James Franklin has proven he is the right coach for Penn State.

[Marylovesthelions]

I have criticized him for decisions over the past 3 years so some may think that I do not support him.. He has wonderfully carried forward the grand experiment. Penn State should always be known as a school that produces outstanding men who go on to live successful lives and contribute to society. That is why We Are.
Changing offensive coordinators in a year that you're not allowed to have Spring practice was a piece of very bad luck that few could overcome. Hopefully we were back on the right track now.

 

[Crusher1950]

Yep another 7 win season he is the best college coach in history

 

[diontechristmas]

Heading into year 9 unranked with a 6th year QB and a bunch of highly ranked recruiting classes is not great. If the goal is to produce a bunch of high quality scholar athletes, PSU needs time join the Patriot League.

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

Heading into year 9 unranked with a 6th year QB and a bunch of highly ranked recruiting classes is not great. If the goal is to produce a bunch of high quality scholar athletes, PSU needs time join the Patriot League.

Huh? Who is time?

 

[jimarnp]

Heading into year 9 unranked with a 6th year QB and a bunch of highly ranked recruiting classes is not great. If the goal is to produce a bunch of high quality scholar athletes, PSU needs time join the Patriot League.

Again, the last time they went into a season unranked , they won the Big 10….. and should have been in the playoffs.
—They ran off 3 , 11 win season.
—Pre-season ranking means virtually nothing.

 

[Obliviax]

I have criticized him for decisions over the past 3 years so some may think that I do not support him.. He has wonderfully carried forward the grand experiment. Penn State should always be known as a school that produces outstanding men who go on to live successful lives and contribute to society. That is why We Are.
Changing offensive coordinators in a year that you're not allowed to have Spring practice was a piece of very bad luck that few could overcome. Hopefully we were back on the right track now.

I like CJF and, as you said, has been a great ambassador for PSU when he was needed most (post JVP, JS, and a two of BO'B).

The problem is, the "grand experiment" doesn't work if we are a Purdue, Sparty, or Iowa. If we fall to the middle of the pack, we are no different than NW, for example. We are just another team that has placed education above football. We must be excellent in both player education and on-field performance for the "grand experiment" to function properly.

 

[diontechristmas]

Again, the last time they went into a season unranked , they won the Big 10….. and should have been in the playoffs.
—They ran off 3 , 11 win season.
—Pre-season ranking means virtually nothing.

Really no correlation can be made as there are no players left from the Big 10 title team and most of the coaching staff has turned over. Fact is, the Big 10 doesn’t have a 200 million dollar TV deal and Franklin doesn’t get 10 million a year to produce good kids. Coaches all over the country do just that a 1/100th the salary. PSU and Jimmy need to win football games. Win the Big and make the darn playoffs!

 

[diontechristmas]

Again, the last time they went into a season unranked , they won the Big 10….. and should have been in the playoffs.
—They ran off 3 , 11 win season.
—Pre-season ranking means virtually nothing.

Really no correlation can be made as there are no players left from the Big 10 title team and most of the coaching staff has turned over. Fact is, the Big 10 doesn’t have a 200 million dollar TV deal and Franklin doesn’t get 10 million a year to produce good kids. Coaches all over the country so just that a 1/100th the salary. PSU and Jimmy need to win football games. Win the Big and make the darn playoffs

Again, the last time they went into a season unranked , they won the Big 10….. and should have been in the playoffs.
—They ran off 3 , 11 win season.
—Pre-season ranking means virtually nothing.

Being 11-11 over the last two years means a whole lot though.

 

[john4psu]

In the last six years,, Franklin has led us to the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Cotton Bowl and is 2-1 in those games.

Sign me us for three major Bowl games every six years as a fan especially with Ohio State and Michigan to deal with every year.

Don't like it? Don't buy tickets. Go root for Alabama. True fans support their school through thick and thin.

 

[jimarnp]

Really no correlation can be made as there are no players left from the Big 10 title team and most of the coaching staff has turned over. Fact is, the Big 10 doesn’t have a 200 million dollar TV deal and Franklin doesn’t get 10 million a year to produce good kids. Coaches all over the country so just that a 1/100th the salary. PSU and Jimmy need to win football games. Win the Big and make the darn playoffs

Being 11-11 over the last two years means a whole lot though.

