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Herb Hand

Geno Lewis issued a classy statement via Twitter regarding his transfer today. He made some important catches for PSU over the last few seasons, and I wish him the best, but playing time would have been hard to come by for him in 2016. I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't the last transfer for that reason, with Akeel Lynch another likely candidate.

Regarding the coaches: Losing Shoop hurts, of course, but it was seemingly inevitable after he flirted with LSU and Auburn previously. Pure speculation on my part, but the end game for him is to be a head coach again at the highest level, and considering the players we lose on the DL, combined with the fact that Tennessee is a potential top-10 team next season, he's taking what he hopes is a faster path to accomplishing that goal. Essentially, Tennessee is where PSU hopes to be come 2017-18. Not sure the drop-off will be severe for PSU, as Pry was already co-DC, is another likely potential future head coach, and is more important than Shoop from a recruiting perspective.

It's harder for me to get a read on the benefits/downsides of Hand. Our OL struggles the past couple of seasons are well-documented, and improvement last season wasn't quite what we expected from 2014. That said, Hand hasn't had a lot to work with either. Assuming he goes, I'm sure Franklin will hire someone whose philosophy is in line with that of Moorhead, the new OC, so the change could be a net positive, as Moorhead's offense is generally more friendly to less-talented linemen (though there is plenty of talent in the pipeline, if it can be developed). As always, you just hope it doesn't impact recruiting. Menet and McGovern seem really solid to PSU, though I could see Fries maybe looking around if Hand leaves.
 
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It's harder for me to get a read on the benefits/downsides of Hand. Our OL struggles the past couple of seasons are well-documented, and improvement last season wasn't quite what we expected from 2014. That said, Hand hasn't had a lot to work with either. Assuming he goes, I'm sure Franklin will hire someone whose philosophy is in line with that of Moorhead, the new OC, so the change could be a net positive, as Moorhead's offense is generally more friendly to less-talented linemen (though there is plenty of talent in the pipeline, if it can be developed). As always, you just hope it doesn't impact recruiting. Menet and McGovern seem really solid to PSU, though I could see Fries maybe looking around if Hand leaves.

Have just the guy for you to replace Hand. He's available and will work for cheap. Lots of experience as OL coach and in the B1G. His name is Kyle Flood.
 
Ha. Appreciate the recommendation, but I think I'll have to pass.
Think of the positives. The coaches in NJ LOVED him. They just never sent their top players to play for him. He's very likable. OK with the media. He revealed a dark side with the Nadir Barnwell thing.

On a serious note, what is PSU doing for a linebackers coach? Bob Fraser, who was part of Schiano's staffs at Rutgers and Tampa Bay and again here for Flood is available. Pittsburgh native.
 
Gourd nibbler was my hashing name. I ran with the Scranton hash house harriers. I got for trying to bite into a gourd after the Steamtown marathon a few years ago.
Hand was the recruiter involved with Will Fries. Could have an impact.
 
Think of the positives. The coaches in NJ LOVED him. They just never sent their top players to play for him. He's very likable. OK with the media. He revealed a dark side with the Nadir Barnwell thing.

On a serious note, what is PSU doing for a linebackers coach? Bob Fraser, who was part of Schiano's staffs at Rutgers and Tampa Bay and again here for Flood is available. Pittsburgh native.

Pry has handled the linebackers under Franklin. Most are hoping we hire a safeties coach, which would make sense since (a) that was Shoop's position group and (b) our safety play was less than stellar last season.
 
Geno Lewis issued a classy statement via Twitter regarding his transfer today. He made some important catches for PSU over the last few seasons, and I wish him the best, but playing time would have been hard to come by for him in 2016. I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't the last transfer for that reason, with Akeel Lynch another likely candidate.

