Julian Fleming to PSU
OSU 5* WR who never really panned out but played pretty well against us this year picks Penn State. Going from one talented team without an offensive line to another, curious.
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:37 PM ^
Was hopeful he’d give UM a look
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:41 PM ^
With Harbaugh being cagey about his future plans and a high profile NCAA investigation, Michigan and Michigan fans probably should be happy with whatever comes our way.
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:47 PM ^
Bolivia worthy
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:40 PM ^
He has been cagey for years now. Also its not a high profile investigation anymore. It only barely keeps RCMB and 11W alive and vice versa. All three balanced on the head of a pin.
January 3rd, 2024 at 7:28 PM ^
After the win over Bama, the “maybe Michigan is good at footballs” crowd is drowning out the “bUt pLayEr SaFetY” crowd.
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:45 PM ^
Seemed unlikely but I was hoping so as well. Seems like he was a bit raw coming out of high school and then multiple injuries slowed his development, but dude is physical and a really good blocker.
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:53 PM ^
No chance, he's from Pennsylvania & two weeks ago he posted a pic of "his" new $120k truck from a dealership that is an official sponsor of Penn State football
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:21 PM ^
The world has $120K trucks? God, I guess it's not 1990 any more.
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:08 PM ^
I had the same thought. Getting ready to MGoRetire this year and am realizing I am going to have sticker shock when I go to replace the 2014 model year transportation. Serious sticker shock.
January 3rd, 2024 at 8:57 PM ^
MGoCongratulations! Hoping it's long, healthy and filled with wonderful times.
I hear you about the price of wheels these days, though. MGoBroke...
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:26 PM ^
The world has 120k everything now. Including watches. 🤮🤮🤮
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:22 PM ^
No cheeseburgers though. All good.
January 3rd, 2024 at 7:59 PM ^
What is it, an Escalade or Grand Wagoneer?
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:41 PM ^
That's an odd pick considering their offense last year. Maybe Andy Kotelnicki has some magic at PSU.
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:52 PM ^
For everyone wanting to question the decision, please remember that he is actually from Pennsylvania.
I for one hope he lights up OSU the next time they play.
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:56 PM ^
He is a very good OC and he should have absolutely no issue finding playing time in that WR room that has almost no ability to separate from quality DBs. I think the biggest question will continue to be can Drew Allar actually be good? I have my doubts, but maybe having a higher caliber receiver and competent OC will help him out.
January 3rd, 2024 at 9:24 PM ^
Answer: No
Their line will be weak, and Allar is a statue who wilts under pressure.
And Frames will always Janklin.
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:41 PM ^
Who's throwing him the ball? Who's coaching that person? Can't believe he'd go there to grow as a wr. But I think he's local so, go for it
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:41 PM ^
Yup, looks like he's from Bloomsburg which is about 1.5 hours east of State College. Good opportunity to be close to home and have his family come out to watch him play more often.
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:41 PM ^
Hopefully he gives PSU some signs to help them beat OSU next year lol
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:41 PM ^
What an idiot!
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:42 PM ^
Has he seen Allar play? Must have been the lone Buckeye that loved McCord. Maybe Fashunu (sp?) taught the rest of the line to hold as blatantly as he did so they will be All Americans next year.
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:06 PM ^
Fleming may become Allar's #1 target. And, regarding McCord - the QB room in Columbus might be a very interesting place next season.
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:45 PM ^
He will be Allar's favorite target as soon as he learns to run a solid three yard hitch route. Scintillating!
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:21 PM ^
I may be accused of "drinking the Kool-Aid" here, but PSU's WR group was freaking awful in 2023. Not a single player even close to being NFL draftable. Allar's performance should be viewed in that context, at least partially.
(PSU's WR had 0 catches in the first 50+ minutes of the Peach Bowl. The first WR to catch a pass in that game was Sean Clifford's brother. That's not good.)
Is Allar another Morelli or Hackenberg? Well, Allar's 60% completion rate in 2023 wasn't suburb, but that still is considerably higher than any percentages Morelli or Hackenberg ever put up, and those 2 had considerably more NFL-level WR talent available (Derrick Williams and Deon Butler from Morelli's years, Chris Godwin and DaeSean Hamilton from Hackenberg's years).
We'll see, but there's potential high upside here.
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:53 PM ^
Allar barely threw the ball beyond the line of scrimmage. 60% isn’t that great for a lot of screens and dump downs.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:01 PM ^
As I said, we'll see. But I don't think it's debatable that the risk is a couple magnitudes lower than the potential reward.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:48 PM ^
I totally agree that getting Fleming can be nothing but helpful for PSU.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:57 PM ^
I think we all agree your last QB was tough as nails so I dont think our criticism is a rivalry thing. Allar looks really rough. Great OC's can change that though.
