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Dan Patrick Reporting Mutual Interest Franklin and U$C

I hope Franklin doesn’t do this for his own sake. Indeed he may not want to be a lifer at PSU, but if he gets out there, new recruiting terrain, and UCLA has better seasons then he’s gone in 3 years. PSU is not perfect but there is job security. it takes about 25 strikes before they fire anyone.
 
How are Texas boosters undercutting the Longhorns?

Ready to move on from coaches who aren't being given enough time to do anything. Ready to buy out a guy they just installed to go after the next flavor of the month.
 
Why, precisely, is Franklin the "biggest wild card among college coaches"?...whatever that means. And PSU is now a "powerhouse"...interesting...you have to beat the big boys with some degree of regularity to deserve that label. And, he's recruited well, not "very well"...in fact the last two classes have been far less than stellar. I like James and have always supported him, but this piece could have been written by his mother.

something like 1-15 against top 15 teams that their home field. yep we are a powerhouse.
 
USC is weird. I agree with everything about the job that you have written, but the reality paints a much different picture. Something is wrong there. The talent they have should be enough to compete for the conference title every year. They don't have a Bama or Clemson or OSU to deal with. In fact, they should be that team.
Could it be because Bama, Clemson and tOSU come in and take the cream of the crop talent before them?
 
Except that the USC job becomes open every 2-3 years

Let's take a look at the post-Pete Carroll head coaching hires by USC:

2010 - Hire Lane Kiffin, who lasted all of one year with the Raiders (4-12), and one year with the Volunteers (7-6). Going after Kiffin made sense, but he sucked at the two HC jobs he had prior to getting the USC job. His name meant a lot to them and he was a Pete disciple, but he clearly was in over his head and ridiculously young at 34 or so.

2013 - Hire Ed Orgeron as interim HC. His only HC gig before was at Ole Miss, where you guessed it, he sucked. Led them to their only winless (in conference) season in history and went a whopping 10-25 in three years. WTF were they thinking?

2014 - Hire Steve Sarkisian who was coming off a very, very pedestrian run at Washington, where he went 34-29. He's eventually fired for his behavior and substance abuse issues and goes 12-6. If anyone at USC did any due diligence on him, they would have found out about his alcohol issues since he had several incidents while coach at Washington.

2015-2021 - Promote Clay Helton from within as a 'safe' choice (also no HC experience) after the previous coaching hire disasters, and he does less with more going 46-24 with the one big Rose Bowl win; his recruiting classes were ranked (Rivals):

2010 - 1
2011 - 4
2012 - 8
2013 - 13
2014 - 10
*HIRED*
2015 - 1
2016 - 10
2017 - 6
2018 - 3
2019 - 18
2020 - 71 (the coach is toxic at this point)
2021 - 9

So, even with several disastrous coaching hires, the 2020 class is the only real outlier. Every other class is Top 20, and most are top ten. Pretty obvious USC being loyal to guys like Pat Haden and Lynn Swann didn't help either.
 
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I like Franklin. I have no more (or less) of an idea than anyone else does about what he may or may not be thinking about USC of any other potential job.

My only take is that I think he is more about family than many coaches are, and if he makes a move it will be more about what he and his wife think is best for their family than it will be about money.
 
Could it be because Bama, Clemson and tOSU come in and take the cream of the crop talent before them?

If we were talking about "why USC is losing in the playoff", then sure, that would be a great topic to discuss. However, they have still recruited really well. As noted below:

2015-2021 - Promote Clay Helton... his recruiting classes were ranked (Rivals):

2010 - 1
2011 - 4
2012 - 8
2013 - 13
2014 - 10
*HIRED*
2015 - 1
2016 - 10
2017 - 6
2018 - 3
2019 - 18
2020 - 71 (the coach is toxic at this point)
2021 - 9

So, even with several disastrous coaching hires, the 2020 class is the only real outlier. Every other class is Top 20, and most are top ten.

