Three more transfers - McPhearson, Wade and Polk

[Lionsfan1000]

The last two cycles Franklin has recruited on another level compared to his first three cycles. There were kids on the roster from previous classes that would not have gotten an offer if they were in the ‘18 or ‘19 recruiting classes. There’s a lot of talent being introduced into the program and it’s overtaking some of the veterans. Dotson, Parsons, Freiermuth, Slade, Shorter, Hamler, etc. are perfect examples.

I will accept your premise of players being recruited over, as opposed poor talent development, which is an equally reasonable thought

If they don’t want to be here, then best for them and the team for them to move on. However, this does create depth issues at DB. Recruiting over your current players, resulting in them leaving, only works if you appropriately balance scholarships across positions. This is tough to do consistently and is not a Penn State strength. Then, you can’t have many misses. Again, not a Penn State strength. Players improve, injuries happen, starters and backups can lose it. Going into the season with less than 85 scholarship players is not good for a team that is still trying to close the gap, and not having the gap closed on it.

 

[PearlSUJam]

I will accept your premise of players being recruited over, as opposed poor talent development, which is an equally reasonable thought

If they don’t want to be here, then best for them and the team for them to move on. However, this does create depth issues at DB. Recruiting over your current players, resulting in them leaving, only works if you appropriately balance scholarships across positions. This is tough to do consistently and is not a Penn State strength. Then, you can’t have many misses. Again, not a Penn State strength. Players improve, injuries happen, starters and backups can lose it. Going into the season with less than 85 scholarship players is not good for a team that is still trying to close the gap, and not having the gap closed on it.

Welcome back. We all missed you.

 

[bdgan]

Wade was second team behind Taylor. He Sutherland, and Monroe would be battling for a starting role this fall. Anybody on second team would see a lot of PT. Also, Monroe and Taylor will be seniors so Wade's chances to start as a senior would be all the better.

Seems like there must have been some friction between Wade and the staff.

Sorry, I don't buy the idea that freshmen or 3* community college transfers are enough.

 

[PSUeng]

Wade is a sophomore. He's been behind Reid, TCF (same class), Oruwariye, and Haley at CB, and was just moved to S. I get he hasn't done a hell of a lot (has contributed on ST), but who was he going to beat out? Plenty of time this spring to work his way into a starting S or nickel position (I get Brisker may be ready, and hope he is, but I was excited to see what Wade could do back there). To me, his transfer is most worrying unless it's for some family reason.

I also would like to see what he can do. I do not see practice and do not know where he truly stands. He made this call knowing all the info. I do feel he would start for some other teams. He can take his red shirt and get two years. My comment on upper classmen is he will be in his third year for football. Best of luck to all of them.

What bothers me the most is Fields to OSU. He sees an opening and is transferring from his favorite school. His words just last year. Kids that love the school will stay those looking for just playing time will leave.

 

[GregInPitt]

Excelled on special teams? Sorry, have to rebut that. He ran himself out of more coverages than you can shake a stick at. He was anything but a special teams demon. I'm sorry to see any kid transfer from PSU because I think it is their loss and eventually they will regret it. But we're bringing in a lot of DB's this year for a reason.

I'm sure Wade made his share of mistakes, but when he made a tackle the returner went down. And I believe if you found a record of special teams tackles for the year Wade would be in the top couple.

 

[PearlSUJam]

Wade was second team behind Taylor. He Sutherland, and Monroe would be battling for a starting role this fall. Anybody on second team would see a lot of PT. Also, Monroe and Taylor will be seniors so Wade's chances to start as a senior would be all the better.

Seems like there must have been some friction between Wade and the staff.

Sorry, I don't buy the idea that freshmen or 3* community college transfers are enough.

Social media sucks.

 

[cavic]

Large number of guys abandoning ship!

