January 9th, 2016 at 8:16 PM ^
If it wasn't already Franklin's job is in major trouble next year. Their defense was the only competent part of that entire team.
January 9th, 2016 at 8:22 PM ^
lateral move. With the transition of the offense, they needed a strong defense to carry them. Now they may not have that and it could also affect their recruiting class.
Franklin is likely on his last year at this point. Hopefully he can trash them for years to come in that year.
January 9th, 2016 at 9:43 PM ^
While his seat is probably starting to warm, I don't think he'll be fired that soon, if only because he had to deal with the sanctions when he got there, and that should buy him some sympathy. But he probably will be fired sometime in the next couple of years because he's just not that good of a coach.
January 9th, 2016 at 10:20 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 11:17 PM ^
You think so? That's an honest question, no snark. When o'Brien left, PSU's trajectory was going up, even with sanctions. While Franklin has recruited extremely well, their on the field product is down. Franklin seems to be PSU's Hoke, just a cockier version. They would have to be terrible ( which is possible) for Franklin to be fired next year but, if he stays coaching the way he has I dont see him coaching past two more seasons in Happy Valley.
January 9th, 2016 at 11:45 PM ^
January 10th, 2016 at 12:19 PM ^
I've heard that, too, but it's a slightly unfair argument. O'Brien walked into a full group of upperclassmen and wan't allowed to recruit younger players. Franklin got a small number of upperclassmen and has done pretty well with recruiting. With those situations, it's not surprising O'Brien could win and Franklin couldn't.
Not to imply that Franklin has made the most of his players. I have eyes.
January 10th, 2016 at 12:55 PM ^
I think that Penn State is pretty proud of their pre-O'Brian coaching stability and a little hurt about O'Brian's early departure. With his excellent recruting classes, I think they will give Franklin more time unless they completely collapse on the field or have off the field issues.
January 10th, 2016 at 1:06 PM ^
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January 9th, 2016 at 8:20 PM ^
January 10th, 2016 at 3:25 AM ^
Hope this makes it easier for us to get Khaleke Hudson.
January 9th, 2016 at 8:21 PM ^
Butch Jones is really starting to gain momentum at Tennessee. He's like the east coast version of Jim Mora.
January 9th, 2016 at 9:54 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 8:46 PM ^
Butch Jones is desperate to win right now. I think he is on the hottest seat in the SEC in 2016. If Tennessee does not win the SEC East next year, I could see him getting fired.
Butch Jones is a combined 1-8 vs. Florida, Georgia, & Alabama. He's 0-6 vs. the SEC West. He's 1-2 vs. Mizzou. This is the weakest the SEC East has been in years, and he has still yet to win the division.
January 9th, 2016 at 10:11 PM ^
You really think so? He's been improving every single season and Tennessee was second in the SEC East this year. They also looked really impressive against Northwestern in their bowl game (although I'm not sure if that says much. Northwestern was pretty lucky this year). His recruiting classes the past two years are top 10 on 247. If Tennessee lets Jones go, their administration and fanbase must be truly stupid.
January 9th, 2016 at 10:42 PM ^
Butch Jones is 1-8 against Tennessee's primary rivals. He is 0-6 against the SEC West. He has never won the SEC East despite the fact that his two biggest division rivals are a mess and both just fired their head coaches in the last 2 years. If he can't win when Florida & Georgia are bottoming out, what happens when one or both of them turn it around?
He's recruited well and showed improvement late in 2015, but if he doesn't win big next year (at least 2-1 against Bama, FL, & UGA and an SEC East title), what exactly has he accomplished in 4 years?
January 9th, 2016 at 10:56 PM ^
Just because he hasn't done well in rivalry games, doesn't mean he's on the hot seat. Dooley and Kiffin basically depleted Tennessee's talent and football culture. It takes time to recover from that. I'm not a fan of Tenessee in general, but it's obvious that their talent level and the program is on the rise. Florida may have bottomed out under Muschamp, but Georgia has never a bad team. Even this year they were 10-3, with their 3 losses coming to Alabama, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.
