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Go ahead...give me your predictions for 2021 PSU Football.....

Just can't see a major jump from 4-5 to 9-3 or better...Basically same kids with a few transfers from the portal but nothing with the impact that a Kyree Smith would have made had he not chosen otherwise. Basically 4 players coming in that represent a push at best...the DE from Temple probably no better than Oweh/18. The Dt from Duke probably a push with Shelton. The dB from South Carolina not a starter, and so on. Same qb who struggled badly. Unknown at running back with Same ineffective guys returning back, Same offensive line, and the same defense. Schedule is brutal right away. I think 7-5 is a good season this year.
 
Unfortunately I see this as a real possibility.

I don't necessarily think we are going to be a bad team, I think the schedule is the real killer. We have a new offense and a lot of new starters. Not everything will go right, not everything will go wrong. Kids will step up. But, other than Nova, there are no easy wins on this schedule and many losable games during the first half. We saw something similar last year. The team rebounded nicely.
 
I'm really torn. As a PSU fan I want to hope for 12-0 but there is nothing like the sheer joy of hanging here when fanboy expectations aren't met. We deserve better...... but likely 8-4.
 
I'm really torn. As a PSU fan I want to hope for 12-0 but there is nothing like the sheer joy of hanging here when fanboy expectations aren't met. We deserve better...... but likely 8-4.


Careful. larrywhine may try to police you.
 
I'm really torn. As a PSU fan I want to hope for 12-0 but there is nothing like the sheer joy of hanging here when fanboy expectations aren't met. We deserve better...... but likely 8-4.
Yep. I got 7-5, and will be happy if it's anything better. Just too many questions and not enough answers.
 
We’re screwed. Thank God for Nova....1-11 is my prediction.... the naysayers have convinced me. We’re the only team recruiting at a high level that can’t afford to lose players, we had a bad Covid year, we have a QB that never wins (forget the 11 wins in his first year, that was more of a fluke than last year), and we have a coach who hovers just over .500 every year...all that spells another disastrous season. I changed my own mind with my solid arguments, 0-12.
 
If Clifford improves marginally with solid run game to support him:
3-3 vs Wiscy, Auburn, OSU, Iowa, Um, MSU for 9-3 overall or 8-4 with a stinker elsewhere in the schedule.
If Clifford improves significantly:
4-2 vs those 6 and 0 - 1 stinkers than we are 9 or 10 wins.
If Clifford is the same as 2020 and/or we have a platoon situation at qb then we are 6-8 wins at best. Everything depends on the qb and lines nowadays. We are very solid at oline with likely a strong rb core, serviceable at dline, and unsettled at qb. The new OC will earn his dollars fixing Clifford’s mental game - the guy has the physical tools.
 
We’re screwed. Thank God for Nova....

I don't think I fit well into the 'naysayer' category, if you're referring to me. And I don't actually think that we're 'screwed'. I just think PSU is a bit better than average college football program, currently. I mean, multiple 'experts' debating how many we might eke out over Indiana, Iowa, and Maryland? Iowa I would put in with us in the 'bit better than average' program, but Indiana and Maryland have never been near that good. Yet, here we are wondering if we can compete with them or not.

None of this means that we're 'screwed'; it just means that we all need to ratchet down our expectations. This program is currently about as close to the National Championship as Indiana and Maryland are.
 
I don't think I fit well into the 'naysayer' category, if you're referring to me. And I don't actually think that we're 'screwed'. I just think PSU is a bit better than average college football program, currently. I mean, multiple 'experts' debating how many we might eke out over Indiana, Iowa, and Maryland? Iowa I would put in with us in the 'bit better than average' program, but Indiana and Maryland have never been near that good. Yet, here we are wondering if we can compete with them or not.

None of this means that we're 'screwed'; it just means that we all need to ratchet down our expectations. This program is currently about as close to the National Championship as Indiana and Maryland are.
Experts have been shortchanging PSU in the preseason for years...hell, two years ago some didn’t even have us ranked and we went 11-2. Now coming off a losing season, of course they’re going to shortchange us, but history is on Franklin’s side...if any other program had PSU’s record over the past five years, they would be looked at as a far better than average program. Then throw in the recruiting Franklin has been doing and we’d be top 7 preseason every year especially if we were in the SEC....but instead we’re an also ran, doubted by everyone including many of our fans. I’ll go with a longer history and say we will be just fine and be far better than an average program.
 
