if you peel back the onion on this and ask why did the offense struggle at times against every team, not just elite teams, there may be a clue. we have a lot of talent on this offense that is achieving less than what it should. we have seen some amazing throws by Drew, so he can do it. we have seen long runs by Nick, so know he can do it. the OFF pts per game is being achieved with markedly low yard per game.
FC: PSU fires Yurcich
- Thread starter StamfordBridgeVikingatLeftOffensiveTackle
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Franklin has met expectations. That's the crux.
BELIEVE ME, it boils my blood to lose to OSU and UM as much as we have, I'm really f-ing sick of it, but the program all-around is very solid. Not elite, but solid. Top10-15 type program, probably a Top10-15 season this year. 11-2 last year. Top10-15 recruiting consistently, go figure. We would all love to be elite, but Penn State does not have that level of recruiting or the financial backing of the elite programs. Unless Franklin flies off the handle, has some scandal, or we dip to 4-5 losses a year, he'll be in good standing with the University and with Kraft.
We as fans don't know if Franklin was responsible for the terrible offensive performance this year, all we can do is hope that he WASN'T, and that the main cause was just fired and will be replaced by someone better.
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The addition of the West Coast teams just made 10-2 more difficult. Look at PSU's future schedules.
Playing a schedule of cupcakes provides a lot of make-up and perfume - but the issues w the squad (especially on the offensive side) were glaringly obvious since September. To paraphrase Coach Prime "They weren't hard to find".
It is what it is.
The AD may also be involved in this since the way I'm reading this they aren't interested in doing the right thing and following Texas A&M's lead to buy out CJF.
Not even close for two reasons. First, Ferentz‘s buyout is relatively small ($42 million) by today’s standards. Second, the performance expectations are relatively low compared to blue-blood programs like Penn State. Iowa accepts their 2nd tier status and they don’t have a melt-down when they lose 2-4 games every year.
Definitely there to see....but anyone pointing them out was shouted down by the "a win is a win" crowd.
The Bottom Feeder was an OC and a WR coach. Anyone see a connection between his experience and those two parts of the Penn State squad?
Just asking.
Just asking.
Say what?
How is losing 90% of your games to a conference rival (Ohio State) meeting expectations?
How is losing 6 consecutive games to Ohio State and Michigan meeting expectations?
How is finishing in 3rd place in your own division every year meeting expectations?
How is never making the CFP meeting expectations?
How is making only 1 B1G championship game in 10 years, meeting expectations?
You cannot be serious.
Iowa’s record during the 70s was doormat Northwestern bad. One season,IIRC, they didn’t win a game. It wasn’t until Haden Fry arrived that the football program started improving. That is why a 2 or 3 loss season is a huge improvement over what they had been in the past and their fans are happy with it.
You, me and 20 other middle aged knuckleheads on this board ccould form a team and probably win the Big Ten West.
Not really a high hurdle to cross.
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Precisely. Thank you for helping to make my point. Iowa is not looking to remove Ferentz. They are satisfied being a 2nd tier program.
The Zips are 2-8. Moorhead is making $620,000 . A nice raise to come back to University Park. IDK who would be begging the most to reunite the band back together again. Franklin has his weekly news conference Monday at noon. Maybe he shows up in Blenders ?
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The real frustration in my mind with Franklin is that he made his way coaching being a WR coach and Offensive coordinator. I can't think of anything more indicting than that. WR has been mostly a mess since 2016 and our offense either cannot run or cannot pass every year.
Not in the conventional sense. Kiffin took the HC job at Florida Atlantic but intended to remain as OC with Bama through the playoffs (similar to what O'Brien did with the Patriots after he accepted the PSU job). Saban said no dice, relieved him immediately, and replaced him with Sark.
True...but it is one of the many points to be made in showing how the conference bastardized the schedules/teams to favor UM and tOSU. I mean, if you are a five-star kid who wants to a) play in a Natty and b) go to the NFL wouldn't you want to play for the teams that the conference is telling you to go play for? I mean, the only thing the B1G could do more is to put a giant neon sign up in Rosemont saying ""Big Two and the Other guys". I mean, tOSU and Michigan are Michael Jackson and everyone else is Jermain. They are Donnie and Marie and we are the rest of the Osmonds.
Well, I think we are the winningest team never to make the CFP.
Giving Franklin the benefit of the doubt goes away, in my mind, after his repeated contract renegotiations antics. Sandy should have called his bluff.
You could add -
How is winning less than 2/3 of your B1G games meeting expectations?
How is one victory to a top ten team since 2016 meeting expectations?
How is losing to Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan State, and Indiana in the last three years meeting expectations?
How is a losing season and no bowl three years ago meeting expectations?
How is a .500 regular season two years ago meeting expectations?
But, he would be so hard to replace. After all, who could match his many achievements? Nobody can name anyone who could!
