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Give Franklin credit for improvement

Why does the Sunday Sports Mailbag consistently publish anti-James Franklin letters?

Is it simply to provoke readers so they will be compelled to respond?

Well, if this was the case, your scheme was successful.

The Mailbag frequently publishes letters from a gentleman from Texas who recently suggested that PSU immediately replace Franklin with Les Miles or Tom Herman, which is frankly a ridiculous notion.

Franklin and his staff deserve praise for being 4-2 at this point, with a good chance to go 8-3, in spite of all of the injuries.

It’s obvious his plan is working.

We’re getting talented recruits every year, adding quality depth, and the addition of new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead and offensive line coach Matt Limegrover so far have reaped great rewards.

This new offense is exciting, proving a good running quarterback is very effective in the college game, particularly when you have a great running back as well.

The “Fire Franklin” bunch needs to move on. Let’s see how we finish this year and how 2017 unfolds.

Andrew Biddle

Tyrone

PSU still recovering from sanctions

It is clear people like Will Walk have no idea the impact that the NCAA sanctions are still having on Penn State.

The loss of 40 scholarships over two years (2012-2013) will take a few more years to recover from and balance the playing field with the big boys.

The fact that Walk is suggesting Les Miles for the head coach is ridiculous. LSU has a horrible graduation rate, and certainly I would not welcome that potential at PSU.

James Franklin, much like Bill O’Brien, have kept PSU competitive with the exception of a few games during the most unfair and inappropriate sanctions in NCAA history.

We will build the program back and continue following the “Grand Experiment” Joe Paterno started, by continuing to focus on “Success with Honor” and doing it the right way.

True fans and alumni need to get behind the program and continue supporting the kids and coaches that are currently building the program back to relevance.

James Kimble

Hollidaysburg

Be fair in assessing O’Brien and Franklin

I appreciated Neil Rudel’s Oct. 1 column “Fans can’t have it both ways.”

People forget the Joe Paterno incompetence against the big boys. And over the years, I often complained about our lousy offense.

I was also puzzled by Brother Al Schiavoni’s comment in Rudel’s mailbag that Bill O’Brien “got more out of less.”

Give me a break. O’Brien inherited seven defensive players now starting or playing key back-up roles in the NFL, and with some of our best players in a number of years, his team was blown out against Ohio State 63-14 and lost 41-23 to Indiana – our first loss to the Hoosiers. His defensive coordinator his last year was a disaster.

On the offensive side of the ball, four of the players that O’Brien inherited are either starting or playing a great deal in the NFL.

Yeah, O’Brien got more out of less.

I give O’Brien a great deal of credit given the mess he walked into, but the cupboard was hardly bare when he came in. The disastrous effect of the sanctions really hit the hardest during his second year (7-5) and has carried over to this day.

The jury is still out on James Franklin, but it is so unfair to judge him now.

Tim Muri

Naperville, Ill.

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