Look I wish all of them well, but if we're using your choice of metaphor, the real issue is these guys knew they were going to be in steerage

 

[canuckhal]

I see it as an issue in CFB moving forward and it will take any staff time to compensate for it. Do you think PSU will be the only school with this going on? Hundreds of players in that portal and it will only rise each year.

Society as a whole has changed these days. Kids want it easy, don't want to have to compete for anything. They've been told all through HS they are great. They get asked by friends and family why they aren't playing more. To put that on a staff who is trying to play the best players, is unfair. Mine as well just do away with coaches and let the kids run the program and make sure everyone gets a turn like my son's u4 soccer team.

That makes no sense. Why is Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and such continually recruiting so well if recruits are afraid of competition? Recruits are not afraid to compete. When they lose out after a couple of years, they see the writing on the wall and are looking around to see if there is a place where they can "play more" football.

What will be interesting is if some of the lower recruited players who play in lower conferences (e.g. Sun Belt) or on losing teams, but stand out, enter the portal hoping to get picked up by a big time program.

What is good about the portal is that it gives a kid who made a "wrong" decision for whatever reason (academics, not right fit, football), an opportunity to "correct" his mistake. Conversely, just like some declaring early for the NFL, some will make another mistake. At least they are not tied to their initial decision for four years or subject to a coach's decision on where they can play. If a student can transfer, why can't a student-athlete? Why should he have to give up the athlete part?

 

[GregInPitt]

Isn’t wade to short to be taken seriously as a DB? The kid is a Tiny Tim.

Yep, he's short. But if you have seen him with his shirt off you know he is a physical freak for his height. And when he tackles the players usually go down. But that does not make him a top DB, and his physique is likely the reason he moved to Safety. If he did not have personal issues back in Clairton it could have been a different story. I wish him the best, whether he stays or leaves.

 

[GregInPitt]

If you watched Sutherland last year, you probably thought (like I did), “Wow, that kid has some talent. He’s going to be a heck of a player.” I never got that with Wade.
I hope he finds a place to play but focuses on his studies and allows himself an opportunity to earn a degree to provide for his child.

I agree that Sutherland made some nice tackles. But I have not seem him make plays in coverage, and to get the defense to the next level we need 2 Safety's that can both tackle and cover WR's.... Looking forward to see what Sutherland can do in pass coverage........

 

[JoeDidntKnow]

Isn’t wade to short to be taken seriously as a DB? The kid is a Tiny Tim.

More like Vern Troyer

 

[hagberg]

Funny; so many people losing it over two DBs putting their names in to potentially transfer, yet not long ago even more were bashing Franklin for recruiting too many DBs! I know, I know.....years in the program, blah blah blah.

Bottom line is that some of these kids likely saw - or were told - they were not going to start and maybe not even crack the 2-deep and decided it would be in their best interests to go elsewhere.

There's been a lot of blame placing, but why? Why does anyone have to be blamed just because fans on a message board - who think or pretend they know what's going on - don't like what's happening? Stop trying to forecast storm clouds (or rainbows) and actually wait to see how things shake out.

 

[JoeDidntKnow]

Wade made his name in 7 on 7 camps and that sometimes does not translate to a top 5 program environment. As mentioned before, he has a few kids and he's probably thinking now is the time to move on and get that PT elsewhere. Good luck Lamont

 

[Connorpozlee]

I agree that Sutherland made some nice tackles. But I have not seem him make plays in coverage, and to get the defense to the next level we need 2 Safety's that can both tackle and cover WR's.... Looking forward to see what Sutherland can do in pass coverage........

I don’t disagree with you. But he did catch your attention, right? My point was not so much that Sutherland is the best ever, just more that Wade has never caught my attention in an impressive way.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Wade made his name in 7 on 7 camps and that sometimes does not translate to a top 5 program environment. As mentioned before, he has a few kids and he's probably thinking now is the time to move on and get that PT elsewhere. Good luck Lamont

Few kids? Really?

