Watched the press conference by CJF - Still behind him 100% - her reminds me of a guy

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

I still disagree that you always have one back in the backfield and a few other things. But his straight forward approach to questions about his team and program.... his taking responsibility... is even better than the guy that he reminds me of..... here is the guys record...... in the B10 when he was in the B10.

1995 Michigan State 12 6 5 1 .542 7.68 9.27 Independence Bowl-L
1996 Michigan State 12 6 6 0 .500 8.66 5.16 Sun Bowl-L
1997 Michigan State 12 7 5 0 .583 9.47 4.05 25 11 Aloha Bowl-L
1998 Michigan State 12 6 6 0 .500 8.13 5.80 23 23
1999 Michigan State 11 9 2 0 .818 14.95 7.03 5 7

There is another guy too....... pretty interesting numbers.

 

[Limestone_Lion]

Saban

 

[ClarkstonMark]

I wouldn't describe Saban or JF as straightforward, but they both do what is in their best interests.

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

I wouldn't describe Saban or JF as straightforward, but they both do what is in their best interests.

They both do what is in their own best interest which most rational people attempt to do unlike people into self mutilation and such, I think.

 

[Sooner Lion]

I love his positive attitude. That said, he is beginning to get a track record of "playing it safe" which has led to "L's." The 2016 Rose Bowl and the 2017 Ohio State game were James Franklin's "1979 Sugar Bowl Moment." Let's hope he learns from it.

 

[HazletonLion]

James Franklin is the best thing to happen to Penn State no matter where we end up this year.

 

[NittanyOpp]

I love his positive attitude. That said, he is beginning to get a track record of "playing it safe" which has led to "L's." The 2016 Rose Bowl and the 2017 Ohio State game were James Franklin's "1979 Sugar Bowl Moment." Let's hope he learns from it.

Was a trend before the higher profile games. Maryland at home he cost us too playing it too safe. Love him, but its a fact and I said earlier this year he will cost us at least one game per year with his game management. His clock management is better but he still likes his safe shell at the end of games positioning for the fg kicker.

 

[mmp121]

The point being made is that he has a record of turtling on big leads going into 4th quarter in big games. See 2017 Rose Bowl and this past weekend at tO$U.

When your already down, you have really nothing to lose by trying to score.

I do wish CJF / JoMo would go for the jugular instead of playing the nice guy approach (aka going by the book) when having a lead, especially in a hostile environment.

 

[Sooner Lion]

Yeah. OK.

1) Down 12-0 near end of first half, facing a 3rd and 8 at his own 28 yard line with 47 seconds left until halftime.
2) His offense has done NOTHING. 0 for the last 9 in passing attempts, haven't completed a pass to a wide receiver all game.

So - only a complete idiot would do anything other than take a knee, run out the clock and get in to the locker room with it still a two score game.

Nope.

Instead, the "playing it safe" coach calls a timeout - - - shows confidence in his offense - - - and they complete three straight passes downfield of 19, 34, and 20 yards for a touchdown to completely turn around the momentum of the game.
A game they won (over a Top 5 team in the country) that completely changed the dynamic of the program.

Of course, if after calling the time out, the offense failed to convert and gave the opposition an opportunity to make it a three score game - all of the savants and geniuses (like most of the posters on this Board) would have skewered him for such an idiotic, stupid move.

Right.



1) Trailing 13-3 in the third quarter of a rainy, sloppy, ugly defensive slog.
2) Facing 3rd and 10 on his own 20
3) Having completed exactly ONE pass of over 9 yards all game long.

Of course, the "playing it safe" coach is going to play it safe and play field position.

Nope.

Puts a talented, but utterly inexperienced, freshman wide-out in the game, throws the ball deep downfield, and the freshman wide-out hauls in a deep ball, breaks a tackle, and goes 80 yards for a season-changing touchdown.

Right



1) Playing in the conference championship game, down 21-7 after his team surrenders a scoop and score fumble return to the opposition.
2) Facing 4th and 2 at their own 42, rather than punt the ball away, the "playing it safe" coach shows confidence in his offense and "goes for it" on fourth down.

When the try fails, all of the savants and geniuses DO skewer him for such an "idiotic" move.

Of course, his offense later turns on the afterburners and never looks back - rolling up 4 touchdowns plus a field goal on their final five possessions to win the conference title,



There is no limit to the ignorant oblivious-ity of the average (and the vast majority of) sports fan.

You have clearly never played at the collegiate level.

 

[N&B4PSU]

stormin... you are 100% correct... Coach is a riverboat gambler.

But when the casino is about to close, he checks his chips and plays to get out of town without losing his shirt.

