was the two best players on the field Justin Fields and Chase Young. Both are elite difference makers.
In the case of Justin Fields it was incredible opportunity that a talent like that became a "free agent" right when Dwayne Haskins was departing. Had that game been played with Tate Martell at QB we could easily be looking at Penn State at the top of the Big 10 and heading comfortably to the playoff.
I think Franklin has done an amazing job since taking over a program at rock bottom. This young team is within one horrible call (PI on Dan George at Minnesota) from being 11-1. Keep your head up James, keep recruiting at a top level, make adjustments where needed, and you're knocking on the door of elite the same way that Clemson and Dabo were a few years back before they broke through.
As for the fans....a dose of reality is needed. Are we better off with James than programs like Texas, Miami, USC, and Florida State? Hell yes! People calling for Franklin's head are pure morons.
One more thing....when I was at a game recently I sat next to someone closely connected to the program. I was told that Julian Fleming came to the whiteout vs Michigan and there was some optimism among the staff that he could be turned back to PSU until some jacko!f fan talked all kinds of trash to Julian. While I would hope that he would make decisions bigger than some idiot fan's comments or the status of one player (Justin Shorter) I had no idea he was at the Michigan game and even a possibility for a flip. If it is true it just proves the point that recruits read and take into account the negativity spewed by a fanbase.
In the case of Justin Fields it was incredible opportunity that a talent like that became a "free agent" right when Dwayne Haskins was departing. Had that game been played with Tate Martell at QB we could easily be looking at Penn State at the top of the Big 10 and heading comfortably to the playoff.
I think Franklin has done an amazing job since taking over a program at rock bottom. This young team is within one horrible call (PI on Dan George at Minnesota) from being 11-1. Keep your head up James, keep recruiting at a top level, make adjustments where needed, and you're knocking on the door of elite the same way that Clemson and Dabo were a few years back before they broke through.
As for the fans....a dose of reality is needed. Are we better off with James than programs like Texas, Miami, USC, and Florida State? Hell yes! People calling for Franklin's head are pure morons.
One more thing....when I was at a game recently I sat next to someone closely connected to the program. I was told that Julian Fleming came to the whiteout vs Michigan and there was some optimism among the staff that he could be turned back to PSU until some jacko!f fan talked all kinds of trash to Julian. While I would hope that he would make decisions bigger than some idiot fan's comments or the status of one player (Justin Shorter) I had no idea he was at the Michigan game and even a possibility for a flip. If it is true it just proves the point that recruits read and take into account the negativity spewed by a fanbase.