 

[NittanyOpp]

So a kid who invested years into the program sees a "highly rated recruiting class", and decides to bail, as though star ratings automatically equate to success? This had everything to do with the coaches, and these are "Franklin's guys" who seem to be willing to, or are actually being pushed to, roll the dice elsewhere. It's stinky, and no amount of spin from fanboys will change that.

I'm not a fan boy. I'll be first to go after Franklin for his shortcomings as an in game coach, so there goes that theory. Further, if you think this is isolated to Penn St, look around the country. We are entering a new, scary era of CFB. Hundreds of players from tons of schools are in it. Get used to it. I can pin about 3 losses the last few years on the coaching staff, this crap is not. Kids want to play and have it guaranteed. Can't offer that coach, see ya.

 

[Judge Smails]

I guess the lesson is you can’t stop idiots from being idiots, but a player putting his name in the transfer portal doesn’t mean he is definitely gone. Wade was on the fence but the twitter idiots certainly aren’t helping psu’s case.

This reminds me of my years as a parent in competitive soccer where the non-starters on a team tried out and moved to other clubs in the off season. Everyone thinks they should be a starter and the ncaa has opened this door with the promise of easy waivers.

As I said before, good and bad to everything. A Nick Cross can see his way right on the field as a freshman now. If younger players start getting the practice reps, that will speed their development as well.

 

[mjh218]

The fact that adults would spend their time tweeting at 18-22 year old kids is beyond sad. Everyone is a tough guy behind a twitter handle and 99.9% of the people would never say it to the kids face.

Grow up. Root for PSU. Root for the players on the team. Root for players who left if you want. And don’t if you don’t want. But seriously, you are going to tweet that someone is pathetic because they chose to transfer. Just stupid. If you tweet negative things at a college football player (or any other athlete, college or pro) you should really evaluate yourself.

 

[NittanyOpp]

That makes no sense. Why is Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and such continually recruiting so well if recruits are afraid of competition? Recruits are not afraid to compete. When they lose out after a couple of years, they see the writing on the wall and are looking around to see if there is a place where they can "play more" football.

What will be interesting is if some of the lower recruited players who play in lower conferences (e.g. Sun Belt) or on losing teams, but stand out, enter the portal hoping to get picked up by a big time program.

What is good about the portal is that it gives a kid who made a "wrong" decision for whatever reason (academics, not right fit, football), an opportunity to "correct" his mistake. Conversely, just like some declaring early for the NFL, some will make another mistake. At least they are not tied to their initial decision for four years or subject to a coach's decision on where they can play. If a student can transfer, why can't a student-athlete? Why should he have to give up the athlete part?

To say it makes no sense in reference to kids transferring today would be false. Just like it would be to say all kids don't want to compete, my mistake if you took it that way. But many kids go to said school thinking they will play a lot or be told they will. Or figure because some moron gave them a certain number of stars when they were 17 and guys like BMW and Judge fawn over them and follow their every tweet they are superstars.

And to be honest comparing us with Bama Clemson is just wrong. Go there and you basically get a ring or two. Go there and play and basically be guaranteed to end up in NFL. That's worth risk to many. And by the way, go to Bama board and see all their fans talk about their players in the portal. It's why so many 5 star QBs transfer. Look at Fields! They want to play and be guaranteed they will. You think Fields went to OSU without a guarantee? Ask Tate Martell.

It's a different era.

 

[NittanyOpp]

The fact that adults would spend their time tweeting at 18-22 year old kids is beyond sad. Everyone is a tough guy behind a twitter handle and 99.9% of the people would never say it to the kids face.

Grow up. Root for PSU. Root for the players on the team. Root for players who left if you want. And don’t if you don’t want. But seriously, you are going to tweet that someone is pathetic because they chose to transfer. Just stupid. If you tweet negative things at a college football player (or any other athlete, college or pro) you should really evaluate yourself.

Correct but a lot of twitter is fake accounts. You will have OSU fans dressed up saying this as if they are PSU fans. There is a strong belief that PSU football has accounts in disguise. For these kids to even react to this stuff is foolish because it's mostly fake. Or just some idiot from a trailer, like a few in here.

