Interesting Chat with PSU FB Player - Franklin

[ImBadRU]

Talked with a current player. Basically said that O'Brien was old school, but cool because he recruited the person first, then the athlete. Franklin was complete opposite. Said he is a fantastic salesman and gets star players. Already some grumbling from last year's kids that they were sold a bill of goods. He agreed that all coaches do this, but feels that Franklin is an extreme version. He indicated that a sizeable number of last year's Franklin recruits (relative to O'Brien's) are basically out of control, big-headed, and wild. Said the trend continued with this incoming group. Having interacted with a good number of these kids- can't say how or why, I see what he means. He said the jury is absolutely out on Franklin and he has serious doubts based on the kids Franklin is bringing in. If they cut it in school academically and don't get into trouble, they will be good, but if not, they will be lousy.

Finally, as I have heard from other players, he said Franklin does not coach. Is all about the image stuff, social media, big picture.

 

[RUtix4me]

"They will be good, but if not they will be lousy"

Other options are?

Good to hear on the rest, hoping he makes a mess of the place.

 

[ImBadRU]

The other option is to be OK. He was saying it will be feast or famine.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

I gave the Opie his first like, because I loved it.

 

[mullerpesq]

We will be there first competition of the season and I hope we catch them unprepared and they never see the whoop ass coming.

 

[RutgersSam]

Franklin is a disingenuous douche. PSU deserves him, and deserve what they will get eventually.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

We will be there first competition of the season and I hope we catch them unprepared and they never see the whoop ass coming.

I don't think we will need to catch them unprepared, as though they are far superior to us--they may not even be as good as us. We are better at some of the skill positions, they have a great defense. They have a good QB, but a questionable O-line. We have an inexperienced O-line and an unproven QB. Our defense will be much better than last year, our running game will be much better, and our WRs will be much better.

Net-net is that this a totally winnable game, so we don't have to "catch them unprepared." We just have to play a good game and we will be in this. Martin and Hicks to RB will make a huge difference versus how we played last year, as will our maturing defensive secondary.

 

[Knight Shift]

OP confirmed my gut feeling on Franklin, and my gut feeling on people is rarely wrong. This must mean everything the OP said is true.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

OP confirmed my gut feeling on Franklin, and my gut feeling on people is rarely wrong. This must mean everything the OP said is true.

 

[MADHAT1]

What gets me is: Penn St fans are starting to bash BOB's recruiting , especially the OL, but seem to forget the odds he faced when
he first accepted the job when it came to get players to commit to become a Nit.
Heck he kept the existing roster just about intact by his us against the world approach that made that roster feel it was part of a fight and recruits wanting to be part of it.
I might not like Penn St, knock it every opportunity I have, but must admit to have more respect for the HC that saved the Nittany Lion Football Program than many Nit fans seem to have.
They blame BOB for the lack of depth , but refuse to understand he had a a mighty big obstacle to overcome and he was able to do that more then Nit fans think he did and set the stage so Franklin could take off running in the recruiting game.

As for coaching ability BOB, in my opinion, did a great job with what he had to work with.
Franklin still has to prove he can do the job.

 

[jake418]

Talked with a current player. Basically said that O'Brien was old school, but cool because he recruited the person first, then the athlete. Franklin was complete opposite. Said he is a fantastic salesman and gets star players. Already some grumbling from last year's kids that they were sold a bill of goods. He agreed that all coaches do this, but feels that Franklin is an extreme version. He indicated that a sizeable number of last year's Franklin recruits (relative to O'Brien's) are basically out of control, big-headed, and wild. Said the trend continued with this incoming group. Having interacted with a good number of these kids- can't say how or why, I see what he means. He said the jury is absolutely out on Franklin and he has serious doubts based on the kids Franklin is bringing in. If they cut it in school academically and don't get into trouble, they will be good, but if not, they will be lousy.

Finally, as I have heard from other players, he said Franklin does not coach. Is all about the image stuff, social media, big picture.

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I guess just say whatever helps your buddies sleep at night , but nothing could be further from the truth. I've been very fortunate to interact with this staff , albeit on a limited basis , but you are way off line as to the relationships that franklin has with his recruits and the academic expectations that he places on them . I call total BS.

 

[MADHAT1]

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I guess just say whatever helps your buddies sleep at night , but nothing could be further from the truth. I've been very fortunate to interact with this staff , albeit on a limited basis , but you are way off line as to the relationships that franklin has with his recruits and the academic expectations that he places on them . I call total BS.

You have a creditability problem.
You haven't earned the right to be taken seriously .
Do you think [roll][roll][roll][roll][roll]makes you look like you're in the know.
For me it makes accepting you interacted with the Nit FB staff , limited or not,a NO no.
I call your message a bunch of BS and you a possible troll
(the Classic Troll gratifies his ego by pretending to be someone or something he or she is not. Classics make up elaborate stories about themselves, sometimes weaving some amounts of truth into their lies.)