That is all anyone is trying to say... he is much better taking chances when he needs to.. not so much when he's far out in front.

So far, he's been wildly successful despite a couple of hiccups... and once we have an OL that can get us needed yards against big defenses when it matters (it's coming).. he'll be able to get away with it.

We're just not at that level... yet.

 

[Kiber]

Being that JoePa was ours, I believe Franklin should have free access to use "JoePa-isms" whenever he wants to, and one of JoePa's favorite sayings would be perfect for Franklin after the last 2 weeks.

"You are never as good as you think you are when you win. And you are not as bad as you think you are when you lose".

After the Michigan game everyone lost their minds with how good we looked and how good we all THOUGHT we were based on that win. 7 days later, everyone is ready to fire the staff, be critical of play-calling, be critical of the players, and jump off the nearest bridge because we lost to a VERY good team, on the road, by 1 point.

At his Tuesday presser, Franklin should have simply gone to the JoePa quote book and broke that one out.

 

[sluggo72]

Yeah. OK.

1) Down 12-0 near end of first half, facing a 3rd and 8 at his own 28 yard line with 47 seconds left until halftime.
2) His offense has done NOTHING. 0 for the last 9 in passing attempts, haven't completed a pass to a wide receiver all game.

So - only a complete idiot would do anything other than take a knee, run out the clock and get in to the locker room with it still a two score game.

Nope.

Instead, the "playing it safe" coach calls a timeout - - - shows confidence in his offense - - - and they complete three straight passes downfield of 19, 34, and 20 yards for a touchdown to completely turn around the momentum of the game.
A game they won (over a Top 5 team in the country) that completely changed the dynamic of the program.

Of course, if after calling the time out, the offense failed to convert and gave the opposition an opportunity to make it a three score game - all of the savants and geniuses (like most of the posters on this Board) would have skewered him for such an idiotic, stupid move.

Right.



1) Trailing 13-3 in the third quarter of a rainy, sloppy, ugly defensive slog.
2) Facing 3rd and 10 on his own 20
3) Having completed exactly ONE pass of over 9 yards all game long.

Of course, the "playing it safe" coach is going to play it safe and play field position.

Nope.

Puts a talented, but utterly inexperienced, freshman wide-out in the game, throws the ball deep downfield, and the freshman wide-out hauls in a deep ball, breaks a tackle, and goes 80 yards for a season-changing touchdown.

Right



1) Playing in the conference championship game, down 21-7 after his team surrenders a scoop and score fumble return to the opposition.
2) Facing 4th and 2 at their own 42, rather than punt the ball away, the "playing it safe" coach shows confidence in his offense and "goes for it" on fourth down.

When the try fails, all of the savants and geniuses DO skewer him for such an "idiotic" move.

Of course, his offense later turns on the afterburners and never looks back - rolling up 4 touchdowns plus a field goal on their final five possessions to win the conference title,



There is no limit to the ignorant oblivious-ity of the average (and the vast majority of) sports fan.

Have you noticed a common theme in your scenarios? PSU was behind, so at that point what do you have to lose? Now do the same breakdown with us and a lead.

 

[sluggo72]

Are you too lazy to do it yourself?
Or, has your dementia kicked in so severely that you can't recall the events of just 11 days ago?

You know, 11 days ago, when Penn State took a 2 score lead into the fourth quarter against Michigan - and then immediately began to "play not to lose", by throwing deep to Barkley for a clinching touchdown? LOL

Or perhaps the game to decide last year's Big Ten East championship - when after taking a two score lead, the "playing it safe" Coaching staff decided to go conservative and try to bleed the clock?
You remember, when they "turtled" by going deep to Godwin on the very next possession - for a long touchdown that declared that the rout was on? LOL.


Unreal.
To you and your Mensa cohorts, the only 2 games out of the last 18 that are worthy of any weighting or consideration are - shockingly - the only 2 games that Penn State didn't win.
All of the rest are meaningless. LOL

Maybe, just maybe, the Ohio State defensive front was completely owning the Penn State offensive front once Bates was forced from the game?
Maybe, just maybe, that had some impact on just what schemes the Penn State offense was likely to execute with any degree of success? (like, possibly, damn near none)


Maybe, just maybe, EVERY time a team loses (or even when they win) there are a hundred possible woulda', coulda', shoulda's?
Maybe, just maybe, the bottom line is that no team wins every game.
Maybe, just maybe, when two talented, well-coached teams meet on the field and play their asses off, the one that is able to walk away with a win is not always the one that you root for?

Grow up.

did you notice a theme there? When they went DEEP to Barkley, when they went DEEP to Godwin, so when did PSU go deep with a lead vs OSU? or USC?