The talent on hand doesn't equate to the lack of in conference success they have had.
 
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Urban Meyer addressed rumors of him going to usc by saying “no chance. I’m committed to building this organization “. It would have been nice for Franklin to respond like that. But he didn’t
Why would that make you feel better? Urban Meyer is a liar, proven 1,000 times over. That's a poor example.
 
If we were talking about "why USC is losing in the playoff", then sure, that would be a great topic to discuss. However, they have still recruited really well. As noted below:



The talent on hand doesn't equate to the lack of in conference success they have had.

It's the risk you take when you promote someone who isn't a nationally known name and/or doesn't have any HC experience.
 
And he's done lost once BEFORE getting into the SEC West slate.



USC is weird. I agree with everything about the job that you have written, but the reality paints a much different picture. Something is wrong there. The talent they have should be enough to compete for the conference title every year. They don't have a Bama or Clemson or OSU to deal with. In fact, they should be that team.

Unlike Nebraska, they aren't in an area devoid of talent.

Unlike Texas, the boosters aren't undercutting you every year.

During the Pete years, they were almost as dominant as Bama is right now. And I wondered if it was going to end. Now, I wonder if it's coming back.
The NFL is back in LA including a splashy new stadium. USC is old news in a front runner town obsessed with style over substance.

I’m not saying that USC couldn’t be awesome again and under the right circumstances but it really isn’t the quality job opportunity some make it out to be. The biggest selling point would really be the chance to live/work in a major city with all its diverse offerings something rare in college football (really only other I can think of is Miami FL among historically great teams)
 
Just heard this. He said his source is the same who sniffed out the B10 was cancelling the season last Aug. So a reliable source for him. Have no idea why Franklin would let this leak at this point 3 days before a huge game. May not have merit. Also could be true but does not mean anything. Just annoying that this is out there now.

Also DP now questioning his "Leadership Council" response to the rumors. What does that mean?
lol, Franklin is just playing PSU tom get a raise,
 
I hope Franklin doesn’t do this for his own sake. Indeed he may not want to be a lifer at PSU, but if he gets out there, new recruiting terrain, and UCLA has better seasons then he’s gone in 3 years. PSU is not perfect but there is job security. it takes about 25 strikes before they fire anyone.

lol, Franklin is just playing PSU tom get a raise,
Yep, James fired Helton, then contacted the Atlantic, Dan Patrick, ESPN etc. and told them to float his name as a favorite for the USC job.
 
I agree with your take, but I like to think (perhaps naively) it might be Franklin just trying to be honest. Let's face it: anyone would be willing to move if enough money is thrown at them. It might be an amount that isn't realistic, but any coach's agent will at least listen to any offer. So, maybe Franklin just doesn't want to be that guy who denies any interest and then two weeks later is on the podium being announced for a new position - doesn't mean he expects to go, but is just keeping his options open.

Realistically, I don't see him leaving because there isn't any job or opportunity better than PSU that he'd be offered. I think he'd be a fool to go to USC unless they like doubled his salary or something.
They ain't paying James Franklin double what he makes here...that would take insanity to a new level.
 
I hope Franklin doesn’t do this for his own sake. Indeed he may not want to be a lifer at PSU, but if he gets out there, new recruiting terrain, and UCLA has better seasons then he’s gone in 3 years. PSU is not perfect but there is job security. it takes about 25 strikes before they fire anyone.
Yep. I could see Franklin leaving for the right opportunity (and money), but I don’t see USC as making much sense. Not unless his wife really hates living at PSU and insists on being in a big city.
 
You can be realistic and still support somebody...anyone with kids knows that.
So if your kid gets an A, do you get on him for not getting an A+? That’s your kind of support apparently.
 