John Blutarski and Van Wilder never played for this team, so player correlation is absurd ( although Clifford is pushing the envelope). There is clearly a coaching (Franklin), and situational correlation/similarity . They are UN ranked in his 9th year, as they were in his 3rd year…..where they had clear success, and did so with 40 wins over 4 years. That means a whole lot too.
—** 11-11 over the last two years as the record, is a misnomer. The first of those seasons was “Covid”, that the Big Ten ( and much of the country) completely “flushed” from a football standpoint. There was nothing normal about it. —The next year, they were undefeated, ranked in the top 5 going into Iowa ( and winning) , until Clifford and Mustipher were lost for the season. Last year’s record was clearly ( not maybe), injury driven.

 

[marshall23]

In the last six years,, Franklin has led us to the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Cotton Bowl and is 2-1 in those games.

Sign me us for three major Bowl games every six years as a fan especially with Ohio State and Michigan to deal with every year.

Don't like it? Don't buy tickets. Go root for Alabama. True fans support their school through thick and thin.

Here are the facts:
CJF has proven he can win 11 games in a season.....finish in the top 10 in the nation .....win the conference and win NY6 bowls...
The past two seasons have been disappointing, no argument there.
Because he has achieved the former and he does it as a great ambassador for the university, I think he's the right guy for the job.
If you think someone else is coming in and consistently beating Ohio State and leading PSU to the final 4....I've got a bridge for sale.
Nebraska thought all they had to do was replace Solich....and Callahan.....Mike Riley.....Bo Pelini and now favorite son Scott Frost....They deserve better.......LOL

 

[diontechristmas]

John Blutarski and Van Wilder never played for this team, so player correlation is absurd ( although Clifford is pushing the envelope). There is clearly a coaching (Franklin), and situational correlation/similarity . They are UN ranked in his 9th year, as they were in his 3rd year…..where they had clear success, and did so with 40 wins over 4 years. That means a whole lot too.
—** 11-11 over the last two years as the record, is a misnomer. The first of those seasons was “Covid”, that the Big Ten ( and much of the country) completely “flushed” from a football standpoint. There was nothing normal about it. —The next year, they were undefeated, ranked in the top 5 going into Iowa ( and winning) , until Clifford and Mustipher were lost for the season. Last year’s record was clearly ( not maybe), injury driven.

PSU isn’t the only team with injuries. All the Big teams we lost to in 2020 were dealing with the same Covid situation. OSU won the natty with a back-up QB while ours couldn’t complete a pass at Iowa.

Jimmy wants to be elite but has been flat out mediocre. He consistently loses to inferior teams at the worst possible times (Illinois).

I was a Franklin apologist until last year as well, but going 11-11 in year 9 with high quality recruits and losing to a bunch of crappy teams is not good enough!

 

[marshall23]

PSU isn’t the only team with injuries. All the Big teams we lost to in 2020 were dealing with the same Covid situation. OSU won the natty with a back-up QB while ours couldn’t complete a pass at Iowa.

Jimmy wants to be elite but has been flat out mediocre. He consistently loses to inferior teams at the worst possible times (Illinois).

I was a Franklin apologist until last year as well, but going 11-11 in year 9 with high quality recruits and losing to a bunch of crappy teams is not good enough!

He's got 10 years to right the ship.

 

[marshall23]

Heading into year 9 unranked with a 6th year QB and a bunch of highly ranked recruiting classes is not great. If the goal is to produce a bunch of high quality scholar athletes, PSU needs time join the Patriot League.

Is suggesting that PSU leave the Big Ten akin to inviting you to become a fan of another team if you aren't happy?

 

[jimarnp]

PSU isn’t the only team with injuries. All the Big teams we lost to in 2020 were dealing with the same Covid situation. OSU won the natty with a back-up QB while ours couldn’t complete a pass at Iowa.

