PSU's 247 Writer Flips Lavert Hill, Quinn Nordin to UM

Submitted by alum96 on

Sean Fitz who is the "Lorenz of PSU" just flipped both Hill (a few days back) and Nordin (yesterday) to UM.

Fitz has a very high 89%+ accuracy rate when it comes to ballz and most of his picks are for PSU, Pitt, WVA so he would sort of be a regional expert.  His only other UM pick this year was NJ Amir Mitchell about a month before he announced.

Hill is interesting just from the angle that there has  not been a single movement by anyone in his prediction graph in 4-5 months....and Nordin was at the game yesterday rather than shuttling down to EL to see PSU which is who he committed to.

Some have speculated Nordin may grayshirt the fall semester (being in state tuition helps in that regard) so we can get 27 scholarships out to others and then once attrition hits we can put him on scholarship in the January semester.

Also some noted he took "PSU commit" off his twitter page yesterday.

/crystal ballz season begins in earnest

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Quinn Nordin
Lavert Hill

alum96

November 29th, 2015 at 10:35 AM ^

He will be fired by this time next year IMO.  Not being sarcastic.  He was not competitive withh OSu or MSU this year.  PSU was in dogfights with the Marylands of the world. 

Its a lot like watching Hoke at UM - nice recruiting, but sum is less than the parts at team level. Lack of development.  Only his DC is better than hoke had here.

You cant be at a school like UM or PSU long and get depanted by the OSUs and MSUs and keep your job long term.  You have to be somewhat competitive.

Breaking in new QB, losing stars Zettel and Nassib on DL.  Another 7-8 win season ahead based on mostly beating crap teams.  They restart a dormant rivalry next year with Pitt - if he loses that the fanbase will scream for him to go.  Will lose to OSU, MSU, UM again next year IMO.  Could lose to Iowa.  Ceiling is probably 8 wins.

He gone.

Joined: 04/28/2012

MGoPoints: 82510

alum96

November 29th, 2015 at 11:38 AM ^

Shoop's defenses:

 

  • 2015 PSU - #15
  • 2014 PSU - #2
  • 2013 Vandy - #23
  • 2012 Vandy - #19

Keep in mmind he has been doing that with another coach's players as Franklin has been at each stop only 2 years.  So not like he benefited from is own players he picked for his system.  Shoop is excellent.  Vandy is like coaching Purdue or Indiana.

Greg is solid.  He had a great turnaround here first year.  Shoop did something similar but even better 1st year at PSU (#2 in nation).  And he built top end defenses at friggin Vandy.

If Durkin goes Shoop is the 1st guy I'd go talk to.  He is a PA guy who went to Yale so is a bright as hell person with the right footprint for big 10 football.

Joined: 04/28/2012

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alum96

November 29th, 2015 at 12:04 PM ^

I am hoping Durkin stays 1 more year then Franklin goes and Shoop is avail post 2016 to take over a very young UM defense. I cant imagine UM going to talk to a DC of another blue blood for a lateral move this year. 

Again I am speculating on a name - not saying he is headed here; just the 1st person I'd reach out to as a natural fit.  He is only 49 years old.

Joined: 04/28/2012

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blueinbelfast

November 30th, 2015 at 9:48 AM ^

Not worth an extended argument, as I see your point, and obviously Shoop is excellent.  But if you want to focus on 'not his players' as an issue, perhaps you'll recall the defensive recruiting under RR and think of what Mattison inherited.  And while they may not be Shoop's players, BO'B recruited some outstanding defenders.

Mattison's record takes a backseat to no one.  Your overall point appears to have been that Franklin is wasting the talents of an outstanding DC, and that's fine, I agree.  But I'm not sure that 'better than' is really that supportable.

Joined: 11/28/2012

MGoPoints: 514

alum96

November 29th, 2015 at 11:41 AM ^

Eye test man.  Just watch his teams - they look like Michigan 2013.  He does not make the sum better than the parts like a Kyle Whittingam type.  He is in a division with 3 of the top 10 coaches in America.  What is another year going to show you?  He can compete with those 3?

PSU fans are like UM fans - they believe they should be competing for rose bowls and playoffs.  Not hoping to be in 4th place behind UM, MSU, OSU and praying for wins over Maryland.  Franklin has 0 hope of being a near equal to the top 3 in the East. 

If you are PSU your floor at this time has to be someone like Kyle Whittingham (he is not going to PSU but I am talking about the quality of coach) just to be relevent with those 3 coaches in the division.  Or you will be 4th place for many yrs.

I watched 4 PSU games this year and I am telling you they are essentially Brady Hoke's Michigan.  They have some talent individually but when you watch the product as a whole it is mediocre and you see the same mismanagement that drove UM fans up the wall.

They scuffle vs bad teams - they get kicked in the teeth almost every time they play a good team.  They are sad on the road.  Hoke redux.

