Saban really did ruin the idea that it's ok to just be a really good coach. It's mad that some people look down like he hasn't done a great job there. Is he winning nattys every other year? No. Is he doing better than 99% coach could there? Yes.
I'm honestly afraid that we're going to churn through coaches for the next 10+ years bc we won't be satisfied with 13-3 and losing in the semis. Saban really fucked up expectations.
I think Franklin's problem is that when you get so many opportunities and seem to play the exact same game and lose the exact same way against "elite" teams (and at this point the sample size is upwards of 20 games), then it becomes extremely depressing to a fanbase, because you know that going 10-2 or whatever means almost nothing because you are going to lose to Ohio State/Michigan/etc. Franklin's overall resume is great. If he'd randomly beaten Ohio State and/or Michigan 2-3 times and dropped a game to Minnesota or Northwestern I think he'd actually be looked at more favorably, fair or not. But it's fair to note that he has zero history of beating other elite teams given the expectation level at a place like Penn State. It's one thing to not do it very often, it's another to have absolutely no record of performing against them in almost a decade.
Franklin is in the Richt Zone where you might really want to move on from a good coach just because you're thirsty for some hardware and you know he isn't getting it for you.
That's entirely possible, but I think that if Deboer holds to form that we'll have seen examples of us beating the best teams (like we did this year), therefore giving hope that once in a playoff we can win it. People will gripe about losing the occasional game to Vandy or South Carolina or whatever, but once we get to a playoff there will be a belief that we know this staff can put together a plan to win a game against an elite opponent - they did it at Washington and they've already done it here. Franklin's problem is there is no rational reason other than "it has to happen at some point" to feel confident about beating 1-2 type teams you have to to win a national title (even with a draw as well drawn up for them as this year's was).
Yea Franklin has had the best 10 year run for PSU since the 70's and people still act like that's not good bc he hasn't won a natty. Overall people just have unrealistic expectations and it ends up just burning through coach after coach. The Steelers in the NFL really stand out in not doing that.
PSU won 2 natties in the 80’s so this is wrong. They were also better in the 90’s. Their 94 team was absolutely incredible.
Also, I’d take 10-2 and firmly in the CFP every year if that was the post-Saban offer on the table. It’s a no brainer.
100% Goal at this point is be in the playoffs most years, in the conversation every year and have a team that is clearly able/a favorite to win it every 3-4 years. It's why I'm not entirely losing my mind over year 1 where we were 1 horrid performance in Norman from basically having that season discussed above (10-2, clearly in the playoffs).
They had some great teams in the 90s and early 2000s too (along with some bad ones). Everything after that 2009 Rose Bowl team was bad to very average before Franklin got there. He has clearly raised their standard much higher than when he arrived. He's just gotta win some of these big games. They have dudes, so there doesn't seem to be any specific barrier to it.
And the team we have and what happened the year before - but I think as a general average. Rival results, good wins vs bad losses will always play a big role.
In all likelihood moving on from Franklin would be a horrible mistake, but I’d understand a mutual parting of ways or fans wanting to roll the dice elsewhere. Just the way it is.
Yes. Just like teams celebrate sweet 16s, elite 8s, final fours for teams that didn’t win it all…and just like how teams celebrated BCS wins when they weren’t in the championship game.
Isaiah Bond has been a disaster for Texas in every big game down the stretch. Drop there, all the penalties vs Georgia.
What a disaster pitch from the 1.5 was a horrible call. Texas got lucky to have the SEC Schedule they had