2025 College Football Thread

[WhiteTrash]

Somebody will be happy to have him next year. I'd think he'll do better than the Wisconsin job.

Not sure retuning to the B10 right-a=way would be wise. OK State?

[Pakuni]

Going to be a dizzying carousel:

P4 openings:
Penn State
UCLA
Arkansas
Virginia Tech
Okie State
Stanford

Possible openings:
Florida
Florida State
Auburn
Wisconsin
Boston College
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Maryland
Kentucky

[MuggsyB]

The Weasel football head coaching position doesn't exactly seem like a desirable job.....unless you're a D3 or hs coach. 

[MUBurrow]

I'm not in favor of keeping coaches "because who knows if you can get anyone better" arguments, but Franklin has been, by reasonable measures, a very good coach who came close to a title last year. I'm not sure he can't win a title; but I'm not a PSU fan and don't follow them so maybe I'm wrong.

This is all reasonable to me. I have come around to "who else are you going to get" being an overrated counterargument, but in this case I can't help but wonder if this is partially a case of Penn St overvaluing Penn St.

[The Sultan]

The Weasel football head coaching position doesn't exactly seem like a desirable job.....unless you're a D3 or hs coach. 

If I were the chancellor at Madison, I would first and foremost get the AD out of town, and bring in someone to assess that program from top to bottom. The last thing I would do is let McIntosh make another hire.

[WhiteTrash]

This is all reasonable to me. I have come around to "who else are you going to get" being an overrated counterargument, but in this case I can't help but wonder if this is partially a case of Penn St overvaluing Penn St.

Crazy to think just three weeks ago, Franklin was basically at the top of college football. This sort of rapid fall from grace usually happens when there is a scandal.

[Uncle Rico]

Crazy to think just three weeks ago, Franklin was basically at the top of college football. This sort of rapid fall from grace usually happens when there is a scandal.

This was the "all-in-season" for Penn State.  Bunch of players coming back to get them over the hump, including a senior QB and dynamic RB.  Hired a new DC from the national champ.  To put this product on the field?  He's hit his ceiling.

I'm not sure what Penn State's ultimate ceiling is anymore.  Maybe it's what Franklin has accomplished the last decade and they'll look ridiculous firing him but if this team couldn't get over the hump, I get moving on despite the cost.

I think it'll be the most desired job in this cycle.  Just not sure who the next big thing is.  Will be interesting to see

[Uncle Rico]

WIAC results certain to help Marquette's cause:

UW-River Falls 31 UW-Plattwville 21

UW-Whitewater 45 UWSP 14

UW-Stout 27 UW-Oshkosh 16

UW-La Crosse 41 UWEC 21

[cheebs09]

WIAC results certain to help Marquette's cause:

UW-River Falls 31 UW-Plattwville 21

UW-Whitewater 45 UWSP 14

UW-Stout 27 UW-Oshkosh 16

UW-La Crosse 41 UWEC 21

How many of these teams could beat the Badgers?

[WhiteTrash]

This was the "all-in-season" for Penn State.  Bunch of players coming back to get them over the hump, including a senior QB and dynamic RB.  Hired a new DC from the national champ.  To put this product on the field?  He's hit his ceiling.

I'm not sure what Penn State's ultimate ceiling is anymore.  Maybe it's what Franklin has accomplished the last decade and they'll look ridiculous firing him but if this team couldn't get over the hump, I get moving on despite the cost.

I think it'll be the most desired job in this cycle.  Just not sure who the next big thing is.  Will be interesting to see

PSU and Florida, if they move on, will be the top jobs.

Funny aside; knowing MSU fans aren't happy, I looked at their fan board and some of the fans think Franklin is too sleazy for the Spartans. Really?!?! 

[Scoop Snoop]

I think it'll be the most desired job in this cycle.  Just not sure who the next big thing is.  Will be interesting to see

Belichick.

[jesmu84]

$50mil buyout paid?

Fears of bad economy and unaffordable prices seem wildly exaggerated

[Uncle Rico]

PSU and Florida, if they move on, will be the top jobs.

Funny aside; knowing MSU fans aren't happy, I looked at their fan board and some of the fans think Franklin is too sleazy for the Spartans. Really?!?! 

Michigan State maxed out under Dantonio and he was a dirtbag. 

[WhiteTrash]

John Harbaugh to Penn State?

[Pakuni]

This is all reasonable to me. I have come around to "who else are you going to get" being an overrated counterargument, but in this case I can't help but wonder if this is partially a case of Penn St overvaluing Penn St.

Results alone didn't get Franklin fired. Even consistently coming up small in big moments didn't get him fired. What got him fired was the lack of accountability (until this week, which was probably too late), that's caused him to completely lose the fan base and, it seems, locker room. It's one thing to lose to UCLA. It's another to blame everyone and everything but yourself.
With Allar out and games left against Ohio State and Indiana, there are more ugly losses on the horizon and not much opportunity for Franklin to win back the masses or build any positive momentum. I can't think of a time in recent memory in which a coach faced this much hostility from the fans and then won them back over.
Maybe the next guy isn't better, but I totally get why Penn State is moving on.