Jimmy wants to be elite but has been flat out mediocre. He consistently loses to inferior teams at the worst possible times (Illinois).

I was a Franklin apologist until last year as well, but going 11-11 in year 9 with high quality recruits and losing to a bunch of crappy teams is not good enough!

Did you sleep through the post 2011 time period, with it’s tyrannical sanctions never before seen by college football?
—It’s easy to have a good 3 deep without sanctions ( ala’ OSU). We didn’t have a good 1 deep in many areas until at least 2016. We were just building a foundation, and getting to a solid 2 deep everywhere, when the ”You’re not my BFF anymore” portal option occurred. Now we’re dealing with an unrestricted NIL curveball that can further destabilize integrity. —-If you don’t have an organization like the New York Yankees/ Alabama/OSU ( lot’s of money, and lots of willingness to spend it), you’re on the outside looking in.
—Things don’t happen in a vacuum. There are very many moving parts here.…and the coaches have less and less control.

 

[Ian]

Heading into year 9 unranked with a 6th year QB and a bunch of highly ranked recruiting classes is not great. If the goal is to produce a bunch of high quality scholar athletes, PSU needs time join the Patriot League.

Not so fast my friend and evidently based on what another poster indicated the highest transfer rate in the B1G over the last 4 years! He is over rated and over paid but since he is still the "old bawl coach" I hope he sizzles this year and proves all the naysayers, including me, terribly wrong. I love eating crow!

 

[Wallace Breen]

Franklin has not demonstrated he is the right coach. He has shown potential to be but sadly, we are going into year nine and we are no closer to the playoffs than we were in year one. He recruits well as evidenced by draft day and the number of undrafted players that get a cup of coffee but we continue to have an unbalanced roster which kills the team because Franklin's judgement regarding coordinators and assistant coaches is highly suspect. Yes, he graduates players (by the current standard which is highly watered down compared to the old one) and they stay out of trouble but the problem is he makes a lot of money and constantly whines about facilities that are well above average and better than many contemporaries.

 

[Agoodnap]

Heading into year 9 unranked with a 6th year QB and a bunch of highly ranked recruiting classes is not great. If the goal is to produce a bunch of high quality scholar athletes, PSU needs time join the Patriot League.

Almost half the team, regardless of years in program, are listed as DUS. That's failing at "scholar athletes" as well.

 

[The Spin Meister]

So why did I open this thread?

 

[Marylovesthelions]

I like CJF and, as you said, has been a great ambassador for PSU when he was needed most (post JVP, JS, and a two of BO'B).

The problem is, the "grand experiment" doesn't work if we are a Purdue, Sparty, or Iowa. If we fall to the middle of the pack, we are no different than NW, for example. We are just another team that has placed education above football. We must be excellent in both player education and on-field performance for the "grand experiment" to function properly.

Bullseye. I expect a return to very good football.

 

[Wallace Breen]

Almost half the team, regardless of years in program, are listed as DUS. That's failing at "scholar athletes" as well.

I just took a look. This is pretty troubling. Yes the data on the official site may be a mix of old/new but troubling nonetheless. The number of 2nd, 3rd and 4th year players listed as DUS is a very bad look. I can see many 2nds not having a major but 3rd year players should have one. Hard stop.

 

[SLion]

I have criticized him for decisions over the past 3 years so some may think that I do not support him.. He has wonderfully carried forward the grand experiment. Penn State should always be known as a school that produces outstanding men who go on to live successful lives and contribute to society. That is why We Are.
Changing offensive coordinators in a year that you're not allowed to have Spring practice was a piece of very bad luck that few could overcome. Hopefully we were back on the right track now.

Hope springs eternal. Let's see how we feel around 11PM on Thurs. I will admit that he sounds very focused. His answer to whether he was going to watch his old coaches, VT-ODU on Friday was telling. He went right into the schedule of things that they need to do after a game. He nearly forget to answer question but caught himself..no, he won't be going to game.

 

[diontechristmas]

Almost half the team, regardless of years in program, are listed as DUS. That's failing at "scholar athletes" as well.