If and when they lose to Narduzzi in next year he will immediately go to the top 5 hot seats in America IMO.  That game is huge in the state of PA as PSU has been avoiding Pitt for many many years.

Joined: 04/28/2012

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EGD

November 29th, 2015 at 11:42 AM ^

Oh, I agree completely with your assessment of Franklin. I'm just saying I don't think he'll get fired that quickly. This is only his second year. If he wins 7+ games next season, after winning seven this year and bringing in a good recruiting class, I think most ADs would keep him around. Not that they should--Penn State could certainly do better. It's just that it will be tough to fire a guy who can put up winning seasons in the aftermath of sanctions and can claim to have the program headed in the right direction.

Joined: 09/16/2009

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alum96

November 29th, 2015 at 12:01 PM ^

Define right direction

Bill O Brian had more difficult circumstances and had 8 wins and 7 wins.  Franklin had 7 wins last year and currently at 7.   Next year he might get 8 ...might get 7.

Sure its not 5-7 but I dont see any progress and the time of complaining about sanctions is about over at this point, its filtered thru the system.  Same excuse that Miami coach was using.  The football alums will be restless with no hope for passing the other 3 guys in the division with Franklin.

We'll see.  First 7 games next year are Kent State, Pitt, Temple, UM, Minn, MD, and OSU.  I could see them 3-4 at that point and the fanbase in an uproar.

Joined: 04/28/2012

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clarkiefromcanada

November 29th, 2015 at 1:54 PM ^

As a Temple alum I follow the Temple football with just a bit more obsession than that of my childhood obsession, Michigan. Thankfully, Temple's become relevant again. Anyway, Rhule is a pretty interesting character in that he's been Philly based for a long time through Golden/Addazio regimes and his spouse actually worked at TU as a dietician during his time with the Giants. He's going to get paid with Temple and a new on-campus stadium is a go with donor money already committed to 100 million (me included!).

Rhule is a PSU alum and former player so they would be a problem. If he goes, I think Temple makes a play to bring back Al Golden who is beloved at Temple (and people aren't angry he went to Miami to try to fix that situation...).

Mike Gibson at Temple Football Forever is a mini Brian on this stuff (more angry though). 

Joined: 11/20/2008

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Steve in PA

November 29th, 2015 at 1:35 PM ^

A hot young coach given the keys to a program he was certainly not ready for.  Franklin wins the press conference and recruits well but his game calling is atrocious.  He is every bit as predictable as Lloyd was back in the day.

Hot seat going into next year and gone after because Hackenberg isn't coming back.

Joined: 08/10/2009

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alum96

November 29th, 2015 at 10:55 AM ^

I say this in every PSU thread - Franklin is a tanner, thinner Brady Hoke.

PSU is doing very well recruiting - guy is a great salesman.  That is all he is good at.  Vandy won with defense (Bob Shoop his DC).  PSUs only good unit is defense (again Bob Shoop).  Franklin is an offensive guy  - he ruined Hack and his offenses at both PSU and Vandy sucked.

But dude can recruit.  If they get a good coach post Franklin his cupboard wont be bare.

Joined: 04/28/2012

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bronxblue

November 29th, 2015 at 11:03 AM ^

My feelings exactly. He has some offensive ability, but he's a good talker who convinces kids to come to PSU. I'm actually kind of scared of them when he leaves because of the talent they have.

As for him ruining Hack, he might have helped, but that always felt like hype as much as anything.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171714

EGD

November 29th, 2015 at 11:14 AM ^

Hackenberg was pretty good under BOB, and looked like he was headed for stardom as an upper classman. Yeah, maybe he never would have been the next Brady/Manning/Rodgers as his recruiting hype held, but he could have had a much better college career and developed into a much more consistent player.

Joined: 09/16/2009

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bamf16

November 29th, 2015 at 1:06 PM ^

Always going to have impatient fans, but given the recent end to the sanctions placed on them, O'Brien leaving as early as he did, this guy being a "Pennsylvania guy" and the strength of next year's recruiting class, I think Franklin's a little safer than some think.

 

Though, I could be wrong.

 

Their biggest problem was the OL, and many have given Franklin a bit of a pass on that, attributing it to the punishments from before he arrived.  But he'll have to replace Hack (who I'd bet is going pro) and deal with the added pressure of playing Pitt the next two seasons.  PSU has an INCREDIBLE superiority complex when it comes to the Pitt-Penn State "rivalry" and Franklin and Narduzzi are perceived to be battling for the recruits in western PA.  I think even with a subpar 2016, Franklin's going to be ok, as long as he gets them to a bowl game.

 

But if in 2017 he's lost two in a row to Pitt and they're still getting curbstomped by the upper tier teams in the Big Ten, 2017 may be a stressful year for him.

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