The Penn St Dumpster Fire Thread

[FloridaCuse]

They announced the new coach yesterday.

I believe that was just the interim coach. I assume the new rules means the permanent replacement. I guess the reason for the newcrule is to allow the new coach to "recruit" players to stay and allow the players time to decide.

 

[FloridaCuse]

 

[Chip]

Is Cignetti down to 5th because they don’t think he’ll accept? Has to be the first person they offer it too.

 

[MadNY3]

Why would adidas be behind this firing? Penn State sells a metric effff ton of gear to their lunatic cult regardless of who’s coaching.

This remains the dumbest thing circulating about Franklin's firing.

The team is wearing Nike until the 2026-27 program. So the German atheltic supplier is stepping in to drive this?

 

[elimunelson]

There’s three reasons not to go to PSU

OSU, UMich, Oregon.

Penn st is along those schools. It’s objectively a top 5 job. Am I missing something? Syracuse is what a top 40 program?

Ridiculously beta Go to not want to play the best.

 

[elimunelson]

Right and I’m saying I don’t get that at all. adidas is trying to sell merch. Selling merch isn’t dependent on James Franklin. PSU merely needs to be OK-ish and they’ll sell a kajillion things. They’re a top 10 brand in the sport and they’ve certainly had worse stretches than the Franklin era.

I think it’s a rumor not based in reality.

It’s a nice narrative that they prob are ok with allowing.

The sport is nuts now and this is a nutty result.

 

[elimunelson]

LOL!!!

Yeah, the coach of a 3-3 also-ran program is Top 5 for Pedo State?

Child, please.

It’s Rhule.

Fran would prolly be like 11th in their top 10 list.

Rhule feels like Schiano to tenn. I can’t imagine they would be fired up for that at state college.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Greatest job in the world is being fired from a high level college football program after a contract is signed. Jimbo Fisher agrees.

40+ million? Really?

What are we doing?

 

[RF2044]

Penn st is along those schools. It’s objectively a top 5 job. Am I missing something? Syracuse is what a top 40 program?

Ridiculously beta Go to not want to play the best.

Not trying to speak for Go, but I'll weigh in with what I think he meant.

Penn State IS a blue chip program as you point out. However, since joining the B1G in the 90s, they've struggled to win the conference, let alone maintain their former prominence / elite accomplishments. Whereas they used to be a perennial NC contender, now they face uphill sledding in their own conference.

Sure, there have been intermittent years [every 10 years or so] where they've been the best team in the B1G. But most years, they are highly ranked, and then can't overcome Ohio State. Franklin's time there epitomizes this challenge.

So historically, they are still a blue chip program, as you assert. But their path has gotten even more difficult with the addition of a team playing at a very high level, like Oregon. Michigan just won a NC two years ago. Ohio State won last year. When was the last time psu won one?

 

[Symphony Steve]

They need to wait until their new coach is hired. Then they have a 15 day (?) window to enter the portal.

They've names an interim coach. Does that count? I honestly don't know.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Don’t forget this happened under Joe Pa as well:

Serial Rapist Penn State Linebacker Continued To Terrorize Women Despite His Arrest, Conviction

“He got away with things because he was a bigshot football player,” says one of Todd Hodne’s victims.

www.investigationdiscovery.com

Joe Pa likely indirectly responsible for multiple rapes on Long Island ( the bastard judge, too)

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

As an aside, we kid about SEC schools, but what’s the deal with the serial rape and abuse at Big 10 schools?
From AI:
Several Big Ten schools have faced major abuse scandals, primarily involving sexual abuse by staff and hazing within athletic programs. Notable cases have occurred at Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and Northwestern
.

Michigan State University

• Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal: In 2018, former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State team doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for sexually abusing hundreds of women and girls under his care. The scandal highlighted the university's failure to investigate repeated complaints about Nassar's conduct over many years.
• Settlements: The university has paid hundreds of millions of dollars to Nassar's victims.

Ohio State University

• Richard Strauss sexual abuse scandal: For decades, university physician Richard Strauss sexually abused hundreds of male student-athletes from 1979 to 1998, including members of the wrestling team and other sports. Allegations claimed that coaches, including former wrestling coach Jim Jordan, were aware of the abuse but took no action.
• Settlements: Ohio State has paid out tens of millions of dollars in settlements to Strauss's victims.

Pennsylvania State University

• Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal: In 2011, former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with and later convicted of abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period.
• Institutional cover-up: The scandal revealed a widespread cover-up by high-ranking university officials, including President Graham Spanier and Athletic Director Tim Curley. Head football coach Joe Paterno was also fired for his role in concealing the abuse.

University of Michigan

• Robert Anderson sexual abuse scandal: Hundreds of former students and athletes alleged that former university physician Robert Anderson had sexually abused them over several decades, from 1966 to 2003. The university reached a massive settlement with the victims.

Northwestern University

• Football hazing and abuse scandal: In 2023, former football players detailed a pattern of systemic hazing, including sexual abuse, within the program. The revelations led to the firing of head coach Pat Fitzgerald, who was initially suspended after an internal investigation. Lawsuits have since been filed against the university.
• Other sports: Allegations of hazing and sexual misconduct were also made in other Northwestern athletic programs, including baseball and volleyball.

