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Three more transfers - McPhearson, Wade and Polk

In the last two weeks..... potential members of the 2019 squad (almost all of whom could have been expected to make meaningful contributions) gone..... And none of them leaving in order to collect ”1st round NFL” paychecks:

Givens
Bates
JJohnson
Polk
SMiller
Sanders
McGovern
McPhearson
Wade
Darien

Franklin and Faison-Waldron and Humphries also within the last few weeks.
And - most likely - a few more to come.
Probably a good chance PSU goes into 2019 with fewer than 80 legit recruited scholarship players.

Whatever the reasons may be, those facts are nothing if not disconcerting.
At least for the “most knowledgeable” posters, Franklin has an excuse now when we lose. We don’t have enough scholarship players.
 
Lamont Wade probably should have taken a red shirt. But, his 5star status probably led him to unrealistic expectations early. At this level, everyone has speed and quickness.......size he doesn't have. He needs to be a smart, savvy kind of DB and he should have taken a shirt to learn.

Beyond size, I haven’t really seen an ability to play at a D1 level.
 
You can't desire to be Bama or Clemson and not play the game under the same circumstances. You want Big 10 title opportunities every year? You want to be in the playoff conversation every year?

This. Is. What. You. Get.

Grad players leaving isn't highly unusual. 2nd, 3rd year players who are #2, #3 on the DC? That is. In this quantity.

If you don't want to build for a run every 4-5 years, get used to this. It's been going on already. This year has just been the most active.
 
The problem here is that PSU needs to develop a solid “next 22” to compete with the best. PSU’s starting 22 can compete with anyone. It’s the next 22 that separates programs like Clemson, Bama, etc. We need guys like Wade to stay and be solid backups and special teams players.


Yep, Wade had his share of tackles considering his playing time, and more than a few were on special teams.

So this is where more true freshmen will likely play and not redshirt. And top talent expect to play right way anyway. The way Luketa did this past season - he was not really needed as a LB but played lots on ST's. An athletic player like the incoming Dixon may play that same role in 2019, as well as others......
 
Good for these guys. They'll get a chance to see playing time elsewhere. These guys are competitors, love football and want to get a chance to fill a spot on another team where needed. Has to be difficult when they giving all they've got and still can't win the job. I've been in HS in that situation and it ain't fun.
 
Yes, unless someone within a 1/4 mile radius of them has ever uttered the word n*gg**.......
Or, if the program that recruited them with bags of cash - is later investigated by the NCAA for recruiting kids with bags of cash.


:eek:
In central Pa it’s more than likely everyone within a 1/4 mile radios has yelled n^gg*r. And they feel entitled to say it.

C’est la’vie. .
 
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In central Pa it’s more than likely everyone within a 1/4 mile radios has yelled n^gg*r. And they feel entitled to say it.

C’est la’vie. .

Same in Philly. Except there it's a term of endearment.
 
You can't desire to be Bama or Clemson and not play the game under the same circumstances. You want Big 10 title opportunities every year? You want to be in the playoff conversation every year?

This. Is. What. You. Get.

Grad players leaving isn't highly unusual. 2nd, 3rd year players who are #2, #3 on the DC? That is. In this quantity.

If you don't want to build for a run every 4-5 years, get used to this. It's been going on already. This year has just been the most active.

The fact that we are unlikely to be at 85 ships next year tells me Franklin didn’t plan for this. We are at 77 or 78 by my count and Franklin doesn’t have 7 more blue chips signing late in February.
 
Good for these guys. They'll get a chance to see playing time elsewhere. These guys are competitors, love football and want to get a chance to fill a spot on another team where needed. Has to be difficult when they giving all they've got and still can't win the job. I've been in HS in that situation and it ain't fun.
Diogenes has found his honest man. The first of us that admits he wasn’t a superstar when he played.
 
This is the result of CF's tremendous recruiting classes in 2018 and 2019. These guys could well play a lot at another school but won't play at Penn State. They have been aced out by the new recruits. This will be our new normal. CF will bring in 20 or so 4 and 5 star players who expect to start and play a lot. They all can't do that. The cream will rise to the top and the others will become disgruntled and transfer. Other schools with less capable recruiters will take them in and give them the playing time they covet. We should be happy this is happening. It is a product of CF's success in making Penn State an elite program.
 
In central Pa it’s more than likely everyone within a 1/4 mile radios has yelled n^gg*r. And they feel entitled to say it.