Just can't see a major jump from 4-5 to 9-3 or better...Basically same kids with a few transfers from the portal but nothing with the impact that a Kyree Smith would have made had he not chosen otherwise. Basically 4 players coming in that represent a push at best...the DE from Temple probably no better than Oweh/18. The Dt from Duke probably a push with Shelton. The dB from South Carolina not a starter, and so on. Same qb who struggled badly. Unknown at running back with Same ineffective guys returning back, Same offensive line, and the same defense. Schedule is brutal right away. I think 7-5 is a good season this year.


You should become a PITT fan.
 
Depends if Fumi and kids in town for season.
Also seems certain Covid is with us forever, so probably 30k in stadiums, tops. Therefore, 6-6 as Franklin’s main focus all year will be Covid and masking up. Maybe 8-4 with fam in town.
 
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I think we are easily better than Wisconsn AND Iowa....who even plays for them? OSU...this would be the year we can beat them. I dont even know who their QB is.
Easily? Wisconsin and Iowa are basically the same team every year, especially in their backyard. We aren’t OSU, nothing is easy.
 
We’re screwed. Thank God for Nova....1-11 is my prediction.... the naysayers have convinced me. We’re the only team recruiting at a high level that can’t afford to lose players, we had a bad Covid year, we have a QB that never wins (forget the 11 wins in his first year, that was more of a fluke than last year), and we have a coach who hovers just over .500 every year...all that spells another disastrous season. I changed my own mind with my solid arguments, 0-12.


I agree, we're obviously not a blue bood even though we havent lost to Michigan in two years, Iowa in like 5 years, and Wisconsin in like a million so, aside from a few Michigan State flukes and a couple bad halves against Ohio State, we should probable drop down to a lower division where we can win more than 10 games a year. It's mind blowing how atrocious and negative and unimformed our fan base is. With fan bases like this we don't even need ther other team's idiots to come and talk smack...too many of our own fan bases do it for us. Psychologucaly, I think it's to protect expectations and not be "hurt" but academically it's just really uneducated message board talk. There's a few idiots like this on blackshoediaries too and im like "dude, we get it, you hate to love your team and you have little faith." I cant STAND those types of fans and I would NEVER hang out with those kinds of people as friends....they would always be the loser who says , ...."well but......" GTFO out of here with that noise. You are on the bus or you are not. If one more person talks **** on Sean Clifford im gonna go loco. Not to mention (not that it matters) that is his brother is going to be a tremendous assett for the team. His brother is going to be like that annoying WR that you hate becuase he's undersized and white, but still makes the big play that WE used to play against all the time. Now WE have that kind of player. If you dont respect PSU and you don't have faith in CJF.....get off the board.
 
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Experts have been shortchanging PSU in the preseason for years...hell, two years ago some didn’t even have us ranked and we went 11-2. Now coming off a losing season, of course they’re going to shortchange us, but history is on Franklin’s side...if any other program had PSU’s record over the past five years, they would be looked at as a far better than average program. Then throw in the recruiting Franklin has been doing and we’d be top 7 preseason every year especially if we were in the SEC....but instead we’re an also ran, doubted by everyone including many of our fans. I’ll go with a longer history and say we will be just fine and be far better than an average program.

I realize that every fan base feels as though their team is disrespected. So, I get that.

But in three of the past four seasons, we were ranked higher in the preseason than where we finished.

Now, if you're looking for some random idiots online that shortchanged us......sure. You'll find a few. But aside from being vastly underrated in 2016 and vastly overrated in 2020, the preseason polls have proven fairly reasonable for the Franklin era. We were overrated in the preseason by a few spots in 2017, overrated by about 7-8 spots in 2018, and underrated by about 4-6 spots in 2019.

Going back to the recent Joe era, we had a few teams that didn't get the preseason respect (like 2002, 2005), and obviously a few that were overrated (1997, 1999, 2000, etc.). I imagine that goes for a lot of schools.
 
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I realize that every fan base feels as though their team is disrespected. So, I get that.

But in three of the past four seasons, we were ranked higher in the preseason than where we finished.

Now, if you're looking for some random idiots online that shortchanged us......sure. You'll find a few. But aside from being vastly underrated in 2016 and vastly overrated in 2020, the preseason polls have proven fairly reasonable for the Franklin era. We were overrated in the preseason by a few spots in 2017, overrated by about 7-8 spots in 2018, and underrated by about 4-6 spots in 2019.