Exactly. Franklin makes the kids go to class and holds them accountable, but the majority of the team is taking “easy majors”. It’s simply the way college football works these days and PSU is no different from any other major program.

 

[psu00]

Putting aside the the blue and white glasses, we measure on field coaching success with national championships, conference championships, winning playoff and bowl games, beating big rivals (and winning the games you should against lower talent).

Let’s look at the last 8 years at Penn State-

1. National championships- 0
2. Playoff appearances- 0
3. Conference titles- 1.
4. Bowl record- 3-4
5. Record against conference rivals- 7-17


As for national titles- they’re obviously rare for any team not named Bama or Clemson. However, there’s been no playoff appearances and only 1 conference championship game in 8 years. There’s also a losing record in Bowl games which includes uninspired losses to teams like Arkansas and Kentucky.

Penn State is 1-7 against Ohio State, 3-5 against Michigan, and 3-5 against Michigan State. Add to that losses to teams like Illinois with an 11-11 record over the past 2 years and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say the results on the field are not what they should be.

 

[Agoodnap]

Exactly. Franklin makes the kids go to class and holds them accountable, but the majority of the team is taking “easy majors”. It’s simply the way college football works these days and PSU is no different from any other major program.

This is a common misconception. Somehow a couple of videos with Franklin showing up in Thomas 100 made everyone believe he cares. The vast majority of his players are here for one thing and one thing only and that's to get to the NFL. Franklin knows this when he recruits them yet brings them to "college" anyway.

ps: Are you the basketball player from Temple?

 

[BBHorn86]

John Blutarski and Van Wilder never played for this team, so player correlation is absurd ( although Clifford is pushing the envelope). There is clearly a coaching (Franklin), and situational correlation/similarity . They are UN ranked in his 9th year, as they were in his 3rd year…..where they had clear success, and did so with 40 wins over 4 years. That means a whole lot too.
—** 11-11 over the last two years as the record, is a misnomer. The first of those seasons was “Covid”, that the Big Ten ( and much of the country) completely “flushed” from a football standpoint. There was nothing normal about it. —The next year, they were undefeated, ranked in the top 5 going into Iowa ( and winning) , until Clifford and Mustipher were lost for the season. Last year’s record was clearly ( not maybe), injury driven.

I would agree with you but for the loss to Illinois. At home unable to get 2 freaking points against one of the weakest, thin (in terms of depth) teams in the conference with how many chances? Why were we even in that situation? Everyone loses to Ohio State except the most elite of teams and last year was Michigan's year but come on there was no excuse for the Illinois loss and that game alone has me questioning we have the right person running the program. Michigan State and Iowa beat us because they are better coached. If we end 7-5 or worse this year I think we are in for a long slide into irrelevance and being honest we might already be there.

 

[manilion]

I have criticized him for decisions over the past 3 years so some may think that I do not support him.. He has wonderfully carried forward the grand experiment. Penn State should always be known as a school that produces outstanding men who go on to live successful lives and contribute to society. That is why We Are.
Changing offensive coordinators in a year that you're not allowed to have Spring practice was a piece of very bad luck that few could overcome. Hopefully we were back on the right track now.

Lol. Is this April Fools Day.

 

[diontechristmas]

This is a common misconception. Somehow a couple of videos with Franklin showing up in Thomas 100 made everyone believe he cares. The vast majority of his players are here for one thing and one thing only and that's to get to the NFL. Franklin knows this when he recruits them yet brings them to "college" anyway.

ps: Are you the basketball player from Temple?

Ha, no I was somehow randomly assigned this name on another rivals board years ago and just went with it. I was under the assumption Franklin took class attendance seriously but would not be surprised if it’s just PR. 90% of the kids at the power football schools don’t give a rip about school. Look at their majors. Look at their general attitude toward school and the writing skills of some of these kids.

 

[MacNit07]

In the last six years,, Franklin has led us to the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Cotton Bowl and is 2-1 in those games.

Sign me us for three major Bowl games every six years as a fan especially with Ohio State and Michigan to deal with every year.

Don't like it? Don't buy tickets. Go root for Alabama. True fans support their school through thick and thin.

