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I've been saying for years James Franklin has taken Penn State football as far as he can.
Little did I know it would be in reverse.
What hurts is how it appears that the team, coaches, administration are indifferent to mediocrity.
Players seem indifferent and definitely not disciplined (ie: throwing the ball in end zone by the tight end caused PSU to kickoff from 20).
This team needs some tough love -- like 12 weeks at Paris Island or Fort Jackson S.C.
I thought 12 years ago and hearing Denny Douds, the longtime East Stroudsburg head coach speak highly of his ex-quarterback, that we'd be OK.
I gave losses to Pitt and Temple as growing pains and was patient, but after bowl trips to Pasadena with losses in the last seven minutes to USC -- and that was with Barkley, McSorley, Gesicki and Godwin -- and the following year being outcoached in the Citrus Bowl against Kentucky, I gave up on him.
The last two weeks have been the lowest the program to my recollection of my 78 years has descended to.
UCLA, with a complete new coaching staff in less than a month, completely outplays, outcoaches and outintensifies a sleep-walking PSU team.
The players, assistant coaches, athletic director and administration have changed. What hasn't? What has been the constant for the last 11-plus years?
He does not and has not ever developed offensive and defensive lines. Yes, we've had a couple defensive ends, but the D-tackles and O-line are poor. He doesn't know games are won and lost in the pits.
This year's team is even worse as linebackers are in the same category.
With the quarterback, top running backs, etc. not being back next year, it will be worse.
There's no second-team quarterback being developed or ready.
It's been a graveyard for QBs as he's destroyed Allar and Hackenberg and chased Levis and Pribula out of town.
UCLA turned its whole coaching staff around in one month, and we can not improve in 12 years.
Something is wrong here, and it's proven to be James Franklin.
Ed Hill
Altoona
Blame rests with entire coaching staff
Beyond disappointing. Disgusting.
Never in my lifetime has a Penn State football team been so thoroughly unprepared to play.
I don't want to hear about heart. I don't want to hear about resilience. I don't want to hear about almost coming back.
This team was not ready to play, and it's the fault of the coaches -- 100%. All of them. Starting with James Franklin, who has proven time after time, year after year, that he is a lousy game coach.
Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki has shown nothing and worse. What kind of call was that on fourth down on that last drive in the last minute of the game?
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles must have been asleep all week.
Special teams coach/coordinator Justin Lustig give up an onside kick in the first quarter and then didn't rush the UCLA punter kicking from his own end zone with 20 seconds left when the whole world knew he was going to take a safety, allowing eight seconds to run off the clock.
The whole lot of them, starting with Franklin, need to go -- sooner rather than later.
Playoffs? We'll be lucky to get a bid to the Bermuda Bowl. (Is there still a Bermuda Bowl?)
Lu Dorfman, Houston
Franklin has shown he's (too) loyal
NIL is the Wild West.
I read Oregon used $40 million of NIL money. So in effect a "wealthy" team can buy a championship.
It's a lot like the Yankees after the era of free agents, picking up stars like Reggie Jackson and Roger Clemens.
I thought the game analysts said Oregon had one returning linemen, which is normally a rebuilding year. But in this case bringing in perhaps future NFL level talent, it's an elite group.
PSU scheduling three patsies for the first three games brought no serious challenge. Everything in their playbook should have worked so there was no "testing" against quality opponents.
Then you take on a top-five opponent, and your game plan goes up in smoke. Your plan to start with the run didn't work and instantly needed adapting.
I think Allar is trying hard but misses way too many easy throws. They should try to get the ball out quickly. He showed guts. I don't understand with several big tight ends why more short passes aren't thrown to them. To his credit, his interception numbers are very low.
I believe the coaches fell in love with Allar's big arm. Standing deep with endless protection, he should be able to find someone open, but as we know top-tier teams put pressure on.
I have to give James Franklin credit. He is loyal to his starter. Only giving a few running plays to Beau Pribula and before that Will Levis. Pribula was a lot like a Trace McSorley with those great reflexes to run, see an opening and throw.
Wayne Loht
McClure
Schedule could use Eastern flavor
Many thanks to Neil Rudel for his recent article regarding the history of how Penn State ended up in the Big Ten Conference ("Villanova helped shape Penn State's future.")
Although the success of Penn State in the Big Ten can't be denied (at least, financially), I've never been in favor of it. Such a move resulted in the loss of traditional and regional rivalries, not to mention the added cost of time and travel for both players and fans.
Membership in an Eastern conference (the Big East) would have brought large numbers of viewers from Boston to New York to Washington/Baltimore to Miami, and that would have meant large amounts of TV revenue.
Also, I feel that a strong Eastern conference would have provided a certain amount of balance to what is now the dominance of the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences.
My one hope now is that Penn State will play some of the traditional eastern teams (Pitt, West Virginia, Syracuse and Boston College) for the non-conference portion of their schedule in the future.
Geo Pallo Jr.
Morann