[Pakuni]

Another wrinkle for the carousel ... the Bengals are the Bungles again and Zac Taylor may not survive Black Monday, if that long. Wonder if they'd be interested in the guy from Notre Dame, who grew up less than an hour from Cincy and played at tOSU? I imagine he wouldn't mind the chance to coach Burrow, Chase, etc.
The only question is whether the Bengals would be willing to outbid Notre Dame. For 90% of NFL teams, the answer is easy, but we're talking about Mike Brown here.

[JWags85]

Another wrinkle for the carousel ... the Bengals are the Bungles again and Zac Taylor may not survive Black Monday, if that long. Wonder if they'd be interested in the guy from Notre Dame, who grew up less than an hour from Cincy and played at tOSU? I imagine he wouldn't mind the chance to coach Burrow, Chase, etc.
The only question is whether the Bengals would be willing to outbid Notre Dame. For 90% of NFL teams, the answer is easy, but we're talking about Mike Brown here.

Also spent the longest tenure of his assistant coaching career in Cincy as the DC under Fickell.  So he knows Cincy well, not just Dayton and Columbus...

This is all reasonable to me. I have come around to "who else are you going to get" being an overrated counterargument, but in this case I can't help but wonder if this is partially a case of Penn St overvaluing Penn St.

Totally agree.  My first thought in my group text with my rabid CFB fan friends was "who is Penn State realistically gonna get?"

I get the desirability off the job, but I'm kind of wary of the big successful programs that are kind off the beaten path in weird locales that have their entire success tied to one single legendary coach.  Va Tech is another prime example.  I actually think Franklin could be a good hire for them but that's a job that should be desirable but it's brutal. Basically ended Justin Fuente's very promising career.

The Franklin situation is particularly unique cause by all metrics besides "we're Penn State, we won titles under JoePa, we SHOULD be national title contenders annually", he was a very good coach there...but yet I completely get why they fired him and wasn't at all surprised.

Its kind of wild. Taking out the COVID year, he won 10+ games 6 out of the last 8 years, 5 of those were 11+ win seasons.
Bill Obrien didn't do nearly that well and even JoePa only won 10+ 3 times in his last 15 years.  Franklin actually elevated the program to a place it hadn't been since the mid 90s.

To be honest, Florida probably fires Napier and gets Golesh from USF, but Franklin should be top of their list. But assuming that, I think Maryland should be all over him given his ties there. 

[The Sultan]

I have a friend who went to Penn State for his masters. He told me long ago that while he completely understood why Penn State joined the Big Ten, he thought they would never meet the expectations of the fanbase. Yes they would have success, and an occasional title, but they would have trouble competing year in and year out with Ohio State and Michigan. And yes, eventually Paterno would falter and retire, leaving the place a bit of a mess.

Furthermore, Penn State is REALLY isolated and insular. The same friend said it was the best years of his life, but he knew coming from the outside that he was in a bubble there. It really is a tough place coming from the outside.

Anyway, I would look at either Brent Key or Clark Lea. You would have to take both away from their alma maters in Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt, but they are solid coaches who have worked in outlier type environments.

[Billy Hoyle]

I have a friend who went to Penn State for his masters. He told me long ago that while he completely understood why Penn State joined the Big Ten, he thought they would never meet the expectations of the fanbase. Yes they would have success, and an occasional title, but they would have trouble competing year in and year out with Ohio State and Michigan. And yes, eventually Paterno would falter and retire, leaving the place a bit of a mess.

Furthermore, Penn State is REALLY isolated and insular. The same friend said it was the best years of his life, but he knew coming from the outside that he was in a bubble there. It really is a tough place coming from the outside.

Anyway, I would look at either Brent Key or Clark Lea. You would have to take both away from their alma maters in Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt, but they are solid coaches who have worked in outlier type environments.

Having been to the PSU campus (beautiful campus and cool college town) I agree with your take. Incredibily loyal alumni as for four years all they do is live, eat and breathe PSU.

I think they should fire up Google and throw at least $10 million/year at Curt Cignetti. A PA native, all the guy does is win.

[Uncle Rico]

I'd like to see Jay Paterno get the job

[The Sultan]

Having been to the PSU campus (beautiful campus and cool college town) I agree with your take. Incredibily loyal alumni as for four years all they do is live, eat and breathe PSU.

I think they should fire up Google and throw at least $10 million/year at Curt Cignetti. A PA native, all the guy does is win.

Yeah, but if I'm him, I have no idea why I would leave. He is a legend where he is now, making $8 million a year, and a vat of NIL money at his disposal.

[Billy Hoyle]

Yeah, but if I'm him, I have no idea why I would leave. He is a legend where he is now, making $8 million a year, and a vat of NIL money at his disposal.

you don't know unless you try.

Of course, they need to call Brad Stevens first.

[tower912]

With Cignetri's age and chip on his shoulder, stay at IU, wreak havoc and exact revenge.

[MU82]

You have to put in a call to Billy Donovan, don't you?

[MUBurrow]

What if Bert thinks he's reached the ceiling at Illinois?

The fanbase would be pissed and its probably too much of a jump, but Bob Chesney isn't going to be at JMU much longer.