January 10th, 2016 at 10:48 AM ^
I agree that Butch Jones is on the hot seat. The problem is the talent he's brought in has raised expectations. Tennessee gacked up double-digit leads to Florida, Oklahoma, and Arkansas this year, and would have lost to a bad South Carolina team (the Gamecocks fumbled in the red zone on a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter). The perception among the fanbase is that Jones can't win close games.
Not surprisingly, the offseason hiring of Mike DeBord has not been popular, as his tendency to put his offense into a shell when protecting a fourth-quarter lead is directly responsible for the close losses that would have put this Vol team over the hump.
January 10th, 2016 at 1:44 PM ^
DeBord never did that when he was at UM.
/s
January 9th, 2016 at 8:21 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 8:47 PM ^
FUCK penn state.
January 9th, 2016 at 9:12 PM ^
Can we get a 'state of our threads' tomorrow morning?
January 9th, 2016 at 10:13 PM ^
In retrospect, I should have done those studies on random threads like this one because they would not have taken an hour or more to compile and analyze then, but I felt that "User X said fuck exactly 6 times in a post in Y thread" probably wasn't going to cut it for analysis. I still owe everyone a season-ending summary - that was due when my bad luck in the health department started and I haven't gotten to it yet.
January 9th, 2016 at 8:24 PM ^
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January 9th, 2016 at 8:24 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 8:32 PM ^
It is a lateral move, Tennessee, the last two years, has had two top 5 recruting classes (according to Rivals.com). It is a middle of the pack SEC team vs. a middle of the pack Big Ten team, the latter of which is currently trending down. Coaching stability aside, it is definitely an upgrade from being the DC at Penn State.
January 9th, 2016 at 9:09 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 8:25 PM ^
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January 9th, 2016 at 8:26 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 8:30 PM ^
In just this offseason, Bob Shoop leaves PSU for Tennessee, and Dave Aranda leaves Wisconsin for LSU. You could make a case that both guys left for jobs where the head coach's job is less secure.
Add in Bret Bielema leaving Wisconsin for Arkansas in 2012 & Gary Andersen leaving Wisconsin for Oregon State last year. I guess most of the problem has been Wisconsin. What is Barry Alvarez doing there?
January 9th, 2016 at 8:32 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 8:38 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 8:56 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 9:11 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 11:38 PM ^
January 10th, 2016 at 1:52 PM ^
At least not in Football. Wisconsin has one of the top 5 grossing AD's in the country (along with Texas, UM & OSU). Alvarez should be able to explain to the University president that the funds paid out help bring the funds in. I am sure she understands economics, then again she is battling losing $200M as a result of the Governor trying to gut the University system here.
January 9th, 2016 at 8:39 PM ^
OSU and UM have gone balls to the wall and paid big money for their coaches, and that money pays off. You want to win at the highest level? You got to pay for it.
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January 9th, 2016 at 8:30 PM ^
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January 9th, 2016 at 8:33 PM ^
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January 9th, 2016 at 8:43 PM ^
He was up to seven figures.
January 9th, 2016 at 9:13 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 8:34 PM ^
But PSU should be able to match that salary if they wanted to keep him. PSU should not be losing their DC to Tennessee.
Butch Jones is desperate right now though. 2016 is a make-or-break year for him; if Tennessee does not win the SEC East this year, I think he gets fired. I don't get why any good DC would want to be in that position though.
January 9th, 2016 at 8:41 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 8:49 PM ^
He's not signing a one year contract. He'll be getting at least three years guaranteed. It says something about what he thinks about PSU's and Franklin's prospects.
January 9th, 2016 at 8:31 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 8:34 PM ^
January 9th, 2016 at 8:38 PM ^
I think Franklin is safe at least until after the 2017 season. I don't think he is a good coach, but the NCAA sanctions put him at a disadvantage these 1st 2 years. They have relatively few upperclassmen, and it shows on the OL. But I think he has to start producing in these next 2 years.
January 9th, 2016 at 8:42 PM ^