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I'll take what I can get. Winning>Losing 100%
but it's also true that winning 42-10 is more fun than winning 17-14
But 42-10 means consuming fewer TUMS.....
One of the better more thoughtful and critically thinking posters here IMO. I never got upset at anything he said. Actually, made me think. Too bad if he's gone and banned. Who wants an echo chamber.
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Not exactly an exciting resume...thinner than Bowen's when he was hired by Pry.
I want this to work but the feeling I am getting in the OC/DC hires is awful similar to 2021..."oh...well...uh...okay"
Sure...im Franklin we trust, but I also remember "in Pry we trust"---how'd that one turn out?
I have similar feelings about this as I do the Pry situation.
On one hand, this feels a little like Stiney 2.0... As we all know, Stiney was a great recruiter and an excellent OL/TE coach. One of the best in the business when that was his job. Then he got promoted and quickly showed us that he wasn't cut out for the play caller role. Only time will tell with this hire.
On the other hand, like Pry, this screams continuity. And I think continuity, at least in the early stages of this rebuild, will be paramount to James Franklin not being overly burdened with certain nuances of leadership within the staff. I can appreciate the approach.
Bowen definitely got the most out of the offense and personnel, but he also was responsible for us hitching our wagon to Drones. Bad eval.
The big issue I have with Bama is that people are saying they shouldn't get punished for losing a conference championship to a higher ranked team. But that is exactly what happened to BYU. Also, Bama's best win was early against UGA, who just smoked them in the championship game. Yes, they played an additional game to give them their third loss, but this makes three unique teams that they've lost to. If you negate their win against UGA given that they just lost to them by three touchdowns, their best win was at home against Vandy. That's the only other ranked win they had. Are they better than BYU? On paper based on talent and prestige maybe. But BYU has only lost to one team. Bama lost to 3, including a 5-7 shitshow FSU, and the best win they have has to be viewed through the lens of having just lost to that same team by 21.
I am okay with this hire. I know that CFB is a game where comfort is everything, so hiring someone Franklin worked with before is not surprising. This guy seems like a bright up and comer, and understands Franklin's expectations.
I also hope we don't become Penn State lite. Franklin was fired for a reason, and trying to replicate the entire PSU operation won't lead to him breaking through and winning a "big game". To be fair, VT has to get back to a big game first.
We are in wait and see mode. Hopefully this guy has a high ceiling and does well.
In James Franklin I trust.
I thought Bowen was adequate. And he was smart enough to jump off the sinking ship and go work for a natty contender in OSU this season.
First-time coordinator doesn't bother me with an experienced HC. First time HC Pry hiring two first-time coordinators was egregious.
He also throws a nice ball if we're looking for the #1 TE -> QB pipeline.
Fun timestamps now that I've watched this video twice:
0:10 defender bounces 3 yards off of him
0:46 takes the slowest lobbed snap then for fun makes every defender on the field miss him for a 15yd first down
2:05 great catch....clearly 1 yard out of bounds
2:48 running a guy over for 1 extra yard and fun.
3:47 is for sure going to get sacked makes a wild 1 leg jump pass for a down field completion
4:33 on the run prayer throw and the WR makes a beckham catch
But the NCAA is just the presidents of the schools. It's not a question of if they have the balls to do it. The NCAA changes the rules annually. They don't want a playoff that is just conference champions.
After the last decade...let's just win. I'm not a beggar to need to the 42-10 wins (except loluva).
Bringing Reynolds along would almost make this hire worth it alone. Former #1 TE croot. Giggling watching his hudl tape. First clip he ragdolls some poor defender.
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13858388/6330e534dfe2a70500988d66
Eh...again, mixed feelings. Trust the process. But he really reminds me of (and looks similar to) Tyler Bowen. Also first-time OC...
winning is fun, yeah. no doubt.
winning with exciting offense and suffocating defense is way more fun.
I'm not going to complain if we win a bunch of 3 hour long slogs 17-14 or something. But it would be a lot more fun to win a bunch of games 42-10.
At this point I am whelmed with this news. Was expecting a poach or a former OC for the job. Just not sure if they are pinching pennies so they can hire more assistants this year to get going.
At this point, until I see what is going to be the on field product I'm just in wait and see mode to how things go. Hope they start putting up Ws but have to wait till next season so even start to think about getting excited.
Also hope this doesn't turn into a CornFu thing.
I think your gut feel that these are money saving is incorrect. It's easy to be disappointed because with the increased budget we wanted a more exciting hire. It's clear Franklin has a different vision. I do agree with the sentiment that I hope we didn't pay above market value for someone with a thin resume. I will say that the flashy hire for OC has crashed and burned for a lot of schools in the past. Just look at Matt Canada's resume.
Just to call out, Franklin and his staff had Penn State ranked inside the top 10 at some point in the season every year since 2016. In all but 3 of those years, including this one, they were never lower than 12th in the final poll, and nearly made the national championship last year.
In 2024, PSU total offense: 430.2 yds/g, 33.1 pts/g (13-3, national semis) - VT 367.8 yds/g, 28.2 pts/g (6-7)
In 2023, PSU total offense: 399.8 yds/g, 36.2 pts/g (10-3) - VT 391.5 yds/g, 29.5 (7-6)
In 2021, PSU total Defense: 353.0 yds/g, 17.3 pts/g (7th in nation) - VT 393.7 yds/g, 25.3 pts/g
In 2020 (COVID SEASON), PSU total Defense: 329 yds/g, 27.7 pts/g - VT 447.5 yds/g, 32.1 pts/g
In 2019, PSU total Defense: 346.8 yds/g, 16 pts/g (11-2 record) - VT 363.7 yds/g, 24.7 pts/g (8-5 record)
While there is more money being injected into the program, it's like getting a $5 an hour raise...yes, it's more than it was before, but it's still not what the big boss is making: or what Bammer and the blue bloods have at their disposal. Excitement doesn't equivalate to $100million overnight. It's not:
Also, from the numbers, not sure what kind of production we thought we would "buy" from an OC or DC. Of the P4 in 2024, Miami lead the way with 537.2 yds/g (10-3, 3rd overall in ACC.) Ohio State (champions) were at 429.4 yds/g...one yard less than PSU. Point being, the product on the field and the marks in the win column are the ultimate markers of success. With Ty, PSU had more production and scoring than we did. Something we've wanted for a few years. And with Brent as DC, the PSU defense was stingier with yards and points than VT...again, something we've wanted. Franklin has had top 10 teams with both of these guys, at different times, so it will be good to see them together as one. With everyone playing their individual roles, and seeing what they accomplished on signing day with only a few days/weeks under their belt to flip things in VT's favor (something that had been missing for decades) I am stoked to see what it all amounts to on the field. And am more excited for VT football than I've been in LONG time.
...I didn't think he was going to have a very fun-to-watch brand of football.
Winning is fun. We may have forgotten that.
Yeah that was sad to see. You really just don't have to hire a Briles. Shane's obviously on the hot seat... talk about a Faustian Bargain... and not necessarily even a very good one at that...?
And it was a bullshit apology, too.
Better than Shane's hire of Kendal Briles tbh
It's been 14 years....
TEs that will eventually be our new quarterbacks