ESPN article about the B1G East Division

[KJ_RU]

Good article about the best division in college football.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/118460/big-ten-east-turning-into-college-football-beast

 

[ScarletDave]

"Penn State is expected to return to its former glory under James Franklin" what exactly has he done to show he has any chance of turning them around? And what does championships 20 years ago have to do with them being good this season? This writer probably votes in the AP poll

 

[BeantownKnight]

Actually, the post they did on who has the toughest schedules in the B1G East was pretty good. For the record, on a scale of 1-7 (easiest to most difficult) RU ranked number 5.

 

[RUseaweed]

I don't see them building up Franklin as a bad thing right now. It makes the B1G look like it has more current power teams, and that much more impressive when we beat them.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

You are welcome.

 

[RUich]

Love this!!! "The ACC...uh, can you remind us of who is in the Coastal and who is in the Atlantic?"
:p

 

[PSU_Nut]

"Penn State is expected to return to its former glory under James Franklin" what exactly has he done to show he has any chance of turning them around? And what does championships 20 years ago have to do with them being good this season? This writer probably votes in the AP poll

Recruiting has improved under Franklin. In addition Penn State should be back to the 85 scholarship level in 2016. They also look at the improvement that Vanderbilt made under Franklin.

 

[psu08]

Recruiting has improved under Franklin. In addition Penn State should be back to the 85 scholarship level in 2016. They also look at the improvement that Vanderbilt made under Franklin.

Exactly, I'm not sure people understand that Vanderbilt situation outside of the SEC. There wasn't one 4-star roster when that staff got there. Vanderbilt's last 5-year win total is 2,6,9,9, 3. Pretty telling and doesn't leave much to debate about the job they did. When they walked out the door in Jan of 2014 Vanderbilt at the time had a Rivals top 20 class being assembled. By 2016 and 2017 Franklin will have program in significantly better place than any time since the 90's with stability and uninterrupted recruiting classes. Whether he can challenge for national titles is open for much debate but 10-win seasons will be common.

 

[RC1978]

A very suspect schedule this year for Penn St will help the pundits say that they are back.

 

[PhDKnight]

How do you TTFP guys know every time anyone writes a post that mentions your school? Literally every TTFP mention elicits a response from a TTFP poster immediately after it is written, even if your school is only mentioned in passing. Is there some TTFP meta-data analysis software out there that activates an alert!

 

[knightfan7]

A very suspect schedule this year for Penn St will help the pundits say that they are back.

With 4 months to go before the 1st game, you can reasonably say PSU will be favorites in 10 games this year. Their schedule alone makes them a contender for 2nd place behind OSU. We may not like it but they're set up for success better than RU or anyone else.

 

[PSUPALY]

How do you TTFP guys know every time anyone writes a post that mentions your school? Literally every TTFP mention elicits a response from a TTFP poster immediately after it is written, even if your school is only mentioned in passing. Is there some TTFP meta-data analysis software out there that activates an alert!

i chuckled.....that was funny.

though the title of the thread didn't directly mention Penn State, safe assumption we were going to be brought up. shockingly....we were

 

[Lion8286]

How do you TTFP guys know every time anyone writes a post that mentions your school? Literally every TTFP mention elicits a response from a TTFP poster immediately after it is written, even if your school is only mentioned in passing. Is there some TTFP meta-data analysis software out there that activates an alert!

So 8 hours after is your definition of "immediately"?

 

[MADHAT1]

So 8 hours after is your definition of "immediately"?

 

[WhiteBus]

So 8 hours after is your definition of "immediately"?

For a government worker...yes!

 

[Ru2bnj]

He did a very good ..not great job at Vandy. If you actually look at the record, the "name" SEC schools they beat were very beatable in those years. Maybe similar to RU's win against Michigan this year. People like to write about ..and fans love "hype". The perception of how good a recruiter he is, etc. It builds excitement. Only time will tell if it all translates to the field. The play on the field last year was very average.

 

[krup]

Recruiting has improved under Franklin. In addition Penn State should be back to the 85 scholarship level in 2016. They also look at the improvement that Vanderbilt made under Franklin.

If Vandy under Franklin beat teams like Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky that were otherwise playing well, that is one thing. The truth is that Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky had 2-3 losses/yr more during the Franklin era than the 15 years previous, meaning the so-called Vandy turnaround was largely due to the rest of the SEC East being abnormally poor.

 

[restartRU]

i think it is a stretch to say that 10 wins a year will be common for PSU. MSU, OSU and now UM with a good coach are going to have a lot to say about that. RU and Maryland will hardly roll over as well. Pretty good teams in this division could easily lose 3 games just in division play.

But that '15 schedule for PSU is soft and Hack could have a big year. I was watching some of their Spring game - he's a big dude and will probably start in the NFL.

