bubba0077 asks: How strongly did you consider not doing a mailbag this week, either because you are drained or you know what kind of questions you are likely to get?
After every loss, I always try to avoid Penn State internet as much as possible. It’s infinitely worse after an embarrassing, bad loss like this one (previous worst one I could think of was 2021 Illinois). And it’s because of both – though this week’s questions weren’t quite as bad as I’d feared. The best thing is that ultimately, I get
to decide which questions to answer and which I leave alone (this week I’m not sure there were many if any actual questions I didn’t include).
Luckily, there’s been a new Taylor Swift album to make me feel at least a little better.
48-14 asks: I love being a Penn State football fan! I love the pageantry of the games. I love the excitement of following a game and analyzing the plays. I love the passion of the fan base. I love reading all the articles and blog posts. I dread the end of the season. I love the anticipation of next season. I love CJF for always representing the University in a positive way.
I hope and plan on that love continuing and hope that others can rekindle their passion for the game and team.
I know this isn’t a question, but I appreciate the perspective. I’ve often been called an apologist (if not outright, it’s been alluded to) and that’s not necessarily a wrong characterization – but last week got me flat-out down. I’m pretty much done and ok with whatever changes are made, whenever they’re made. I hope to get back to a perspective not dissimilar to what you’re expressing here. At least we still have tailgates.
GSAPS asks: Isn’t everyone being a little dramatic? I care too and my family will tell you I get way too emotionally invested in Penn State football, but goodness, it’s not like anyone died.
Absolutely it’s dramatic, but I get it. Many of us invest significant time and money into the program and university, and this was frankly so disappointing and just embarrassing – especially with expectations as high as they were pre-season. If last week’s performance was due to the offense instead of the defense crapping the bed, or maybe if it was against, say, Nebraska or Iowa instead of UCLA and a less-than-a-week-into-the-job offensive coordinator, it wouldn’t be as dramatic. For me, at least.
MJBPSU asks: Was this season destined to go off the rails with a loss to Oregon? I think the lack of enjoyment from everyone (team, fans, media) from the first 3 games was b/c there was no place to find joy/enjoyment from those games. Win by a ton? We were supposed to. Struggle even a little bit? We are frauds who haven’t proven anything. Add into that CJF’s record vs. Top 10 teams, and Oregon became not just a referendum of if we belonged this year, but if we belonged at all. So when the answer from that game was the familiar answer, the loss to Oregon was not just a loss to Oregon. Right? Duh?
My point? Feels like all the chips were pushed in on this year being the year. Now that it’s not, it feels like “I’m not going to let the results of the last couple of weeks overshadow what we have done the last 12 years” doesn’t match the moment anymore. Or am I wrong?
It absolutely was NOT destined to go off the rails with a loss to Oregon – especially a double overtime loss. In a way, that sentiment takes away some of the responsibility that the coaching staff (on the defensive side especially) bear for the horrendous game last week. If it was inevitable, it wouldn’t have mattered if they hadn’t looked lost for most of the game, right? If it was destiny, then the team might as well have not shown up to the Rose Bowl (physically, if not metaphorically).
Honestly, the one I feel the worst for this week is Drew Allar. He basically willed many of the first downs that the offense got as the team was trying to climb back, and carried the offense despite the horrendous play calling and other coaching decisions. And he’s the one bearing the brunt of the vitriol from a player perspective, when this loss was absolutely NOT on him – 37 points should have been more than enough to beat a then-0-4 UCLA team with an entirely new coaching staff. That it wasn’t makes me severely question Jim Knowles’ entire motivations in coming to Penn State.
SomeSchmuckPSUfan asks: Worse loss from a national perspective Scum vs. App State or what we just did?
I mean, at least our loss was to someone in the FBS, in the power five, and in our conference? App State was none of those things, if you remember, back in 2007 – and actually got paid to beat Michigan. But they rebounded that season, and did end up 9-4; whether this loss to UCLA is worse or better will likely depend a lot on what Penn State does the rest of the season. If they spiral, it could portend far worse things than the game alone showed.
AmishMobBoss asks: Does anyone have an explanation for Jim Knowles having no strategy and making no adjustments against UCLA? This isn’t the first time Franklin and his offensive coaching staff have made blunders, but Knowles, while he might not be as exciting as Manny Diaz, has a solid reputation as DC at multiple schools.
As mentioned above, this loss was, in my opinion, almost solely on the defense and Knowles, and special teams not being prepared for an onside kick. The offense only punted one time! They only had to go for it on fourth down as much as they did because the defense couldn’t stop UCLA, which *also* only punted once (which ended up being blocked as a touchdown). If 100% of your opponent’s possessions end with a score or time expiring in either half, then that’s a defensive issue, and a pretty stark one considering how poor UCLA looked on offense in every other week.