 

[Caliknight]

Franklin has a reputation in coaching circles as being a massive douche. Not because he recruits well or wins (remains to be seen), but because he is a complete douche.

To that point, they have the perfect coach for their institution. They might win. They might not.

When it goes wrong there, and it will, the wheels will come off real fast.

 

[JQRU91]

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I guess just say whatever helps your buddies sleep at night , but nothing could be further from the truth. I've been very fortunate to interact with this staff , albeit on a limited basis , but you are way off line as to the relationships that franklin has with his recruits and the academic expectations that he places on them . I call total BS.

You talked to the staff, ImBadRU talked to the player. If what the player said was true, it'd be no surprise that the two stories don't mesh.

 

[RUtix4me]

Talked with a current player. Basically said that O'Brien was old school, but cool because he recruited the person first, then the athlete. Franklin was complete opposite. Said he is a fantastic salesman and gets star players. Already some grumbling from last year's kids that they were sold a bill of goods. He agreed that all coaches do this, but feels that Franklin is an extreme version. He indicated that a sizeable number of last year's Franklin recruits (relative to O'Brien's) are basically out of control, big-headed, and wild. Said the trend continued with this incoming group. Having interacted with a good number of these kids- can't say how or why, I see what he means. He said the jury is absolutely out on Franklin and he has serious doubts based on the kids Franklin is bringing in. If they cut it in school academically and don't get into trouble, they will be good, but if not, they will be lousy.

Finally, as I have heard from other players, he said Franklin does not coach. Is all about the image stuff, social media, big picture.

Just curious, when you spoke to the player, was it his expectation that you post it on social media. Its a great discussion, but could be your last with this guy if you took it to a biard...just saying.

 

[VA_Lion]

Pictures or it never happened.

 

[GSGS]

Pictures or it never happened.

VA Lion, this isn't a Sandusky thread, no need to quote JoePa.
.

 

[Abro1975]

My cousin's best friend's brother played at Vandy when he was there and they corroborrated most of what was alluded to by him but refuted by the others.

 

[GSGS]

IMBadRU - thanks for sharing, great to hear, it corroborates what many of us suspected of Franklin. I wonder if some of last year's recruits with misgivings are the Vanderbilt commits that Franklin shamelessly stole from his former school, that would be very fitting. I thought that was a disgrace that not only did he leave his former school high and dry, but wound up syphoning off many of their top recruits.

Looking forward to watching the situation implode in Crappy Valley.

Somebody better delete this thread before Will Fries reads it and learns that he just bought the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

[mktman]

My cousin's best friend's brother played at Vandy when he was there and they corroborrated most of what was alluded to by him but refuted by the others.

My uncle/s, cousin's, best friend's, brother's, mother's, second cousin heard the same thing.

 

[TRU2RU]

Pretty sure that the OP is a professor at PSU, so he would have plenty of interaction with players

 

[mktman]

Pretty sure that the OP is a professor at PSU, so he would have plenty of interaction with players

"If they cut it in school academically and don't get into trouble, they will be good, but if not, they will be lousy."

How is this different than any other big time football program? Why is this a big deal?

What do we want? Do we want to be the Mother Teresa of college football and look down our noses at everyone who does what is necessary to be competitive or do we want to win? I'm very confused on what the answer is to this question right now.

 

[Caliknight]

We want both. Set your sights higher.

 

[Cvilleguy12]

Funny I talked to a Vandy player that was recruited by Franklin just last week. This kid had nothing but good things to say about Franklin & his staff. He loved him & said the team loved him. He said that Franklin never embarrassed or called out a player in the media. He said he was a players coach.

Also seems Rutgers has more kids leaving their program than those PSU.

 

[mktman]

We want both. Set your sights higher.

Set your sights realistically. Then we can talk...

 

[Abro1975]

My wife's aunt's sister in law's nephew also was at Vandy, and said Franklin was slicker than a used condom.

 

[kjb32812]

Jury is still out on Franklin, no doubt. That being said, hard to bring two very, very different personalities together (O'Brien and Franklin) and expect all recruits to be happy. O'Brien was a straight forward guy and Franklin is a complete salesman. Some people will see him as a phony but I have heard other accounts that say they completely buy in. I think his best option is to be a salesman, motivator, public figure and get great x/o guys around him.

I will say this. If you asked me who is a flat out liar between O'Brien and Franklin I will choose O'Brien 10/10. He held a private meeting with the big four (Hack, Sickels, Mahon, Brenneman) and their families and lied directly to their faces to hold his recruiting class together. It is also rumored that he knew he had two years before the wheels would fall off and knew he needed to get out before that. Since he doesn't come across as sleazy or have a big mouth though, people love him. Me? I think he is as slippery as every other coach in CFB.

 

[JQRU91]

Also seems Rutgers has more kids leaving their program than those PSU.