Going back to the recent Joe era, we had a few teams that didn't get the preseason respect (like 2002, 2005), and obviously a few that were overrated (1997, 1999, 2000, etc.). I imagine that goes for a lot of schools.
I’m not talking about rankings so much, although in 2018 we were only overrated by two spots, not 7 or 8. I’m referring more to the talking heads and the broadcasters....almost every week, who’s their one team on upset alert? Whenever there’s a discussion about which ranked team finishes the season unranked, Penn State almost always comes up. Joel Klatt (I think it was him) didn’t even have us ranked in 2019 preseason. So yes, every fan base feels their team is disrespected, but that doesn’t mean they’re not....I don’t ever see teams that recruit at the level PSU does (or higher) get put on upset alert or get picked to lose to lesser teams to the level that PSU does.
 
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I agree, we're obviously not a blue bood even though we havent lost to Michigan in two years, Iowa in like 5 years, and Wisconsin in like a million so, aside from a few Michigan State flukes and a couple bad halves against Ohio State, we should probable drop down to a lower division where we can win more than 10 games a year. It's mind blowing how atrocious and negative and unimformed our fan base is. With fan bases like this we don't even need ther other team's idiots to come and talk smack...too many of our own fan bases do it for us. Psychologucaly, I think it's to protect expectations and not be "hurt" but academically it's just really uneducated message board talk. There's a few idiots like this on blackshoediaries too and im like "dude, we get it, you hate to love your team and you have little faith." I cant STAND those types of fans and I would NEVER hang out with those kinds of people as friends....they would always be the loser who says , ...."well but......" GTFO out of here with that noise. You are on the bus or you are not. If one more person talks **** on Sean Clifford im gonna go loco. Not to mention (not that it matters) that is his brother is going to be a tremendous assett for the team. His brother is going to be like that annoying WR that you hate becuase he's undersized and white, but still makes the big play that WE used to play against all the time. Now WE have that kind of player. If you dont respect PSU and you don't have faith in CJF.....get off the board.
Yes, they predict doom and gloom, say we’re going to finish 6-6 or 7-5....then we go 10-2 and they complain that we underachieved and that Franklin blew those two games and he isn’t elite. It’s like clockwork every year for some of these guys.
 
I am in the office on a rainy Sunday morning, printing some large documents/drawings, and need to pass the time.

The schedule:

9/4 @ Wisky
9/11 vs. Ball State
9/18 vs. Auburn
9/25 vs. Villanova
10/2 vs. Indiana
10/9 at Iowa
10/23 vs. Illinois
10/30 at Ohio State
11/6 at Maryland
11/13 vs Michigan
11/20 vs Rutgers
11/27 @ Michigan State

My predictions, based on nothing other than pulling numbers out of thin air:


9/4 @ Wisky PSU 27- UW 20
9/11 vs. Ball State PSU 41 Ball State - 10
9/18 vs. Auburn PSU 34 - AU - 14
9/25 vs. Villanova PSU 56 VU-7
10/2 vs. Indiana PSU-31 IU - 21
10/9 at Iowa PSU 28 Iowa - 20
10/23 vs. Illinois PSU - 42 Illinois - 17
10/30 at Ohio State OSU - 34 PSU 21
11/6 at Maryland PSU - 31 Maryland - 17
11/13 vs Michigan PSU-28 Michigan 24
11/20 vs Rutgers PSU - 35 Rutgers 14
11/27 @ Michigan State PSU - 31 MSU -17
8-4, not enough depth on defense and another new offense while having to play two good teams in the first four games.

Hopefully, it will be enough to keep all of or most of the good recruiting class we have going so far.
 
The most important prediction. Sadly, I’m sure you are correct.
Once again you have shown your astounding lack of understanding of the basic rules of fund raising. Reduced fan attendance eliminates spending money on trivial purchases such as gas, food, lodging, alcohol and a host of other nonessential items. (However purchasing tickets while not attending will still be encouraged). Thus freeing said money for direct donation to other vital projects in the master plan. It’s a simple maths allocation of limited resources to an unlimited needs process. Hopefully this clarifies matters.
 
Franklin knows this. He may not know much, but he knows this.
Even CJF has to be learning from the more than 2 dozen accomplished coaches who share their wisdom here. A few more years and he may be half as good as those who never coached as well.
 
