Penn State has three more in transfer portal
Joining WR Juwan Johnson in the transfer portal are S Lamont Wade, CB Zachariah McPhearson and WR Brandon Polk.
Of the new trio, Wade is the notable one as a speedy c/o 2017 5-star corner prospect who has since moved to safety and was likely going to be a starter next year. Polk started 7 games last year but was replaced by a freshman.
Penn State been recruiting well but between Johnson, Wade and a bunch of early entries they're losing a pile of expected 2019 starters. I'm feeling good about that game in Happy Valley.
January 14th, 2019 at 6:04 AM ^
Scary thing is, when Franklin is gone Moorehead will be their next HC
January 14th, 2019 at 10:50 AM ^
Pretty sure that it was Saquon Barkley that made that thing go. Once in a generation talent. Moorhead leaving at the same time as Barkley was not a coincidence. He knew it was not going to be the same.
January 14th, 2019 at 3:20 AM ^
Every player that is transferring from PSU is leaving because their role was significantly diminished by the end of the season. Wade was not going to start next year. Neither was Juwan Johnson. Both had disappointing seasons and can see the writing on the wall with the young talent they have moving up the depth chart.
January 14th, 2019 at 6:00 AM ^
Says the PSU fan.
January 14th, 2019 at 8:16 AM ^
They are a disaster. Revenge will be sweet
January 14th, 2019 at 10:31 AM ^
Michigan maybe 37-7 in all games under Harbaugh that are NOT Ohio State & a Bowl game, but keeping a program together is hard. Penn State & Michigan State are on a downward trend, and yes Ohio State has won a lot but it has a lot people who are in it only for themselves and Meyer is looking over Days' shoulder and not in a fun way.
January 14th, 2019 at 1:56 PM ^
Let me preface the following with, I’m a college football fan in general so i love some good debate.
However, i’ve seen some downright asinine stuff from some of you Michigan fans on both here and twitter. I’d love for one single person to explain to me what you’ve done to establish that Michigan is a clear cut above everyone not named ohio state. I also want to hear why you all seem to think we can’t replace Miles sanders, but you can replace Higdon. Why we can’t replace some of our secondary guys but you can replace david long and lavert hill (tbh i’m not sure if they both entered the draft i don’t remember). Why we can’t replace Shareef Miller or kevin givens, but you can replace Gary and winovich. we can’t replace Trace or our 2 O-linemen leaving but you can replace Devin freakin Bush. you’ve also losr your two best coaches not named Don brown. our 2018 was an exact replica of your 2017 and it’s baffling none of you can see that
and “franklin sucks” isn’t very valid considering considering Harbaugh has gone winless against the only team you all truly care about even though he twice had the better team (this year and 2016).
Okay so go ahead, change my mind
January 14th, 2019 at 3:02 PM ^
OSU has been clearcut best team in B1G for years. Michigan is clearcut better than PSU. The last 4 out of 5 years prove that stat. Clearcut better as proven on field.
January 14th, 2019 at 3:17 PM ^
so when we smoke you 42-13, that doesn’t even count? and MSU has beaten you 4 of the last 6, i guess that means they’re clear cut above you? and frankly as far as i’m concerned it’s the past 3 years that count, because those first 2 years we still had converted D-linemen starting on our o-line, guys that really had no business being starting B1G players. although i will admit psu fans that think we’re STILL under those effects of the sanctions are making excuses. but anyways i’m more referencing the future and michigan fans’ claims that penn state is somehow on a “downward trend”
January 14th, 2019 at 3:44 PM ^
Michigan smoked PSU this year and 2016. What’s your point? PSU is clearly not at Michigan’s level based on losing consistently to Michigan. If PSU ever wins 2 or 3 in a row then come here and you might have a point. Until then, PSU is behind OSU and Michigan.
January 14th, 2019 at 4:08 PM ^
if that’s your only argument then you’re also behind MSU
January 14th, 2019 at 2:03 PM ^
Not me. We do not play well on the road.
January 14th, 2019 at 8:23 PM ^
I came to Penn State for grad school in '85 and have watched the latter half of the Paterno years, the horrifying-beyond-words Sandusky nightmare, Bill O'Brien's battle with the university and alumni old guard, and now Franklin's attempt to make PSU an elite program again. It feels as if he's hitting something of a wall: he's an incredible recruiter, and God knows the school has the resources, but there are growing questions about his in-game management. I wouldn't say his seat is hot, not by a long way, but a lot of people thought that after the break-through year when they won the BIG, and Trace had 2 more years, that they were about to bust down the door to the elite room for good. I think the next 2 years will be telling.
It's interesting--a lot of folks around here have almost a persecution complex about the sanctions and the BIG in general. Most big-time programs have a sense of "Everybody hates us just b/c we're so good," but it is intense in these parts--people feeling that other schools wouldn't have been treated so harshly, believing that the BIG screws them whenever they can. It's a wild place to live, from a football standpoint.
January 15th, 2019 at 1:43 AM ^
Franklin has recruited skill positions well and guys get passed over by younger recruits and leave. Honestly, that is a sign of a healthy program. 4-5 guys transfer means 4-5 more spots for coaches who are landing top 10 classes every year.
If a 5* kid is on a college roster and not pushing for the starting job or taking on a big role as a #2 as a SO he is probably going to be a bust. They can't keep the great ones off the field.
The early entries are the harder losses to overcome. Their OL was just starting to be decent and they lost 2 or 3 guys. When a draft-worthy guy comes back its like getting a 6* player.