Nothing but the facts here, I am bored and went back to track the last 15 years of Penn State recruiting and also compare it to Michigan and Ohio State. Lets throw some info out there.
Past 15 years the average Rivals ranking
Penn State 31.9
Ohio State 10.6
Michigan 16
Past 15 years times being out of the top 25 recruiting
Penn State 6
Ohio State 1
Michigan 2
Past 15 years being in the top 10 recruiting
Penn State 1 (2006)
Ohio State 9
Michigan 5
Past 15 years being in the top 5 recruiting
Penn State 0
Ohio State 7
Michigan 2
Past 15 years being ranked outside the top 35
Penn State 5
Ohio State 1
Michigan 1
For Penn State only….Past 15 years best 3 year average
2014-2016 24.3
2009-2011 23.6
2005-2007 18.3 Class of 25 and 24 helped by that #6 class
So over the past 15 years Penn State has had 1 class that you consider elite in 2006.
On the field wins the past 15 years
Penn State 117
Michigan 117
Ohio State 162
Penn State has 4 wins over Ohio State the past 15 years and they have 4 wins over Michigan the last 15 years but have only played Michigan 11 times in those years.
My view of these stats, pretty amazing how average we have been recruiting the past 15 years, 1 top 10 class. On paper we should never compete with Ohio State and Michigan, let alone win. We have a long ways to go to become elite. Fact is we have had a couple elite seasons over that period of time and outperformed our recruiting. That has to happen again on the field before we can have the full benefit of a great group of recruiters and become top 10 in recruiting yearly and return to a national power. I was listening to Sandy Alderson yesterday during the Mets press conference announcing Yoenis Cespedes. He had a great view of how there rebuild went and part of it really struck home about Penn State football. He talked about coming into the job and having a bunch of long term contracts that had paralyzed the organization. His first job was to get rid of the long term contracts that killed the payroll, to bring back young prospects in trades, to evaluate players better and to work thru the draft. They also had to deal with the Madoff scandal which really effected their finances. Although a slow process it was a successful process but at some point with their payroll limitations and lack of attendance, he said he had to hope for a season where the Mets outperformed their projections. In 2015 that happened, they went to the world series, they put butts in the seats, they received a ton of financial flexibility from the run and attendance. With that they were able to spend some money and get their payroll back to a respectable level in the upper half of the league. They are now able to put a team on the field that can compete. The challenges facing Penn State are similar. With the Sandusky scandal, the NCAA sanctions it really put Penn State behind the 8 ball considering roster talent, depth and perception from the outside. Franklin and his staff are as good as any when it comes to recruiting but these challenges are tough and without the field product they are even tougher. When you look at the team trotting out on the field, on paper PSU doesn't compare with the 2 deep of a few common opponents. Until we start recruiting in the top 10 consistently it won't. What Penn State has to do, they have to play over their heads, just 1 season and you prefer 2016. If they do that recruiting will take care of itself. When recruiting takes the next step then Penn State will be equally competitive on the field vs all opponents.
Past 15 years the average Rivals ranking
Penn State 31.9
Ohio State 10.6
Michigan 16
Past 15 years times being out of the top 25 recruiting
Penn State 6
Ohio State 1
Michigan 2
Past 15 years being in the top 10 recruiting
Penn State 1 (2006)
Ohio State 9
Michigan 5
Past 15 years being in the top 5 recruiting
Penn State 0
Ohio State 7
Michigan 2
Past 15 years being ranked outside the top 35
Penn State 5
Ohio State 1
Michigan 1
For Penn State only….Past 15 years best 3 year average
2014-2016 24.3
2009-2011 23.6
2005-2007 18.3 Class of 25 and 24 helped by that #6 class
So over the past 15 years Penn State has had 1 class that you consider elite in 2006.
On the field wins the past 15 years
Penn State 117
Michigan 117
Ohio State 162
Penn State has 4 wins over Ohio State the past 15 years and they have 4 wins over Michigan the last 15 years but have only played Michigan 11 times in those years.
My view of these stats, pretty amazing how average we have been recruiting the past 15 years, 1 top 10 class. On paper we should never compete with Ohio State and Michigan, let alone win. We have a long ways to go to become elite. Fact is we have had a couple elite seasons over that period of time and outperformed our recruiting. That has to happen again on the field before we can have the full benefit of a great group of recruiters and become top 10 in recruiting yearly and return to a national power. I was listening to Sandy Alderson yesterday during the Mets press conference announcing Yoenis Cespedes. He had a great view of how there rebuild went and part of it really struck home about Penn State football. He talked about coming into the job and having a bunch of long term contracts that had paralyzed the organization. His first job was to get rid of the long term contracts that killed the payroll, to bring back young prospects in trades, to evaluate players better and to work thru the draft. They also had to deal with the Madoff scandal which really effected their finances. Although a slow process it was a successful process but at some point with their payroll limitations and lack of attendance, he said he had to hope for a season where the Mets outperformed their projections. In 2015 that happened, they went to the world series, they put butts in the seats, they received a ton of financial flexibility from the run and attendance. With that they were able to spend some money and get their payroll back to a respectable level in the upper half of the league. They are now able to put a team on the field that can compete. The challenges facing Penn State are similar. With the Sandusky scandal, the NCAA sanctions it really put Penn State behind the 8 ball considering roster talent, depth and perception from the outside. Franklin and his staff are as good as any when it comes to recruiting but these challenges are tough and without the field product they are even tougher. When you look at the team trotting out on the field, on paper PSU doesn't compare with the 2 deep of a few common opponents. Until we start recruiting in the top 10 consistently it won't. What Penn State has to do, they have to play over their heads, just 1 season and you prefer 2016. If they do that recruiting will take care of itself. When recruiting takes the next step then Penn State will be equally competitive on the field vs all opponents.