Once again you have shown your astounding lack of understanding of the basic rules of fund raising. Reduced fan attendance eliminates spending money on trivial purchases such as gas, food, lodging, alcohol and a host of other nonessential items. (However purchasing tickets while not attending will still be encouraged). Thus freeing said money for direct donation to other vital projects in the master plan. It’s a simple maths allocation of limited resources to an unlimited needs process. Hopefully this clarifies matters.


I’m so stupid, but you are wise. Keep it up and Sandy will have no choice but to hire you.
 
Even CJF has to be learning from the more than 2 dozen accomplished coaches who share their wisdom here. A few more years and he may be half as good as those who never coached as well.


He’ll never be half as good as us.
 
10-2, give or take a game. Not as concerned as many are about Wisconsin, and especially not too concerned about Auburn. I think this is the best overall staff we've had in quite a few years, we've had a full spring practice, we should have some level of fans in the stands, and I think we've made quite a few improvements to the roster from last season.

Clifford's the big question mark, but I think Yurcich is the best overall OC that Franklin has had, and I think that does a ton. Should be the best overall lines of scrimmage on both sides of the ball that we've had under Franklin (the 2015 DL was better, but that OL was so bad that it didn't matter in the W/L column). Two really high-quality wide receivers, a very good collection of tight ends, and a collection of running backs that will produce.

Defensively, moving Smith inside and Jacobs starting outside will improve the linebacker play significantly. Should be the best secondary (even with the question mark at safety beside Brisker) that we've had in as long as I can remember. And I think the DL will be very good. Overall 1-85 talent is as good as it's been. Think we're looking at a strong year.
 
You should become a PITT fan.
True. The pitters don't even talk about projected records. They know that each and every year they will have 5 losses with Narduzzi coaching. They play in the easiest division in NCAA football so they have plenty of easy wins. Nevertheless they will have 5 losses regardless of schedule.
 
10-2, give or take a game. Not as concerned as many are about Wisconsin, and especially not too concerned about Auburn. I think this is the best overall staff we've had in quite a few years, we've had a full spring practice, we should have some level of fans in the stands, and I think we've made quite a few improvements to the roster from last season.

Clifford's the big question mark, but I think Yurcich is the best overall OC that Franklin has had, and I think that does a ton. Should be the best overall lines of scrimmage on both sides of the ball that we've had under Franklin (the 2015 DL was better, but that OL was so bad that it didn't matter in the W/L column). Two really high-quality wide receivers, a very good collection of tight ends, and a collection of running backs that will produce.

Defensively, moving Smith inside and Jacobs starting outside will improve the linebacker play significantly. Should be the best secondary (even with the question mark at safety beside Brisker) that we've had in as long as I can remember. And I think the DL will be very good. Overall 1-85 talent is as good as it's been. Think we're looking at a strong year.
Thoughtful, reasoned answers such as this are frowned upon by some.
 
I am generally more optimistic pre-season than reasonable, but I have mostly been rewarded under Franklin with the exception of last year. I think this can all come down to what you personally think of Clifford, and specifically, what MY can do for him and the offense. Totally fair to question the annual hype about the O-Line "being a strength" or the D-Line being able to get pressure on opposing QB's(we have been pretty darn good at stopping the run mostly). But can Clifford be a 2nd or 3rd team all Big 10 QB with the production to back it up? If the answer is yes, which admittedly, I am a bigger fan of his than most, then I do not believe 10-11 wins is out of the realm of possibility. Assuming Cain can stay healthy, coupled with Lee and spelled by Ford/Holmes, that is a bruising and fresh RB room. Dotson and Washington are "really good" receivers coupled with I hope some improvement from George and KLS is solid. TE room should be as good as any in the country. MY has a lot of tools at his disposal. If, and it's a big IF, Traut can get this line to be merely "solid" I think we can expect a major uptick in QB play and points. Clifford simply cannot turn the ball over as much as last year and I hope MY draws up some quick throws and a fast offense that makes things easy for Clifford. No more running around if the first read is covered and throwing poor passes off the back foot, that has to get fixed.
 
8-4
Losses to Wisconsin, Auburn, Ohio State and India

The amazing thing to me is that PSU finished 4-5 in spite of having the #2 rated offense in the BiG. IIRC we lost several games where we won the stats because of turnovers, missed kicks, etc.
PSU should have won vs IU and Nebraska no excuse for losing those games.
 
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