Franklin to USC?

Submitted by Kstate_Wolverine on September 15th, 2021 at 8:02 PM

Seeing these rumors swirl around again. Do you think Penn State can get someone better? I hope he leaves and his replacement tanks their program.

befuggled

September 15th, 2021 at 10:20 PM ^

Meyer's not going anywhere this season.

He's coached exactly one game at Jacksonville so far, and they were 1-15 last year. Everybody knows they're going to suck this year, so he's not under that much pressure.

You look at college coaches like Spurrier, Chip Kelly and Nick Saban, and they all made it two seasons (Kelly got fired towards the end of his third). Sure, there are coaches who didn't last out a full year (Petrino and going back a bit Lou Holtz), but Meyer's pride is going to keep him there until at least sometime next season.

If Jacksonville still sucks next year, though, all bets are off.

Gulogulo37

September 15th, 2021 at 10:07 PM ^

Things could change, but I was listening to The Audible podcast. Coaching changes are Bruce Feldman's thing, and he's well connected to USC. He said the USC President, who's a woman, wanted absolutely nothing to do with Urban after the debacle with his assistant and his wife. Can't remember his name now. So, I'd say probably not.

1VaBlue1

September 16th, 2021 at 7:58 AM ^

This was the going story last year, too, when USC stuck with Helton.  I don't see Meyer getting that job for several reasons:

1) He just started with Jacksonville and needs to prove himself

2) Ego - he needs to prove he can win in the NFL, now that he's there

3) USC needs a coach today, and Meyer is gainfully employed by an outfit with more money than USC

4) USC employs bumbling fools in its AD

5) Nobody in USC's C-suite seems to want him

6) Ego.  He doesn't want to be equated with Bobby Petrino, or even Nick Saban on that level...

All that said, he'll be announced in two weeks, when the Jags go 0-3.

Hail to the Vi…

September 15th, 2021 at 8:11 PM ^

I haven't seen anything more than clickbait speculation at this point from Franklin, to Campbell, to Meyer. Is there anything that suggests Franklin has been contacted and/or offered?

From what I've seen, it's not even known that Franklin is a candidate and could be as likely as [pick a coach here] to take the job.

DutchWolverine

September 15th, 2021 at 9:14 PM ^

Serious question…What are you referring to in regards to what Meyer did to OSU??   USC has obviously had far worse sanctions in the past (although I’m guessing they didn’t do anything worse that what OSU has done. Just a matter of getting caught). But if he brings multiple National championships, they will for sure give him a look at the very least. 

Buy Bushwood

September 15th, 2021 at 11:22 PM ^

It's true.  With one exception they've hired mediocre coaches for the last 40 years.  So he would fit right in with that culture of mediocrity.  But, it's not too often you see head coaches completely jumping from one region of the country to another.  It's a lot to learn, to coach and recruit in So Cal, v. the midwest and the upper south, where he's been head coaching for over a decade.  And, did I mention he's mediocre?

Durham Blue

September 16th, 2021 at 4:01 AM ^

Why James Franklin?  I don't understand the link to USC and this supposed culture fit.  Franklin is from PA.  He was an assistant at Washington St and Idaho St in the late 1990's but that isn't CA and it was a very long time ago.  Since 2000 he has only coached at Kansas St and points eastward.  OK, maybe he recruits the west coast but so do a lot of other high profile and successful head coaches and assistants.  Franklin seems like a middle America kind of guy.  I don't get it.

NittanyFan

September 15th, 2021 at 8:54 PM ^

Moorhead is a fine offensive coordinator, but his stint at Mississippi State closed some windows for him.  IMO he's not really a viable candidate for a higher-tier HC position anymore - mid-tier yes, but not higher-tier. 

Net, I don't really get where this Moorhead/PSU talk is coming from, but that's just me.  Right now Mike Yurcich is the 5-years-ago version of Moorhead, w/ more potential as a HC.  If PSU is thinking Moorhead, they just may as well promote Yurcich.

Hail to the Vi…

September 15th, 2021 at 9:15 PM ^

As a Nittany fan I'd defer to your familiarity with Moorhead over the field. I do think though Starkville is a tough job to determine whether or not a coach could succeed elsewhere, Mullen aside.

As an outsider, I could see how Fickell or Campbell might be favorable, but I think Moorhead is going to get another P5 look and wouldn't surprise me if he does well.

NittanyFan

September 15th, 2021 at 9:56 PM ^

Sure, Moorhead may get another P5 look ---- but there are tiers even within P5. 

Mississippi State is what it is in terms of their place in the pecking order.  Since WW2, there's only been 1 HC who (1) got fired from Mississippi State and (2) had a HC job at the D-1/FBS level afterwards (Bob Tyler, and he only qualifies here by coaching 1 year at North Texas).

1VaBlue1

September 16th, 2021 at 8:10 AM ^

He has some baggage as a person from his college days in Colorado.  Read some stories about it...  A lot of his 'issues' seem to arise from him being one a very few prominent black men in Boulder back in his day, combined with him being somewhat immature (shocker - college kid is immature!).  I suspect most (if not all) of those 'problems' have long since been left in the past.  But today's NFL is a little more aware of its personality than it has been in the past.  (Well, in some cases, anyway...)

BoFlex

September 15th, 2021 at 8:17 PM ^

Full on rumor mill…

If James Franklin does take the USC job, then supposedly Penn State will immediately target Luke Fickell as his replacement.

Fickell has declined other offers in the past due to fit and a desire to stay close-by in the “Midwest.” Penn State would seem like an ideal landing spot for him.