Other institutions
Beyond these prominent cases, other Big Ten schools have faced abuse and misconduct issues. A Forbes article from 2018 noted that more than half of Big Ten schools had been the subject of a major scandal in the decade leading up to its publication, including cases of coaches at Rutgers, Indiana, and Illinois.

 

[Rufus_13th]

Is this based on a real book?

 

[elimunelson]

Not trying to speak for Go, but I'll weigh in with what I think he meant.

Penn State IS a blue chip program as you point out. However, since joining the B1G in the 90s, they've struggled to win the conference, let alone maintain their former prominence / elite accomplishments. Whereas they used to be a perennial NC contender, now they face uphill sledding in their own conference.

Sure, there have been intermittent years [every 10 years or so] where they've been the best team in the B1G. But most years, they are highly ranked, and then can't overcome Ohio State. Franklin's time there epitomizes this challenge.

So historically, they are still a blue chip program, as you assert. But their path has gotten even more difficult with the addition of a team playing at a very high level, like Oregon. Michigan just won a NC two years ago. Ohio State won last year. When was the last time psu won one?

I get the sentiment but at some point if you want to be the man you have to beat the man.

I don't think a HC will look at it this way IMO. You are thinking rationally but the stew of decision making includes a multiple on earning power, massive ego stroke going to a blue blood and a toy chest of options for recruiting NIL etc.

I think i'd put Penn St in the Notre Dame camp. Both haven't won for a while and yet are still top top tier for a coach to go to. To think a Syracuse football coach would discount going there is a bit absurd IMO. I bet if Paterno was hit by a car in 1992, we lose Pasqualoni in a hollywood minute to them. Taking into account the alumni angle but more of an angle, the massive pay raise.

 

[Scooch]

This remains the dumbest thing circulating about Franklin's firing.

The team is wearing Nike until the 2026-27 program. So the German atheltic supplier is stepping in to drive this?

I'm so happy that you confirmed my suspicion that this is BS. Since you're the only one around here who actually knows this stuff!

 

[elimunelson]

Don’t forget this happened under Joe Pa as well:

Serial Rapist Penn State Linebacker Continued To Terrorize Women Despite His Arrest, Conviction

“He got away with things because he was a bigshot football player,” says one of Todd Hodne’s victims.

www.investigationdiscovery.com

Joe Pa likely indirectly responsible for multiple rapes on Long Island ( the bastard judge, too)

John Ziegler claims Paterno and Sandusky are innocent. I started listening to the podcast and my head hurt. Is there 0% credence to this guy or is he a quack?

 

[Scooch]

FWIW, any time a college administrator cries poverty they should be berated mercilessly. Pay a guy $49 million NOT to coach. Flipping absurd.

Of course the B1G needs a shot of that sweet sweet PE money. They're fiscally inept. Might as way give away future profit so they can pay guys not to coach.

What a corrupt, obscene, broken sport. Every day I appreciate pro sports more. College athletics is gross.

 

[oldpinepoint]

FWIW, any time a college administrator cries poverty they should be berated mercilessly. Pay a guy $49 million NOT to coach. Flipping absurd.

Of course the B1G needs a shot of that sweet sweet PE money. They're fiscally inept. Might as way give away future profit so they can pay guys not to coach.

What a corrupt, obscene, broken sport. Every day I appreciate pro sports more. College athletics is gross.

This right here, I still think football is better than hoops. I don’t care about college hoops at all now.

 

[FloridaCuse]

PSU fans need a Dan Mullen thread:

Former SEC head coach linked to Penn State head coaching vacancy

ESPN believes that a well-traveled former SEC coach would be a prime candidate for Penn State to pursue as it searches for a new leader.

www.saturdaydownsouth.com

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[PhatOrange]

Uh...

I think you are carried away with that criticism. Our offense was stellar last year, with Kyle McCord and great offensive skilled talent around him. Our offense was stellar with Angeli and great offensive skilled talent around him.

Things have been poor with a far lesser quarterback to McCord / Angeli. I don't view Nixon's play calling through the lens of the last two games, with a lesser QB. I view it through the lens of us leading the nation in passing in 2024, and on our way to repeating in 2025 before Angeli sustained a non-contact injury.

He's been a helluva lot better than "ok." C'mon.

Nixon got fat on a heisman candidate and some amazing WR play. A great OC would tailor a plan that fits the strengths of the current personnel.

It's not just one game either, everybody, was trippin when we should've been running clock against Clemson and he was still chucking the ball all over the place (with Collins).

I also maintain after the first series, he does not do a good job with in game play calling. And Duke exposed our tendencies and inability to change up signs.

 

[RyanCuse44]

 

[orange79]

PSU fans need a Dan Mullen thread:

Former SEC head coach linked to Penn State head coaching vacancy

ESPN believes that a well-traveled former SEC coach would be a prime candidate for Penn State to pursue as it searches for a new leader.

www.saturdaydownsouth.com

 

[FloridaCuse]

UCLA & UNC

https://thespun.com/college-football/two-jobs-mentioned-for-james-franklin-after-his-firing-sunday