With that said, who knows if he leaves on his own. Our 10-2 record is clearly a product of schedule. But, we are on pace to compete in 2024, maybe 2023.

You predicted 7-5. Did the schedule change?

 

[marshall23]

We lost 2 games this year, but neither turned into another loss the following week. I thought we got outcoached against UM, but Ohio State had some of the same problems we did - getting gashed for long TD runs in the second half. UM is actually pretty good this year, I think.

We played Ohio State about as well as we could up until the 4th quarter. I'm not blaming the coaches for that one - thought they had a great game plan. Since #44 hasn't been the world beater we thought he was, I think Clifford has to take some of the blame for what happened to turn that game around. That kind of thing was not happening for Ohio State against Michigan - their QB is too good.

You predicted 7-5. Did the schedule change?

Penn State was precisely as he expected. Everyone else was worse. LOL

 

[lazydave841]

Everyone else was worse

Said every national champion. Ever. Lol

 

[AWS1022]

Penn State was precisely as he expected. Everyone else was worse. LOL

Wasn’t he one of the posters who always said “you are what your record says you are” after the previous two seasons? Funny how it doesn’t apply when the record is good.

 

[lazydave841]

Wasn’t he one of the posters who always said “you are what your record says you are” after the previous two seasons? Funny how it doesn’t apply when the record is good.

Purdue returned 16 starters because Brohm better manages his roster and Franklin stinks at that. Purdue wins going away...

...until we beat them.

Then it was Auburn. Couldn't stop Purdue on the ground, no way we can stop Auburn. They have like 8 backs that are better and more experienced. SEC physical...

...until we beat them.

Things got quiet. Had to wait on Michigan. Can't be an active poster during a win streak like a typical fan.

I'd rather deal with doom and gloom than Peggy Pigeon.

 

[Erial_Lion]

9-3 was a reasonable best case. That is true now. However, every team on the schedule sans Michigan and Ohio State underperformed all expectations. Penn State performed exactly as I expected. We are slightly better on both sides of the ball. If we played last year's schedule with this team, we'd be 7 and 5 or 8 and 4. Look at who we beat. Purdue. Very average. Everyone else was below average to bad. If Notre Dame played our schedule, they would be 10 and 2. Same for North Carolina, Iowa, Florida State, UNC, Pitt, Illinois, pretty much every 9 and 3 or 8 and 4 team in the country would finish 10 and 2 with our schedule, not to mention a few 7 and 5 teams.

Illinois had 6 common opponents with us…they went 2-4 against them. And one of them wasn’t Ohio St.

Yep, 10-2 sounds like a strong assumption with our schedule! Solid logic.

 

[marshall23]

Purdue returned 16 starters because Brohm better manages his roster and Franklin stinks at that. Purdue wins going away...

...until we beat them.

Then it was Auburn. Couldn't stop Purdue on the ground, no way we can stop Auburn. They have like 8 backs that are better and more experienced. SEC physical...

...until we beat them.

Things got quiet. Had to wait on Michigan. Can't be an active poster during a win streak like a typical fan.

I'd rather deal with doom and gloom than Peggy Pigeon.

Square pegs....round holes.....major holes in the roster.... the sky is falling!

 

[okinburg1]

Franklin is not leaving unless he chooses to do so. He is a straight shooter and will not get fired for cause so those hoping can just give it up. With that said, who knows if he leaves on his own. Our 10-2 record is clearly a product of schedule. But, we are on pace to compete in 2024, maybe 2023.

The Pigeon hath spoken...