PSU was on probation with limited scholarships. There were fewer players to leave. And a higher percentage of them start or play and those players aren't as likely to leave.

 

[DJ Spanky]

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I guess just say whatever helps your buddies sleep at night , but nothing could be further from the truth. I've been very fortunate to interact with this staff , albeit on a limited basis , but you are way off line as to the relationships that franklin has with his recruits and the academic expectations that he places on them . I call total BS.

I've got more, and bigger, rolling on the floor smilies, so I'm calling total BS on what you said.

 

[RU-ROCS]

Talked with a current player. Basically said that O'Brien was old school, but cool because he recruited the person first, then the athlete. Franklin was complete opposite. Said he is a fantastic salesman and gets star players. Already some grumbling from last year's kids that they were sold a bill of goods. He agreed that all coaches do this, but feels that Franklin is an extreme version. He indicated that a sizeable number of last year's Franklin recruits (relative to O'Brien's) are basically out of control, big-headed, and wild. Said the trend continued with this incoming group. Having interacted with a good number of these kids- can't say how or why, I see what he means. He said the jury is absolutely out on Franklin and he has serious doubts based on the kids Franklin is bringing in. If they cut it in school academically and don't get into trouble, they will be good, but if not, they will be lousy.

Finally, as I have heard from other players, he said Franklin does not coach. Is all about the image stuff, social media, big picture.

I was ready to call BS on this post, but then realized that the OP has real PSU contacts. Interesting stuff. Obviously, I'd love to see that snake oil salesman fail!

 

[RU_Coming_Along]

QUOTE="Cvilleguy12, post: 327507, member: 8490"][roll]Funny I talked to a Vandy player that was recruited by Franklin just last week. This kid had nothing but good things to say about Franklin & his staff. He loved him & said the team loved him. He said that Franklin never embarrassed or called out a player in the media. He said he was a players coach.[roll]

Also seems Rutgers has more kids leaving their program than those PSU.[/QUOTE]
First post ever. Fixed it for you. TROLL ALERT!!! DO NOT BELIEVE!

 

[FastMJ]

Way too many rolling smileys in this post to be taken seriously

 

[newell138]

Funny I talked to a Vandy player that was recruited by Franklin just last week. This kid had nothing but good things to say about Franklin & his staff. He loved him & said the team loved him. He said that Franklin never embarrassed or called out a player in the media. He said he was a players coach.

Also seems Rutgers has more kids leaving their program than those PSU.

Then again Franklin left Vandy so how would he be able to say what its like playing for him? He's probably one of those guys that if you are playing for him you are all in on his schtick, but if you aren't getting the playing time you feel you deserve you see right through it. Time will tell, rivalry or not, I would be happy to see him fail. Obrien may have been just as much a liar on if he was staying or not but that guy was a 10x better coach. PSU fans will not have to worry about Franklin leaving for the NFL anytime soon.

 

[cjrugger]

Sounds like you talked to a kid who is being passed rapidly on the depth chart by younger players. Or, you just made the whole thing up

 

[Dr. Potato]

Only 9 posts until the TTFP stalkers showed up. Do they get text alerts?

 

[greenknight]

Still can't figure out how he got out of the Vandy rape scandal

 

[beaced]

Just curious, when you spoke to the player, was it his expectation that you post it on social media. Its a great discussion, but could be your last with this guy if you took it to a biard...just saying.

Not a problem so why create one?How is ANYONE going to know which of 100 plus players the OP spoke with?THIMK.(that's an attempt at early morning humor)

 

[Section118]

Franklin has a reputation in coaching circles as being a massive douche. Not because he recruits well or wins (remains to be seen), but because he is a complete douche.

To that point, they have the perfect coach for their institution. They might win. They might not.

When it goes wrong there, and it will, the wheels will come off real fast.

In the coaches circle?.... He's very good friends with Flood. And btw how could you make a statement like that? Are you friends with a coach?

 

[RUtix4me]

Not a problem so why create one?How is ANYONE going to know which of 100 plus players the OP spoke with?THIMK.(that's an attempt at early morning humor)

Not sure i get the humor, maybe i am a bit thick.

 

[getmyjive11]

I loved BOB. The guy had balls and knew more than 99% of the college coaches regarding offense. What he did with McGloin and then a freshman Hackenberg was truly remarkable. On the flip side, he couldn't care less about the defense and he probably is not as good of a recruiter as Franklin.

Franklin is a CEO kind of coach. He is there to sell the program and make big-picture decisions. He is unrelenting on the recruiting trail and will have PSU stocked with talent. As a CEO-type of coach, his success on gameday will be largely predicated on his assistants. He has some really good guys on the defensive side of the ball. I would say that they are the best defensive staff in the Big Ten and not think twice about it. Offense is the total opposite. I'm not sold on any of those coaches... we will see if the influx of talent and depth helps improve things on that side of the ball.

I'm feeling pretty good about where PSU is going. Depth is being built. We will see how it all translates on the field this year.