True fans also point out tbe obvious: it’s year 9 and Franklin is significantly underachieving….and a good bit of it is his in game coaching…and the trend line is pointed down.

 

[ivan brunetti]

.600 winning percentage in the Big Ten. Good for maybe a B-.

 

[marshall23]

This is a common misconception. Somehow a couple of videos with Franklin showing up in Thomas 100 made everyone believe he cares. The vast majority of his players are here for one thing and one thing only and that's to get to the NFL. Franklin knows this when he recruits them yet brings them to "college" anyway.

ps: Are you the basketball player from Temple?

So Franklin should recruit players that have no aspirations to go to the NFL?
That'll improve the team

 

[marshall23]

True fans also point out tbe obvious: it’s year 9 and Franklin is significantly underachieving….and a good bit of it is his in game coaching…and the trend line is pointed down.

Let's see what the next 9 years bring.

 

[marshall23]

Franklin has not demonstrated he is the right coach. He has shown potential to be but sadly, we are going into year nine and we are no closer to the playoffs than we were in year one. He recruits well as evidenced by draft day and the number of undrafted players that get a cup of coffee but we continue to have an unbalanced roster which kills the team because Franklin's judgement regarding coordinators and assistant coaches is highly suspect. Yes, he graduates players (by the current standard which is highly watered down compared to the old one) and they stay out of trouble but the problem is he makes a lot of money and constantly whines about facilities that are well above average and better than many contemporaries.

College football's 25 best facilities in 2022, ranked

...

247sports.com

Definitely not top 25. So "above average" is good? Then so is 7-6.

 

[Nittany1997]

Mary is eating popcorn and watching the fire she started!

 

[john4psu]

.600 winning percentage in the Big Ten. Good for maybe a B-.

What was Joe's Big 10 winning percentage?

 

[john4psu]

True fans also point out tbe obvious: it’s year 9 and Franklin is significantly underachieving….and a good bit of it is his in game coaching…and the trend line is pointed down.

Give me three major bowl games in the last six years for life.

 

[john4psu]

Putting aside the the blue and white glasses, we measure on field coaching success with national championships, conference championships, winning playoff and bowl games, beating big rivals (and winning the games you should against lower talent).

Let’s look at the last 8 years at Penn State-

1. National championships- 0
2. Playoff appearances- 0
3. Conference titles- 1.
4. Bowl record- 3-4
5. Record against conference rivals- 7-17


As for national titles- they’re obviously rare for any team not named Bama or Clemson. However, there’s been no playoff appearances and only 1 conference championship game in 8 years. There’s also a losing record in Bowl games which includes uninspired losses to teams like Arkansas and Kentucky.

Penn State is 1-7 against Ohio State, 3-5 against Michigan, and 3-5 against Michigan State. Add to that losses to teams like Illinois with an 11-11 record over the past 2 years and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say the results on the field are not what they should be.

Now do Jim Harbaugh for a comparison.

 

[john4psu]

True fans also point out tbe obvious: it’s year 9 and Franklin is significantly underachieving….and a good bit of it is his in game coaching…and the trend line is pointed down.

I shutter to think what you thought of Paterno after year 19!

 

[john4psu]

PSU isn’t the only team with injuries. All the Big teams we lost to in 2020 were dealing with the same Covid situation. OSU won the natty with a back-up QB while ours couldn’t complete a pass at Iowa.

Jimmy wants to be elite but has been flat out mediocre. He consistently loses to inferior teams at the worst possible times (Illinois).

I was a Franklin apologist until last year as well, but going 11-11 in year 9 with high quality recruits and losing to a bunch of crappy teams is not good enough!

How many teams lost years of play from two star impact players such as Journey Brown (heart) after a great Cotton Bowl and Parsons (Covid year only played as a freshman and sophomore year lost Covid) also had a great Cotton Bowl?

 

[john4psu]

Your fun fact for the day:

In the past six years, James Franklin has won as many major bowl games (two) as Pitt has since 1938. Two major bowl victories in the past 83 seasons for Pitt: the 1977 and the 1982 Sugar Bowls.