 

[mjh218]

Agreed RE fake accounts. Social media has benefits. Instant Info. But it really has its drawbacks.

 

[PennStateNate]

Sadly Wade makes me a lot less excited about signing day. I remember he was a so called "must get" recruit by many on here, what was he 4-5 stars and had several schools looking at him, we were estatic to get him, now look at him. I hope he goes back home to Duquense or Bobby Mo and has a great career and goes to the next level.

 

[N&B4PSU]

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.

Said this before... the problem is that the recruiting is done.. and now the kids abandon ship, often leaving holes that had not existed but do now and cannot be filled... because recruiting is over. If you have boatloads of 4-5 star talent on board, losing a few kids isn't an issue. But most schools have a finite crew and these losses will hurt a program not named bama, clemson, georgia, osu.

These kids might not have been starters, but Wade and Mac would be capable backups while we waited for younger kids to mature. Perhaps they even step up their game and see more of the field.

Yes, I can see a flip side: player x sees player y was recruited and appears capable of stepping in and filling the spot of player x, so he scoots. Maybe that's better in the long run. But for me, you need to penalize the kids only so much as to make them sit 1 year. No loss of eligibility, but a requirement to sit out.

Hell, i'd do the same for the coaches but that's less practical. Even so, there should be a penalty applied to coaches who do not finish their contracts. What that would be... well, stake burns are no longer in style...

 

[hagberg]

FWIW:
At LEAST 7 kids with significant starting experience and remaining eligibility (if my math is correct), have decided not to be at PSU anymore......

You're clumping all 17 kids together without distinguishing their destinations. Of the 7 I can think of with significant starting experience (8 if you count Wade as a ST starter), only Johnson and Polk are transferring, and both are leaving a very talented WR room. Given their struggles this year, I'd guess it's better than 50/50 they wouldn't start and not much better they'd even play a lot of downs.

The other 5 declared for the draft. Big difference there.

The rest have not been big contributors, and that was not likely to have changed next season.

 

[TheGLOV]

What’s that saying?
“Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt”?

Numerous guys - many of whom have made significant contributions, others who likely where in line to make significant contributions, decide to “not be a part of the team” anymore...... Guys who are NOT being forced out to make room for some more talented kids, or to cash huge paychecks or have earned a diploma..... that ain’t good.

That doesn’t necessarily mean CJF or whomever screwed up..... it’s not like they can shackle ‘me and force them to stay.

But the qualifying and excuse-making is kinda’ sad.

Loyalty be damned.

 

[TheGLOV]

College football off-season IS turning into a real sh*t show!!

 

[TheGLOV]

IDK. Could be a good sign that a 5* kid like is Wade is not starting bc there is other talent. All depends on the reason. Juwan Johnson is the one that puzzles me.

Wade IMO is simply realizing that his HS talent can only take him so far in Div. 1 football.

If he chooses to go to Pitt, the Pitters will have a field.

He could end up playing against us next year in Beaver Stadium.

 

[mjh218]

He can’t play next year. He is a true junior and will need to sit out a year.

 

[RU31trap]

High School talent doesn't always translate into college football talent. The game is faster and more complicated. The athletes are bigger and the games are on TV and viewed by millions. At Penn State add another wrinkle into the mix, academics. From what I hear Franklin is a real stickler when it comes to academics and this does not bode well with some kids.

 

[klemman]

Keep in mind that just because a player enters his name in the Transfer Portal, it doesn’t mean that he’s transferring. He may be just testing the waters, and if he doesn’t like who is interested or just decides that after taking this step he really wants to stay in Happy Valley, he can pull his name out and continue as a N. Lion.

 

[Little J]

Wasn't Wade also outspoken in social medial with his political views? Perhaps it runs deeper than the field and team and State College really is not a fit for the young man? Good luck Wade wherever you land.