Bruce Feldman on Franklin as a USC HC Candidate:

James Franklin, Penn State head coach: The biggest wild card among the college head coaches is Franklin. He worked wonders at Vanderbilt and then restored Penn State into a powerhouse. He’s recruited very well, and has the kind of presence that would resonate well in Los Angeles. He knows he’s got a very good job in Happy Valley, not too far from where he grew up. Still, he’s now been there a long time and won a ton of games, but jobs like USC don’t come open often. This is probably one of the few situations in college football to which I think he would have a hard time saying no. Franklin has a buyout now, but at $4 million, and for USC that’s manageable for a top-tier coach.

He also mentions Southern California native and Clemson OC Tony Elliott as a dark horse candidate...FWIW.
Bruce's uncle Marty and I respectfully disagree and think your time would be better spent on the Ms. BWI Polls ;)

 
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Yep. I could see Franklin leaving for the right opportunity (and money), but I don’t see USC as making much sense. Not unless his wife really hates living at PSU and insists on being in a big city.
Top 10 team with a top 3 recruiting class coming in….not many of those “opportunities” out there. Unless Bama, Clemson, Georgia or Oklahoma come calling, I don’t see many better opportunities.
 
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The NFL is back in LA including a splashy new stadium. USC is old news in a front runner town obsessed with style over substance.

I’m not saying that USC couldn’t be awesome again and under the right circumstances but it really isn’t the quality job opportunity some make it out to be. The biggest selling point would really be the chance to live/work in a major city with all its diverse offerings something rare in college football (really only other I can think of is Miami FL among historically great teams)
LA is practically unlivable.
 
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Top 10 team with a top 3 recruiting class coming in….not many of those “opportunities” out there. Unless Bama, Clemson, Georgia or Oklahoma come calling, I don’t see many better opportunities.
Oklahoma? They are about to become Nebraska II
 
I am sure you would say the same thing about NYC. Different strokes but I would move to LA in a second
Yep. Crime infested and filthy…what’s not to like?

And in LA, you get the added attraction of traffic gridlock, housing prices thru the roof, blackouts/brownouts, the highest unemployment rate in the USA, human waste and record homeless in the streets, and a state so mismanaged that people are streaming out faster than illegals are streaming in…WHERE DO I SIGN UP?
 
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Yep. Crime infested and filthy…what’s not to like?

And in LA, you get the added attraction of traffic gridlock, housing prices thru the roof, blackouts/brownouts, the highest unemployment rate in the USA, human waste and record homeless in the streets, and a state so mismanaged that people are streaming out faster than illegals are streaming in…WHERE DO I SIGN UP?

And yet the rich and elite live there. Guess you are smarter than all of them.

I never understood the people who needed to sh!t on cities. If you have the cash, both places are fantastic. Some people like culture, others don’t.
 
And yet the rich and elite live there. Guess you are smarter than all of them.

I never understood the people who needed to sh!t on cities. If you have the cash, both places are fantastic.
Exactly…they hide behind their walled communities and compounds.

And I am not “sh$tting” on cities. Just calling it like it is…people are literally pouring out of both places…COVID is ending the golden age of cities. Not my preference - I love well run cities.

And I have have worked extensively in both NYC and LA

And the end of the day, to each his own…so if you are not living in one of the two, go for it!
 
Except NYC isn’t. But hey, believe what you want. If it makes you feel good, who cares.
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — New numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau show a decline in New York's population. The New York City Metro Area lost about 108,000 residents or about 0.5%. That was a greater number than 2019 when population fell by about 60,000.May 8, 2021
 
I am sure you would say the same thing about NYC. Different strokes but I would move to LA in a second
I spent 90 days in CA in 2018, most of them in Cypress.

I enjoy VISITING California but there's absolutely no way I would live there.

If you would enjoy living there then by all means go for it but it is not for everyone.
 
Except NYC isn’t. But hey, believe what you want. If it makes you feel good, who cares.
NYC-Population-Growth
 
FWIW - CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd reported Monday that the job is fifth-year Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell's to turn down.

I really like Fickell but just don't know if he'd fit in / survive in So. California. Seems like he's destined for a B1G HC job when a big one opens up
 
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