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:48 PM ^
Being hopeful is a good thing-truly it is. But when it is more likely to be delusion-not so good.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:29 PM ^
The problem is Flemming is not significantly different than the guys who trotted out last year and is there a serious reason to believe the OL will improve?
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:50 PM ^
Let's say Fleming is a Day 3 guy in the 2025 NFL Draft. Reasonable projection.
That alone makes him more comparable to PSU's 2022 WRs (Parker Washington, 6th round draft pick and has started to play considerably more for Jacksonville the last few weeks, and Mitchell Tinsley, undrafted but made the Redskins' 53-man roster) than PSU's 2023 WRs. Nobody from the 2023 bunch is getting a sniff at the next level.
I'm not saying he's going to be MHJ 2.0. But is he still "significantly different" versus the 2023 bunch? IMO, yes.
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:04 PM ^
Is Allar the guy or are you guys looking in the portal for a QB too? I admit I haven't watched all your games, but in the ones I have, anytime he was asked to throw more than 10-15 yards, Allar struggled to deliver the ball to the same zip code, regardless of whether the WR had separation or not.
January 3rd, 2024 at 7:21 PM ^
I think there's a 0.1% chance PSU gets any QB from the portal.
The interesting question to me --- the new PSU OC ran a pretty fun offense at Kansas that featured an actively running QB. That offense would be a better fit for PSU's back-up QB (Beau Pribula) who played here-and-there in 2023.
I think Franklin is married to Allar and won't do this, but if I were him I'd have a truly open QB competition this spring. 95%+ chance Allar still wins that battle, he's simply the most talented guy.
But I'm seeing it from a psychological POV: in the long-run, I think Allar would benefit greatly from some uncomfortableness and in-house competitive pressure over the next 8 months.
The only time anyone actually grows is when they are uncomfortable.
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:48 PM ^
This seemed like a foregone conclusion once he entered the portal. From PA and PSU has a need at WR. He never became the playmaker that his HS rating would indicate (#3 overall I believe) due to injury, but could still have a good year if Allar learns how to throw the ball more than 5 yards downfield (big if).
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:56 PM ^
My interest level in this transfer is about as high as the likelihood Fleming will impact Michigan's schedule next year.
Hope he balls out against the Buckeyes in Happy Valley next October. Since Michigan will play two of this year's CFP entrants in addition to Oregon, USC and Ohio State next season, not caring too much what Penn State does.
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:19 PM ^
I dunno. You really wanna play in Penn State's offense as WR? Honestly I think he should've gone to Cuse. Still close to home, has a better QB than Penn State
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:42 PM ^
And a better QB than osu
zing!
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:22 PM ^
Makes sense from the standpoint that he becomes an instant starter there. Head scratcher as they might not be able to actually get him the ball.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:30 PM ^
Pretty sure he started in three WR sets at OSU.
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:55 PM ^
I think that's a great move for him! This next season Penn State's offense should be clicking on all cylinders with Aller, Allen, and Singletary all being veterans. He'll be the number 1 receiver for them as opposed to possibly not even being the 3rd receiver at OSU.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:26 PM ^
That OL is likely still trash and despite his addition their WR room is worse than ours.
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:03 PM ^
Methinks they're going to be alternating between Allar and Pribula or maybe one will move on. They also lost both coordinators and they wasted the only top 5 pick OL player Frames will ever have. I think their arrow is pointing down, not up. They do have a relatively easy schedule, though. Feels like 10-2 with no big ten title game for the 10th year in a row to me
January 3rd, 2024 at 9:27 PM ^
You’re kidding, right?
They were inept this year. They will be inept again.
January 4th, 2024 at 9:16 AM ^
It may be a great move for him (from PA and will likely be their top WR), but I disagree with basically everything else in your post. Allar is not a good QB and their OL will continue to struggle (as it has the entire Franklin regime) to open holes for Allen and Singleton.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:21 PM ^
NIL is a huge factor in choosing a destination.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:24 PM ^
He is a good fit there since they can't pass and he can run block better than their OL.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:29 PM ^
How shitty are things at OSU that your starting 5* WR leaves to a rival with an offense which is much less productive.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:52 PM ^
Ohio St is getting a string of picks by On3 for Will Howard to Ohio St as well. Considering their current qb room, he would be a really good pickup for them.