 

[interrobang]

He can’t play next year. He is a true junior and will need to sit out a year.

He'd actually have a genuine argument for a waiver to be closer to his daughter, assuming he transferred to a Pittsburgh area school

 

[ram2020]

He'd actually have a genuine argument for a waiver to be closer to his daughter, assuming he transferred to a Pittsburgh area school

Just to be clear, not judging the kid, but how many babies does he have currently? In know he has a little boy?

 

[baircub1!]

Its not your grandfather's college football anymore. Player's only love you when they're playin.........this is the new norm.

Think it will be interesting 3 , 4 even 5 years from now whether or not this new initiative is ultimately good or bad for the kids. They should also have to monitor somehow future graduation rates as well ? for these transfers .One thing about being in a certain system for your entire college career at one school is that you are more familiar with the curriculum., academic advisors etc etc... moving out after 1-2 years not that easy a transition.,, IMO.,

 

[BobPSU92]

I will accept your premise of players being recruited over, as opposed poor talent development, which is an equally reasonable thought

If they don’t want to be here, then best for them and the team for them to move on. However, this does create depth issues at DB. Recruiting over your current players, resulting in them leaving, only works if you appropriately balance scholarships across positions. This is tough to do consistently and is not a Penn State strength. Then, you can’t have many misses. Again, not a Penn State strength. Players improve, injuries happen, starters and backups can lose it. Going into the season with less than 85 scholarship players is not good for a team that is still trying to close the gap, and not having the gap closed on it.

Since you are a brand new member here, I would like to ask you one question. Is 2020 our year?

(Please note that "I have no idea what you are talking about" is not an acceptable answer.)

 

[BobPSU92]

Wasn't Wade also outspoken in social medial with his political views? Perhaps it runs deeper than the field and team and State College really is not a fit for the young man? Good luck Wade wherever you land.

There are many possible reasons that a kid could enter the transfer portal. Many have been offered here, and there are others that have not been considered. Regardless, as long as we FIRE. FRANKLIN. , it's all good.

 

[interrobang]

A general question about the transfer portal. Do players attach some sort of resume that other schools can view? I'm just wondering how schools that value character over stars will be able to find players in the portal.

As far as I know, the portal merely just lists names and contact info of guys who may want to transfer.

 

[interrobang]

Try keeping a recent college grad in a position at work for that long. They just want to move around and never get good at anything.



I can't imagine anyone wanting to leave PSU and go to Pitt to be on the other side of the upcoming ass beating on September 14th.

Well, being on the field and losing might be better than being on the bench and winning

 

[LemonEars]

Wade hinted at transferring all year in tweets. He's a role player. He was continuously steamrolled in the run game this year. Check even the Pitt film. Slot corner? Maybe his best spot. Point blank, he wasn't starting and because recruiting gurus blew him up to be a 5 star he still thinks he's amazing. If he feels he owes it to himself to go find out where he could start right away and with a child, make it to the NFL, more power to him.

If people want to freak out that role players are trying to find starting jobs with this new portal thing, more power to them. I am very hard on Franklin and the staff etc but on the surface I don't see this is a problem from them. Its kids wanting to play more. Many of these kids initially came to PSU when times weren't so good so they thought they could play right away. Some did. But when the talent from the recruiting classes continue to improve they see the writing on the wall. They have that right now. And other coaches may blow smoke up their asses to get them to come there and they may end up in same situation.

Nevertheless, we also don't know how many kids PSU is talking to about coming to play here. With these kinds of players its probably just a wash for depth anyway.

Wade illustrates how tricky it is to take a player from a tiny high school that plays inferior competition. He excelled at Clairton and was our highest rated recruit in the 2017 class. He was a spectacular high school player. Turns out when he is matched up with the big guys he is a step slow and too small. Some players from small high schools do well in college and some flop. Wade hasn't done well.

 

[MilesBarkley]

Believe there will be some more names popping up in the Portal soon (Ex: Dalton)