 

[WhiteBus]

I guess this kills the theory that ESPN is biased against the Big Ten. Or Rutgers for that matter.

 

[MADHAT1]

For a government worker...yes!

i think it is a stretch to say that 10 wins a year will be common for PSU. MSU, OSU and now UM with a good coach are going to have a lot to say about that. RU and Maryland will hardly roll over as well. Pretty good teams in this division could easily lose 3 games just in division play.

But that '15 schedule for PSU is soft and Hack could have a big year. I was watching some of their Spring game - he's a big dude and will probably start in the NFL.

The only thing I'm concerned about is: Rutgers not being mentioned as a potential top B1G-E program and expected to win 10 a year.
Know it's far fetched ( now) to expect something like that written about RU FB,but hope it becomes a common occurrence in a few years.
Past success usually brings high expectations for the future, so RU must start showing it is a successful B1G-E program now so in the future it's past will have articles implying RU FB is one of the best and will continue to be.

 

[MozRU]

Exactly, I'm not sure people understand that Vanderbilt situation outside of the SEC. There wasn't one 4-star roster when that staff got there. Vanderbilt's last 5-year win total is 2,6,9,9, 3. Pretty telling and doesn't leave much to debate about the job they did. When they walked out the door in Jan of 2014 Vanderbilt at the time had a Rivals top 20 class being assembled. By 2016 and 2017 Franklin will have program in significantly better place than any time since the 90's with stability and uninterrupted recruiting classes. Whether he can challenge for national titles is open for much debate but 10-win seasons will be common.

This. We couldn't take advantage while they were down. (SMH!!!)

 

[MADHAT1]

I guess this kills the theory that ESPN is biased against the Big Ten. Or Rutgers for that matter.

We must go by the whole body of work, not just one or two parts of it.
The Star Ledger puts out positive articles in their coverage of RU FB, but I won't claim those articles proves the Ledger is RU friendly.

 

[WhiteBus]

We must go by the whole body of work, not just one or two parts of it.
The Star Ledger puts out positive articles in their coverage of RU FB, but I won't claim those articles proves the Ledger is RU friendly.

My point is more to those that buried ESPN during the past few years. If you are truly a complete college football fan you have to admit that the Big Ten had a few down years. Now they are on the way back and ESPN recognizes that. I'm sure ACC fans are killing that article as unfair or biased but they too need to face the truth that the ACC is the least of the Big 5.

 

[FlintTown]

My point is more to those that buried ESPN during the past few years. If you are truly a complete college football fan you have to admit that the Big Ten had a few down years. Now they are on the way back and ESPN recognizes that. I'm sure ACC fans are killing that article as unfair or biased but they too need to face the truth that the ACC is the least of the Big 5.

That shows just how sad and clueless BSPN actually is. The Big Ten had a down year LAST SEASON and now BSPN is trying to hype them up because initial tv negotiations are in progress.

Once Harbaugh gets Michigan to a competitive level in a few years and Franklin gets fired in favor of a real coach, then I'll start to buy the Big East as the best division in football history. Until then, it's merely one of the best.

 

[vkj91]

Recruiting has improved under Franklin. In addition Penn State should be back to the 85 scholarship level in 2016. They also look at the improvement that Vanderbilt made under Franklin.

So if you have 85 by week 6 Franklin and fans will be claiming 47?

 

[dicemen99]

So if you have 85 by week 6 Franklin and fans will be claiming 47?

Man, you have the biggest inferiority complex I've seen on these boards. You think you're a great fan and I guess you are in the strict sense (as fan is derived from "fanatic"). As I posited previously, you perpetuate the perceptions you want to dispel.

Can't handle any criticism of Flood - check.
Can't stand and put down Schiano any chance you can because you're butt hurt he left - check
No perception of reality in recruiting - check
Claim that other coaches are either slimy (Meyer, Franklin) or cheat because they recruit well - check

But wait, you're a huge check writer and one of the guys on the "inside" of making big things happen in RU football. BAAWAAAHAAAAHAAAHAAAAHAAAHAAAAHAAAHAAAA

........on second thought, you just might be the way things run around here.

 

[dicemen99]

So if you have 85 by week 6 Franklin and fans will be claiming 47?

And BTW, if you care to be factual - they might have had even less suiting up for them by week 12 (maybe 45). I have looked it up myself and counted. Of course most teams are only going to have around 60 to at most 70. But for him to claim what he was claiming was the absolute reality of the his situation.

 

[PSU_Nut]

If Vandy under Franklin beat teams like Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky that were otherwise playing well, that is one thing. The truth is that Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky had 2-3 losses/yr more during the Franklin era than the 15 years previous, meaning the so-called Vandy turnaround was largely due to the rest of the SEC East being abnormally poor.