Regarding the coaches: Losing Shoop hurts, of course, but it was seemingly inevitable after he flirted with LSU and Auburn previously. Pure speculation on my part, but the end game for him is to be a head coach again at the highest level, and considering the players we lose on the DL, combined with the fact that Tennessee is a potential top-10 team next season, he's taking what he hopes is a faster path to accomplishing that goal. Essentially, Tennessee is where PSU hopes to be come 2017-18. Not sure the drop-off will be severe for PSU, as Pry was already co-DC, is another likely potential future head coach, and is more important than Shoop from a recruiting perspective.

It's harder for me to get a read on the benefits/downsides of Hand. Our OL struggles the past couple of seasons are well-documented, and improvement last season wasn't quite what we expected from 2014. That said, Hand hasn't had a lot to work with either. Assuming he goes, I'm sure Franklin will hire someone whose philosophy is in line with that of Moorhead, the new OC, so the change could be a net positive, as Moorhead's offense is generally more friendly to less-talented linemen (though there is plenty of talent in the pipeline, if it can be developed). As always, you just hope it doesn't impact recruiting. Menet and McGovern seem really solid to PSU, though I could see Fries maybe looking around if Hand leaves.
Many on your board actually wanted Hand to be fired with your OC. I see he is one if your best recruiters.
 
I thought that was going to be the name of some cooking tool.

"Just season the chicken with your herb hand and put it in the oven."
He actually was on one of the Food Network game shows. Forget which one, but he was introduced as a Vandy coach even though he had left for Penn State by the time the show aired
 
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Many on your board actually wanted Hand to be fired with your OC. I see he is one if your best recruiters.

I stick almost exclusively to the premium Scout board. Don't head over to BWI much. Too many crazies. Hand is a strong recruiter, but I wouldn't call him one of "best." In fact, I'm not sure he'd be in the upper half among the assistants, with Pry, Gattis, Spencer, Huff, Rahne and Smith all being just as or more effective. That's a product of Franklin emphasizing that aspect of the job among his staff. Again, Hand is a good recruiter, by all accounts a great guy and family man, and probably a better coach than his players showed the past two seasons. But he's replaceable. His perceived importance to the staff might be inflated among those outside of the program because of his presence on TV and Twitter.
 
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Brady Hoke part II about to unfold? All that talent, but where are the results?

I'm not suggesting that Franklin is the next Lombardi but to compare him and the situation he walked into to that of Hoke and what he walked into are dumb.
 
I'm not suggesting that Franklin is the next Lombardi but to compare him and the situation he walked into to that of Hoke and what he walked into are dumb.
Not so dumb, and was not considering the situations they walked into. Considering game day coaching ability, which, up to now, has not appeared to be particularly strong for Franklin. Wonder if he will get a full 4 years of recruiting classes to prove himself. Anything less than 7 wins this year, and he is probably toast?
 
In regards to recruiting, please keep in mind that Franklin uses an "all hands on deck" approach where everyone is involved with recruits. Obviously they all have a lead recruiter but if we don't have recruiting fall out from the firing of Donovan and the moving on of Shoop, I doubt we see any from Hand doing the same.

One OL recruit was an early enrollee so he is already at PSU. That being said, Menet is one of our two best recruits IMO and we definitely don't want him being impacted by Hand potentially leaving. Doubt it would matter though. Most of these kids were early commits and seem to have created quite a bond amongst themselves.
 
Disagree regarding Franklin. Most reasonable PSU fans know next year's team will have a rookie QB, an OL still in flux, and a defense replacing three NFL linemen. Not to mention, it would be outside of the norm for PSU to fire a coach after only three years. Personally, I'd like to see us go 8-4 next season and come loaded for bear in 2017 when we'll have a very talented and generally experienced roster, but I realize a 6-6 season is certainly possible. If we're having discussions like this after the 2017 season, then it's time to talk about moving on from Franklin. Not now. You have a faction of the fan base that thinks the rebuilding process should have accelerated once the sanctions were removed, but the reality is the effects of the sanctions continue to linger. Hopefully guys like Bates, Gonzalez and maybe even McGovern can contribute up front by the middle of next season, but you're still talking about three freshmen in the interior of your offensive line. The prove-it year for this staff will be 2017.
 
