Is JF getting it done with his recruiting? How big of a loss is it to lose Flemming and Toutant to Ohio State and Wingo to Florida and then Parks and Moten to where ever?
How much do we read into into this vs just letting it all play out and letting the cards fall? Personally, I think Penn State has pretty solid team this year and if Clifford can find his grove early, this team should compete at a very high level.
Kind of getting close to kick off, July will fly right by us all, so I am getting little anxious to hear what some of you think about this years team, what needs to happen and how much of this recruiting stuff is really factoring in on next years team.
Go State
Defense will carry us early, with Clifford finding his groove over the first couple games. When I say carry, it's relative... Our offense won't be bad but I feel our D is going to be scary good.
As for the rest of the year, it really all depends on how good Clifford is. I believe all the other pieces are in place and will do well. WRs, TEs, RBs, OL will all be good... If Clifford can show up and be effecient without turning the ball over, this team will win 9-10 games. If he grows into the role and winds up being special, we win the Big Ten.
Of course this is my opinion, but I truly feel this team goes as Clifford goes. I really don't have any other question marks about them. Clifford is the wild card. If he's average, we win 8-9 games. If he's above average, we win 10-11.
The one thing yet to be seen is if he can keep teams honest with the threat of running. If not, it will put more pressure on him to be that much better in the passing game. Which, from what is being said, he can be that good.
Thinking the defense will be tough enough to carry us through most games & if the O line finally comes into it's own, the team will go into the BIG championship & maybe more. As far as recruiting, you win some, you lose some. We'll be fine.
Told you way back in late winter and I will tell you again. 8-4 would be a surprise and I will stand hand and foot on 7-5 season. Some of the odds released have them at 8-4. No way are they B1G champion material with the amount of talent they lost, PERIOD. They got 3 weeks to prepare for Big 10 play and I wouldn't be shocked if sloppy play takes place in weeks 1-3. My favorite high school team had a horrible season last year and the same will follow this year. They just don't have the experience and the horses. Same applies for college. As far as losing talent right in your back yard, it happens. 5 star recruits like to sign the dotted line on big time schools.
Told you way back in late winter and I will tell you again. 8-4 would be a surprise and I will stand hand and foot on 7-5 season. Some of the odds released have them at 8-4. No way are they B1G champion material with the amount of talent they lost, PERIOD. They got 3 weeks to prepare for Big 10 play and I wouldn't be shocked if sloppy play takes place in weeks 1-3. My favorite high school team had a horrible season last year and the same will follow this year. They just don't have the experience and the horses. Same applies for college. As far as losing talent right in your back yard, it happens. 5 star recruits like to sign the dotted line on big time schools.
If you're referring to Flemming, he hasnt signed anything just yet and rumor has it he might be flipping to PSU........It happens
Quite frankly, im not sold on our coaching staff and THEIR ability to win a big game. We can blame last year on dropped balls, stunts, sanctions, lack of depth, etc etc til the cows come home and nothing ever changes that fact.
Clifford and this team reminds me a lot of our '93 team and we all remember what happened in '94 (hard to believe that was 25 yrs ago).
I dont see us beating OSU on the road this year.......unless Fields gets hurt as they have no backup. I think we pull a shocker at home against Michigan but I also think we lose two we should win.
The old man from the north is going with 9-3 on the season but reserves the right to change this prediction on a weekly basis. Old fartdom comes with some privileges.
As an aside, I dont think Fields answers the bell for "The Game" and JH finally wins the conference!!
Told you way back in late winter and I will tell you again. 8-4 would be a surprise and I will stand hand and foot on 7-5 season. Some of the odds released have them at 8-4. No way are they B1G champion material with the amount of talent they lost, PERIOD. They got 3 weeks to prepare for Big 10 play and I wouldn't be shocked if sloppy play takes place in weeks 1-3. My favorite high school team had a horrible season last year and the same will follow this year. They just don't have the experience and the horses. Same applies for college. As far as losing talent right in your back yard, it happens. 5 star recruits like to sign the dotted line on big time schools.
I'll take a 3* with heart vs a 5* with ego any day.