I appreciate that there likely wasn’t much film on the offense we ended up seeing last week, but isn’t that why Knowles is the highest paid DC in college football? To be prepared for shit like that, even with your best starting linebacker out? The tackling was simply atrocious on Saturday, and that didn’t have anything to do with UCLA’s offensive playcalling. That’s the basic fundamentals that were sorely, SORELY lacking in PSU’s trip to LA.
Smee asks: Technically, Penn State could win out and make the CFP. Which means, until they lose again there is always going to be that tiny shred of hope. Now, given the game on Saturday, there’s probably very few of us who expect the team to be at 10-2 as November 29th comes to a close. And maybe you’re one of them, but, if not, which upcoming game do you think puts the final nail in the CFP coffin?
Honestly, we could lose out or win out (or anything in between) and at this point, after last week, I’m not sure either would be shocking to me. That being said, here are the games remaining in order of the most likely to least likely losses:
- Ohio State
- Indiana (honestly, might be #1 if Knowles doesn’t get the defense’s shit together in the next two weeks)
- Northwestern (just because the team may be in a freefall; I almost put this at seven but realized it is far scarier than seventh)
- Iowa
- Nebraska (just because it’s at home, otherwise I’d put it ahead of Iowa as they are definitely a better team than Iowa)
- Rutgers
- Michigan State
Gerry Dincher asks: I don’t think the departure of JaJuan Sider [sic] has been discussed much. What role do you think his absence has played in Nick Singleton’s struggles this season?
It’s not because of Seider’s departure – it’s because of the offensive line’s continual underwhelming performances, and the baffling play calls. Kaytron Allen has always been better than Singleton at running between the tackles, while Nick does better bouncing outside and once he gets into space, look out. This is especially true if the line, you know, can’t open up any g-d holes.
How did I make that determination, you ask?
Smee asks: If you don’t have peacock, should you be happy or bummed that the Iowa game is on peacock?
Ask me that after this weekend’s game.
LarzLion asks: What are the chances that CJF pulls an Ed DeChellis and quits to coach someone like Akron or Shippensburg, which has less pressure to win?
The most defining characteristic about Franklin, likely agreed upon by his backers and detractors alike, is his ego. And this isn’t necessarily a bad thing! You want someone with an ego to run a multi-million dollar endeavor like Penn State football – all good coaches have ego, and are competitive like Franklin. Because of that, I sincerely doubt he’d ever willingly leave for a place with less pressure, because that’d be admitting that he couldn’t handle it. And I truly don’t see him ever admitting that (and I’m not sure I’d want him to).
UTmountainlion asks: I watched a little PSU hockey over the weekend and our guys stole two great wins from a ranked Arizona State Team. In both games the third period proved to be the decisive frame.
Q1: What is better in your opinion, an early lead and coasting to a win, or pouring it on at the end and ending up with a decisive victory despite a competitive start?
Q2: Arizona Tea, Peace Tea, or Snapple? I prefer the Arizona green tea with honey, but I see they now make it with hot honey. I am intrigued by this.
I was at the hockey game against Clarkson last night (Thursday), and wooo boy, was that also disappointing – what a waste of a great performance by JJ Wiebusch!
To actually answer your question, I’d prefer the former because, as Thursday showed, relying on the latter can sometimes backfire when you get tired and your opponent keeps taking it to you, unintimidated. I prefer blowouts by my sports teams in every instance, thank you very much.
For the team, I’m with you on Arizona green tea with honey – I’m not a honey fan generally, but it works in this instance. And I am also intrigued by the hot honey option! Nowadays, we often have the alcoholic version of Arizona teas at our tailgates (though since I don’t drink anymore, I can only go by my friends’ reviews when I say it’s good).
Smee asks: Way off-football question… what do you think is the deal with the women’s basketball coach and why she still has a job? The only thing I can figure is Sandy wrote her a CJF-like buyout contract and Kraft can’t justify paying it off. Because, her record hit rock-bottom and then somehow found a way to get worse. Kraft’s let others go for much less.
This is something that has been so baffling to me for the last few years. In 2024 especially, she had one of the best PSU players in a long time in Makenna Marisa, and brought in transfers to complement her and the players already on the roster – and still couldn’t make the tournament. After the loss in the WNIT, some of the best young players transferred out of the program as well, and last season finished dead last in the Big Ten and ended the season on a ten-game losing streak. How was there not serious conversations about her tenure? Truly, it’s baffling to me, because PSU has at least a decent womens basketball history, and the sport itself has gotten so much more popular these last few years. There’s a market there, but only if the team is decent – and it’s been far from decent under Kieger.
Kraft has said he wants four national championships this year, and yet won’t seriously consider one of the most obvious upgrades? C’mon, man.