No one is saying made them world beaters but if you think he did make huge strides in that program your are clueless. That like trying to say Schiano didn't improve Rutgers it just because the Big East fell apart. He won 9 games a season two years in a row and then the year he leaves they only win 3. Before he arrived they had only won 4 game the previous two years.

 

[sherrane]

He did a very good ..not great job at Vandy. If you actually look at the record, the "name" SEC schools they beat were very beatable in those years. Maybe similar to RU's win against Michigan this year. People like to write about ..and fans love "hype". The perception of how good a recruiter he is, etc. It builds excitement. Only time will tell if it all translates to the field. The play on the field last year was very average.

He is the only coach in Vanderbilt history to take the team to 3 straight bowl games. The most wins for Vanderbilt in a football season is 9 wins, which Franklin did twice and no other coach achieved. Vanderbilt has had five 8+ win seasons since 1945 and Franklin coached two of those seasons. To dismiss his achievements at Vanderbilt is pure folly.

Just because he had success at Vandy doesn't mean he'll have success anywhere else. We've seen plenty of "hot" head coaches fail once they hit the spotlight. Rich Rodriguez' time at Michigan is an excellent example. I agree with you that this B1G East is much tougher than the SEC East was when he was at Vandy because both Florida and Tennessee were down at the time. Look at what Missouri has done in that division. It isn't as if Kentucky football ever had a pulse and South Carolina can't seem to get past mediocre.

 

[vkj91]

Man, you have the biggest inferiority complex I've seen on these boards. You think you're a great fan and I guess you are in the strict sense (as fan is derived from "fanatic"). As I posited previously, you perpetuate the perceptions you want to dispel.

Can't handle any criticism of Flood - check.
Can't stand and put down Schiano any chance you can because you're butt hurt he left - check
No perception of reality in recruiting - check
Claim that other coaches are either slimy (Meyer, Franklin) or cheat because they recruit well - check

But wait, you're a huge check writer and one of the guys on the "inside" of making big things happen in RU football. BAAWAAAHAAAAHAAAHAAAAHAAAHAAAAHAAAHAAAA

........on second thought, you just might be the way things run around here.

No inferiority complex here whatsoever. To answer your points though
I have zero issue with criticism of Flood, guess you missed the part where I was chipping in to replace him. My issue is with people beating the same dead horse when anyone with a pulse new last year would be a down year and this HAS to be the year he makes his mark recruiting. Of course, you just want to beat that horse rather than let it play out.
I actually like Schiano a great deal and respect him for the mark he left on the program. I wasn't upset that he, he had the chance of a lifetime, and I'd never begrudge someone living their dream.
You can believe your perception is reality....like I said, hope you are here in Feb.
I've made no such claims. I don't like Franklin and think he was a bad hire because he's a recruiter first and PSU didn't need that . They needed an X and O guy and didn't get one. THey should have hired a guy like Jerry Kill. As for Urban, I've never said anything negative about. He is what he is and OSU is cool with that....personally, my son would never be allowed to play for him and theres NO chance RU or NJ would have the stomach for his tactics but such is life.
As for Franklin's scholarship count it's crap because he played it off as if he was at those numbers because of sanctions. He chose to RS the kids he did, he chose not to give remaining scholarships to walk ons, and anyone who pays attention to college ball knows he's an excuse maker. He will have more this year.......
You can stop stalking my posts now if it makes you feel better. It's the end of April, make your donation today? Pay the remaining balance on your tickets?

 

[RutgersROB]

I guess this kills the theory that ESPN is biased against the Big Ten. Or Rutgers for that matter.

The blogs on espn.com always covered Rutgers more, its the tv aspect that never does unless it a bs story they can blow out of proportion

 

[ScarletDave]

The schedule is the key. Franklin won games at Vandy his last 2 years, yes. Look who they played. Someone posted those stats before and it's telling. This year the Franklin cream puff special is back and yep, "they're/we're back" will be inevitable after having a fair amount of wins against that BS schedule. The best we can do, though, is take care of our own business this September.

 

[topdecktiger]

South Carolina can't seem to get past mediocre.

11-2 for three straight years is mediocre?

 

[MADHAT1]

11-2 for three straight years is mediocre?

They were great years 2011-2-3, but you lefty out last year's 7-6 record .
2007-8-9-10 South Carolina was 29-23 for those 4 years but the 2010 season 9-5 and SEC East title was good.
Before that not so good and 2014 unpleasant.
3 real good years a good one , 1 pretty good one and 5 not so hot ones in the 10 years Spurrier took over from cheating Lou, isn't HOF material.
On the whole, not mediocre, but nothing to write home to mother about either;)