Not so dumb, and was not considering the situations they walked into. Considering game day coaching ability, which, up to now, has not appeared to be particularly strong for Franklin. Wonder if he will get a full 4 years of recruiting classes to prove himself. Anything less than 7 wins this year, and he is probably toast?

Hard to not consider the situation he walked into. You think Ash has the talent to make an immediate impact? I don't.

Anyhow, Donovan is gone. Franklin has a chance to hit the reset button, hand the offense entirely over to Moorhead and focus on what he is good at. If he doesn't do that, I think he is eventually toast. Whether or not 2016 would be the year it could happen depends on who you ask. IMO, Franklin's leash is not as long as some others believe it to be. Then again, I'm a nobody.
 
Official...Hand to Auburn.

I think that, in a vacuum, this is a good think. Like I mentioned above, my opinion is that Franklin has to completely hand the keys to Moorhead or he is toast. This will allow Moorhead to have input on who the next OL coach is.

Obviously, this isn't in a vacuum though. That's an OC, DC and OL coach all gone since the end of the season.
 
80+ sacks in two years doesn't endure him to fans though. Opposing fans maybe.
Hahahahaha I love that you're trying to blame that on a coach after PSU fans infect every thread, article, discussion imaginable blaming the sanctions on the poor OL/poor Hackenberg/poor Franklin.
 
Hahahahaha I love that you're trying to blame that on a coach after PSU fans infect every thread, article, discussion imaginable blaming the sanctions on the poor OL/poor Hackenberg/poor Franklin.

I'm not concerned about losing Herb Hand. Wish him well but that's about it.

I'm pretty transparent about Penn State and I don't think you would have too much good to say about the OL performance over the past two years. In 2014 Hand got a little slack. But to show no or little improvement in 2015 was concerning. Not like the offenses at Vandy lit it up either.
 
I said it earlier in this thread: Hand caught a raw deal in terms of the talent in the OL room when this staff came in. However, those kids also didn't improve nearly as much as one might expect from year one to year two. This isn't meant to be a referendum on Hand's ability - obviously he's coached at many places and just got an SEC job, so some people who know a lot more than I do believe he knows what he's doing - but I think this, combined with a new QB and new OC, could be a great thing for these kids. They can forget the past two seasons and get a fresh start in a fresh system. The line still won't be strong, especially early in the season, but at some point, as guys like Bates, Gonzalez and McGovern become more involved, we should see some promise.
 
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Geno Lewis issued a classy statement via Twitter regarding his transfer today. He made some important catches for PSU over the last few seasons, and I wish him the best, but playing time would have been hard to come by for him in 2016. I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't the last transfer for that reason, with Akeel Lynch another likely candidate.

Regarding the coaches: Losing Shoop hurts, of course, but it was seemingly inevitable after he flirted with LSU and Auburn previously. Pure speculation on my part, but the end game for him is to be a head coach again at the highest level, and considering the players we lose on the DL, combined with the fact that Tennessee is a potential top-10 team next season, he's taking what he hopes is a faster path to accomplishing that goal. Essentially, Tennessee is where PSU hopes to be come 2017-18. Not sure the drop-off will be severe for PSU, as Pry was already co-DC, is another likely potential future head coach, and is more important than Shoop from a recruiting perspective.

It's harder for me to get a read on the benefits/downsides of Hand. Our OL struggles the past couple of seasons are well-documented, and improvement last season wasn't quite what we expected from 2014. That said, Hand hasn't had a lot to work with either. Assuming he goes, I'm sure Franklin will hire someone whose philosophy is in line with that of Moorhead, the new OC, so the change could be a net positive, as Moorhead's offense is generally more friendly to less-talented linemen (though there is plenty of talent in the pipeline, if it can be developed). As always, you just hope it doesn't impact recruiting. Menet and McGovern seem really solid to PSU, though I could see Fries maybe looking around if Hand leaves.
That's a lot of movement. Franklin maybe, just maybe has something to do with it. I don't see things going well at psu in the next couple years. Think they'll bring in the Temple coach at end of 2017 season.
 
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