Tsuga, I believe Michigan or penn st will win the B1G. I’m going with 10-2 regular season. I also believe the only reason we’ve been in some of these games against Ohio st is because of great coaching. I think we have the players now to compete and it’s time to start winning our fair share of these big games. Losing to Michigan State needs to stop but sometimes games just don’t go your way. 10-2 baby
Told you way back in late winter and I will tell you again. 8-4 would be a surprise and I will stand hand and foot on 7-5 season. Some of the odds released have them at 8-4. No way are they B1G champion material with the amount of talent they lost, PERIOD. They got 3 weeks to prepare for Big 10 play and I wouldn't be shocked if sloppy play takes place in weeks 1-3. My favorite high school team had a horrible season last year and the same will follow this year. They just don't have the experience and the horses. Same applies for college. As far as losing talent right in your back yard, it happens. 5 star recruits like to sign the dotted line on big time schools.
"same applies for High School" LMAO
High School is nothing like College.
Tsuga, I believe Michigan or penn st will win the B1G. I’m going with 10-2 regular season. I also believe the only reason we’ve been in some of these games against Ohio st is because of great coaching. I think we have the players now to compete and it’s time to start winning our fair share of these big games. Losing to Michigan State needs to stop but sometimes games just don’t go your way. 10-2 baby
I agree Southern, to some extent the close games with OSU have everything to do with coaching the team up... not down. In no way were we on the same level of recruiting with OSU when Franklin showed up, even now they probably still out-recruit us a bit. Yet he's been able to stick with them, and ultimately couldn't hold the lead at the end.
I know that's been a recurring issue with us, but I feel a lot of that was depth. It wore down at the end (2017 I'd say it was more injuries to Bates & Berholtz... but that's still a depth issue) and we had let downs. I will say that the coaching choices in those situations didn't help, but I don't think you can blame in-game tactics for "the reason" we lost so many close games towards the end.
Michigan State: Those were coaching issues, not depth issues. Simply put the team wasn't ready to play after 2 demoralizing close losses to OSU. Period. No other excuse, Franklin just didn't have the team focused.
Michigan: IMO... 2016 was a talent gap, we were missing half our defense including the whole LB core. Also, the offense hadn't come together yet. Last year? Give up. Our team was playing uninspired at the end of the year, that one I can put on coaching. No focus, McSorley didn't trust his receivers either. Let it be said that Michigan has loads of talent though, so there was a bit of a talent gap there too.
Kentucky: Give up. Team just didn't want to play, continuation of Michigan game. McSorley had little trust in receivers.
Outside of 4 games: Michigan State 2017 & 2018, Michigan 2018, & Kentucky 2018... for the past 3 years I think Franklin's done a great job. OSU losses bother me, but not from a strictly coaching aspect. I realize we were less talented and wore down. It happens, and 2017 was more due to injury and not physical wear down.
2017 Michigan State irks me the most, because that was our year even with the tough OSU loss. I can forgive a lot, but mental letdowns are hard. That was a complete coaching failure in 2017 against MSU. However, that does happen... no coach is immune to them. Still sucks. Last year, I feel we were just one year too early... seemed things needed to be figured out, and were... but by the time they were the season was towards the end and the team looked like it was just waiting for next year.
Quite frankly, im not sold on our coaching staff and THEIR ability to win a big game. We can blame last year on dropped balls, stunts, sanctions, lack of depth, etc etc til the cows come home and nothing ever changes that fact.
Clifford and this team reminds me a lot of our '93 team and we all remember what happened in '94 (hard to believe that was 25 yrs ago).
I dont see us beating OSU on the road this year.......unless Fields gets hurt as they have no backup. I think we pull a shocker at home against Michigan but I also think we lose two we should win.
The old man from the north is going with 9-3 on the season but reserves the right to change this prediction on a weekly basis. Old fartdom comes with some privileges.
As an aside, I dont think Fields answers the bell for "The Game" and JH finally wins the conference!!
PSU has NEVER won a big game under Franklin?
What role do the players have in winning a big game?
Quite frankly, im not sold on our coaching staff and THEIR ability to win a big game. We can blame last year on dropped balls, stunts, sanctions, lack of depth, etc etc til the cows come home and nothing ever changes that fact.
Clifford and this team reminds me a lot of our '93 team and we all remember what happened in '94 (hard to believe that was 25 yrs ago).
I dont see us beating OSU on the road this year.......unless Fields gets hurt as they have no backup. I think we pull a shocker at home against Michigan but I also think we lose two we should win.
The old man from the north is going with 9-3 on the season but reserves the right to change this prediction on a weekly basis. Old fartdom comes with some privileges.
As an aside, I dont think Fields answers the bell for "The Game" and JH finally wins the conference!!
PSU has NEVER won a big game under Franklin?
What role do the players have in winning a big game?
I didnt say he never won a big game. I said im not sold on their ability to win a big game.
I was referring to this year, i assume thats what this thread was about. This season, not past seasons.