C’est la’vie. .
The goofy face, :eek:, on message boards is now being petitioned as a reason to transfer without sitting out a year.
 
This is the result of CF's tremendous recruiting classes in 2018 and 2019. These guys could well play a lot at another school but won't play at Penn State. They have been aced out by the new recruits. This will be our new normal. CF will bring in 20 or so 4 and 5 star players who expect to start and play a lot. They all can't do that. The cream will rise to the top and the others will become disgruntled and transfer. Other schools with less capable recruiters will take them in and give them the playing time they covet. We should be happy this is happening. It is a product of CF's success in making Penn State an elite program.
I agree, it’s just that we’re almost elite.
 
I don't like this. These kids have the right to go where they think they have the best chance to start, of course, but I want kids who are willing to compete. I also want continuity year to year. You need guys with experience, even if they don't start.
As well as causing depth problems.Also it may indicate other issues. Spinning this as no big deal is delusional.
 
In the last two weeks..... potential members of the 2019 squad (almost all of whom could have been expected to make meaningful contributions) gone..... And none of them leaving in order to collect ”1st round NFL” paychecks:

Givens
Bates
JJohnson
Polk
SMiller
Sanders
McGovern
McPhearson
Wade
Darien

Franklin and Faison-Waldron and Humphries also within the last few weeks.
And - most likely - a few more to come.
Probably a good chance PSU goes into 2019 with fewer than 80 legit recruited scholarship players.

Whatever the reasons may be, those facts are nothing if not disconcerting.

I still don't think its a huge deal.
Outside of Givens and Johnson none of these are shocking.
Some of these guys transferring were probably 3rd string.
I would also expect another TE to leave so dont panic when it happens.;)
 
The problem here is that PSU needs to develop a solid “next 22” to compete with the best. PSU’s starting 22 can compete with anyone. It’s the next 22 that separates programs like Clemson, Bama, etc. We need guys like Wade to stay and be solid backups and special teams players.

Free agency, if it takes hold, will level the playing field for all but the top few teams. Teams like Clemson and Alabama can backfill "next 22" losses with anybody they want. It hurts teams like PSU that are good but not elite. Those teams will lose depth.
 
The fact that we are unlikely to be at 85 ships next year tells me Franklin didn’t plan for this. We are at 77 or 78 by my count and Franklin doesn’t have 7 more blue chips signing late in February.

It seems that we can probably roll some of the EEs back to last year and take 25 this year.

I'm inclined to believe that unless something has changed with this portal, it's very likely our coaching staff knew which kids they were going to give the "if you want to play, you should consider other options" vs which kids they told "you are important to our depth, you will vie for a starting position this year".

It isn't peculiar that we have lost graduates and guys down the depth chart.
 
I still don't think its a huge deal.
Outside of Givens and Johnson none of these are shocking.
Some of these guys transferring were probably 3rd string.
I would also expect another TE to leave so dont panic when it happens.;)

Givens is the one that is utterly mystifying. Where does he fit as a pro prospect? He is too small to be a tackle in a 4-3 and too small to be a DE in a 3-4. Is he a good enough pass rusher to be a DE in a 4-3 alignment? He will put up huge weight at the combine, but he isn’t going to get taller. Why not spend a year working on a post grad degree before making the NFL attempt? Everyone else I can understand going.
 
Wow, this is getting ridiculous. We can rationalize this all we want, but the 2019 season is quickly going down the tubes. Polk is no loss, but the other 2 are, starters or no, depth is very important and so are special teams. I don't think Franklin can bring in enough quality recruits this year to fill out the roster.

Are there any transfer we can pickup to play for us this season?
 
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Free agency, if it takes hold, will level the playing field for all but the top few teams. Teams like Clemson and Alabama can backfill "next 22" losses with anybody they want. It hurts teams like PSU that are good but not elite. Those teams will lose depth.

Agreed...the NCAA can not allow it.
 
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Givens is the one that is utterly mystifying. Where does he fit as a pro prospect? He is too small to be a tackle in a 4-3 and too small to be a DE in a 3-4. Is he a good enough pass rusher to be a DE in a 4-3 alignment? He will put up huge weight at the combine, but he isn’t going to get taller. Why not spend a year working on a post grad degree before making the NFL attempt? Everyone else I can understand going.
I agree. Don’t see Givens ad a pro. He was a nice player but not dominant. Doesn’t have the size to be drafted on measurables
 
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