Check out the many on line speculation lists for a Texas A&M coaching replacement. Oregon, Mississippi, Washington, Kansas, Duke, etc. head coaches are all listed. Bottom Feeder? His name is conspicuous in its absence, on any list.
One thing to consider is did Yurich ignore the game plan and start winging it? Is it possible Franklin wondered with us why run all the way to a 1st and goal then start passing? Could he have wondered what happened to the TE passes or why the horizontal passes?
Franklin is responsible for the program and takes the heat but maybe he’s not 100% at fault?
Franklin is responsible for the program and takes the heat but maybe he’s not 100% at fault?
Huh? He has that headset and he can talk to anyone he likes. If he failed to provide input and direction when his team had first and goal he should be fired for incompetence. If he was in disagreement with the play calling during the game he should have stepped in. He can't just stand there acting like he is at home eating peanuts, drinking the beverage of his choice, and taking things in. OMG!
May be an unpopular opinion, but I have zero interest in Joe Moorhead, Part 2. We couldn't run the ball when we had to, and it cost us the Rose Bowl vs. USC and the OSU game in 2017. And I think Barkley wins the Heisman in 2017 with an OC who didn't have him starting from a standstill on seemingly every carry. Moorhead was necessary in 2016. He had run his course by the end of 2017. No thanks.
It's a fair point. There's been all kind of speculation on the board as to how much influence CJF has on the play calling. I don't think anyone here really knows. This isn't the first time Yurcich's been canned either, and CJF hired him. The head coach and has to bear at least a portion of the responsibility, but as you say he's not likely 100% at fault. We'd surely know if CJF were calling all the shots for the O. It just isn't the case. He did, however, play QB in college and his last two assistant coach responsibilities were QB/OC. Umm.
He still bears SOME responsibility.One thing that we have talked about, maybe not enough though, is that the PSU O is so limited without WRs who can't get downfield against strong defenses. We all probably underestimated the loss of a guy like Parker Washington. He sure would look good out there now. The counter argument is that it's up to the staff to be successful with the other pieces. True, but not having wide receivers who are not able to get downfield at all sure shrinks the field and simplifies the game plan for strong, balanced defenses like tOSU and UM. The chunk plays just weren't there.
In fact, it was UM who won with chunk plays in the running game. Other than those, PSU played great defense against UM. To me, UM is the more understandable loss. The tOSU was ripe for the taking, and PSU should have won that game. Have to beat one or the other in a meaningful game every once in a while.Bottom line, it is time for change(s).
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But in Allar’s first season as the starter, the offense has been inconsistent and struggled to make big plays. Though they actually rank 15th in scoring, the Nittany Lions rank 102nd in yards per play. Per TruMedia, just 8.9 percent of Penn State’s plays qualify as explosive gains (rushes of 12-plus yards and passes of 16-plus yards), which ranks 126th. The Nittany Lions are last in the FBS with only 3.4 percent of plays gaining 20 yards or more.
Because he wants a Buffer
You can bet he meddles with the Offense---their is a reason he wants Moorhead back. He knows him, is comfortable with him and probaly can call plays with him and Moorhead capitulates to the calls.
Whose expectations are you talking about?
I am not personally satisfied with the results against OSU and UM, I hate it as much as anyone here. But what I want is not the same as overall expectations from PSU brass. I think they see a solid, competitive program whose overall record and image is strong and the head coach is running the ship well enough.
This is a good take.
Is he too busy to veto these playcalls he doesn't approve of, per the post game? He has an offense background, he should have the perspective to fix it in-game.
I am ok with Seider. This two headed OC does not go down well with me.
Seider wants to be a head coach and he can establish his credentials with a successful turn at OC. His reputation is growing. He knows the different parties involved with the program. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of the players.
The real question for me is will the two headed OC be given the freedom to do their job or will micromanaging by Bottom Feeder do them in?
Seider wants to be a head coach and he can establish his credentials with a successful turn at OC. His reputation is growing. He knows the different parties involved with the program. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of the players.
The real question for me is will the two headed OC be given the freedom to do their job or will micromanaging by Bottom Feeder do them in?
He's busy working on 4th down strategies.
That’s low hanging fruit talk. All programs have those basic foundational expectations.
The high profile power programs want and expect more. No University is going to give a coach a 10 year $75 million contract to only achieve the low hanging fruit. For that kind of money the Universities expect conference championships, CFP contention, and defeating your conference top rivals more than once in a blue moon.
The highest profile programs do. Not sure Penn State administration views the program at that elite level, or not yet, so their expectations are high but not the highest. So 10-2 is not underachieving even when those losses are against our most hated rivals.
James Franklin's pay is in the top10-15 range. Commensurate with on-field records lately and recruiting performance. There are coaches with comparable contracts performing worse than Penn State. Clemson, USC, A&M (whoops), Kentucky, Tennessee, Miami, Florida. Harbaugh is outperforming his pay, but only after a pay cut AND cheating to get there.
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