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True as well
Only until the actual big boys implement an uneven distribution.
PSU to me is insanely similar to Tennessee. Very good/elite program, rabid and fairly over the top fanbase, great stadium and atmosphere, have had some success and hit the top a few times historically. But they just aren't quite on the same level as a OSU/Bama and never will be.
Agreed, they are not a blueblood imo.
I was reading the comments over at Black Shoe Diaries and was tempted to jump in on the discussion when they were referring to themselves as a Blueblood program. I resisted as I wasn't looking for conflict and they were obviously hurting after the NW loss.
I think people there are just frustrated he hasn't won the natty for them. I get it, we were getting frustrated by going to sooo many Orange Bowls during Frank's tenure at VT lol. Grass is certainly not always greener. I just think other than a small handful of schools, having real aspirations to win a natty every year is just insanely unhinged. PSU is a very good program, but they're not OSU. OSU is a legit blue blood, top 3 all time caliber program.
Franklin has won less that 9 games four times in his career:
- First season at Vandy
- First two seasons at PSU
- Covid season
It's just so wild that I know he's objectively good at running a program, but yet I think Penn state fans aren't being irrational by wanting someone better.
Hot Take:
Indiana has the best resume in CFB and should be ranked #1 right now. A dozen other logos on the side of that helmet and they are #1
Yea... there's also this piece published the evening of the NW loss before Franklin was fired (or before it was announced) talking about how PSU people were upset by the Adidas deal.
Seems sus
I have seen this same thing from multiple sources. A very strange world CFB is in right now.
leg
However,
anyone who thinks we should turn our nose up at him is insane.
Please tell me we all understand the cardinal rule of "Thou shalt not hire a Penn State reject"
Seriously though: Count me as a solid NO on a Franklin hire.
This is the exact reason i made my original post on him. I've despised the dude ever since he started stealing the best VA recruits. The whole Devon Ford debacle still chaps my ass. But, if he were here pulling those guys, i think that's a win because he'll definitely be negative recruiting pedo st.
So my Penn State friend shared this with me... I don't know what to think of it. The thread is interesting:
Source at Penn State: I have been told that Adidas drove the James Franklin firing and are why it happened today. They committed to pay most or all of the money. They also wanted a new coach before recent losses, but they made it hard for anyone at PSU to argue.
Some additional context, if you were unaware.
I lean toward this comment with regard to recruiting. Recruiting seems to be more who are you recruiting for (which school) than how good are you as a recruiter.
I want to believe a good recruiter can markedly improve our results however I am inclined to believe a good recruiter will only marginally improve our numbers.
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Well, now I'm even more sad.
Objectively, Franklin could essentially be plug and play next year for VT given the recruiting region, his staff ties, etc.
It would certainly be an interesting case study on how much relationships and brand-name matter in a post revenue sharing era.
Quote from Alex Kirshner on the split zone duo hurry up this week:
I can't believe it, but I think someone needs to hire Dan Mullen...
...Put this guy with a GM, don't make him recruit, and just tell him to call ball plays. I mean, 10 yards per play here, unstoppable... ...just plucked this guy out of UVA and made him one of the best QBs in the G5.
If you're good at it, you're good at it, and Dan Mullen is good at.
I haven't been a fan, but I also haven't NOT been a fan
We need to win pretty much immediately at VT with this new hire if we want the financial investment to bear fruit and grow and if we want any hope of a P2 life raft after the ACC inevitably implodes. Objectively, Franklin could essentially be plug and play next year for VT given the recruiting region, his staff ties, etc. We need a splash now. Haven't been a fan of his but just taking that bias out of it, I don't see how you don't pursue.
We'll still be behind, but less so.
Not even, this $30m makes it so we don't lose even more ground with the SEC/B10. Every one of those schools is getting a big raise with the new TV contracts. Data isn't widely available for FY25 (June 24 - July 25). When those numbers are publicly available, you're going to see that every P2 school got a $30m bump in TV revenue. On top of that, VT is losing in the new ACC viewership sweepstakes.
3 years ago I would've agreed with you. BUT in a division-less B10 (easier schedule) and the Rev Share era, I disagree. PSU is investing heavily in coaches and players. The can upgrade.
James Franklin is excellent at every aspect of the Head Coaching job except in-game coaching. In the modern college game, I think that can get you inside the top 10 most years.
I'm sure the argument is that we need to spend more to eventually make more, and hope that we get good enough to get a life preserver thrown our way when the ACC eventually falls apart.
However, you are unfortunately correct. We'll still be behind, but less so.
Franklin's recent resume is essentially Frank Beamer @VT. Good teams, but more often than not, left you thinking there was more potential.
This is so fucking true. I saw a graphic on instagram with coaches records against top 5 teams. Guess who else was 1-25 or whatever against T5 teams? Frank Beamer.
I suppose the difference is that Frank Beamer was a true innovator when it came to special teams, while Franklin is one of the least schematically inclined coaches at his level. But I think that's irrelevant.
Don't start with me about the new budget, I'll believe it when I see it and even *IF* we get the money right, we're still a ways away from competing
I'm planning a longer post on this... but the new money keeps us from falling out of the arms race. It really isn't enough for us to leap frog (m)any schools ahead of us.
That's a cold take. They have 3 number 1 votes in the AP, and are #3 overall.