The Nittany Turkey

Primarily about Penn State football, this is a tale told by idiots, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

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LJ In the Wind

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The news that long-time defensive line coach Larry Johnson would be leaving the Penn State football program after 18 years broke overnight, and a somber air hangs over Turkeyland this morning. Although this turkey had predicted that he would leave, I feel sad.

LJ was apparently offered to keep his old job and declined after meeting twice with new head coach James Franklin, according to PennLive.com.

We tend to think of things selfishly in Nittany Nation, but before you impute any nefarious motives (usually pinned on guys like Joyner and Erickson because Franklin is still in his honeymoon period), consider that this might be a good time for LJ to continue his personal development as a coach elsewhere. For one thing, if he’s going to have to be part of a new system after being passed over twice or three times for an upgrade, why not look elsewhere? He’s 61 and has some short time horizons to accomplish his goals in life. Time marches on.

Rumor has it that “elsewhere” is Ohio State. (Feeling shudders across the fertile Central Pennsylvania soil.)

Yeah, we recoil in horror. Why would LJ want to defect to the enemy? Well, think about it. You’re 61 and in a dead-end job where you’re loved but stagnating. You’ve been turned down twice for the head coaching job, and there was no interest in making you defensive coordinator. You could keep your present job — but under what terms? ????? ???? Of course, the contents of the discussions between LJ and JF remain secret and will be the subject of the usual unsubstantiated Internet rumors. It’s pretty clear that Franklin wants his own staff and his own team, wants to do recruiting his way, and that he will undoubtedly hire a DC who would be the third under whom LJ has worked since St. Joe’s departure from the program and from this earth.

Have you ever left a job for greener pastures? Have you ever felt like you were getting passed over? Have you ever been pissed off about being pissed on? Have you ever had doubts about how you would fit into a new boss’ scheme? Lots of things must have been going through Larry’s mind. If indeed an offer from Ohio State is on the table and it represents a personal upgrade for him, more power to him! Penn State loves Larry and Larry loves Penn State. That won’t change. He is not defecting to the enemy. He is doing well for himself and his family.

Small world. Mike Vrabel was defensive line coach at OSU, creating a vacancy that was perfect for LJ. Where did Vrabel go? He’ll join fellow former New England Patriot Bill O’Brien in Houston.

But it ain’t official yet. After all, the Columbus Dispatch reported that LJ had not returned a text from them. LOL ? ? (STFU!) ?

James Franklin’s plan to dominate recruiting in the Keystone State has been dealt a significant blow, as Johnson brings his recruiting skills and long-term connections with him wherever he goes. Better he should go to UCLA than OSU, that’s for damn sure!

His coaching and his love for the players has been unquestionably excellent through the years. Under his watch, seven first-team All-America defensive linemen and six first-round NFL Draft picks were produced by Penn State. At least one, Tamba Hali of the Kansas City Chiefs, is an All-Pro who could be headed to the HoF.

Franklin won’t be introducing his assistants individually. He will announce his team when it is finally assembled and complete.

I think Franklin wants to assume the “daddy” role that has been LJ’s bailiwick and wanted to take firm control of recruiting. Couple those two things with a new DC and new philosophies, and the time was ripe for a change. LJ would be in a constrained box that he had not known for many years at Penn State as his influence and internal respect grew. So, after consideration, he’ll have new, fertile ground to plow, another major program on which to make his mark. ??? ??? ????? It’s an exciting, albeit bittersweet, time for Larry and his family.

This is the last vestige of the St. Joe Administration slipping away. Two other holdover coaches from the O’Brien period, McWhorter and Strollo, were not part of the Paterno legacy. Their fate is unknown at the moment.

I’m sad to see him go, but I wish him well, always! You da man, LJ!

He Ain’t Gonna Sell Out the Akron Game!

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James Franklin hit the ground in State College with both wheels running, promising to sell out Beaver Stadium for every home game and stating that he would even blow up balloons at kids’ birthday parties. While these promises seem a bit hyperbolic, Franklin’s debut media meetup was nonetheless singularly impressive. Exuding self-assurance bordering on cockiness, he took command of the room and did not falter on a single question. He answered most directly and with confidence, and those he chose not to answer, he waltzed around like a career politician.

It was his penchant for the latter that inspired “my friend” Davy Jones of the Patriot-News to write the following:

“To be specific, it’s pretty clear James Franklin is full of crap. But a lot of that is in a good way.”

Jones went on to describe a 441 word Franklin arabesque around a delicate subject that he didn’t want to address in front of a room full of hungry media hounds. Later, Jones wrote:

“Remember how O’Brien just wanted to be a football coach and had very little use for the rest of the happy horse crap? I actually liked that about him. He was genuine to the core.

“Well, it’s possible to like the 180-degree opposite, too. And maybe that’s what Penn State needs at this juncture.

“Franklin likes to talk. He likes to play the game outside the lines as much as the one between them. But from all the guys around the country I know who’ve dealt with him, I haven’t heard one say he’s not genuine. He really loves all of it. He just needs a 36-hour day and 10-day weeks.

“He is perfectly willing to take on every job description of Penn State football coach that anyone wants to lay on him. That seems to include peacemaker.”

Yeah, like the ever cynical Jones, I like this guy. Straight talk mixed with bullshit — a man after my own heart.

Remember what I told you about large universities being hotbeds of political intrigue (from personal experience) and that the head coaching position sits right on top of that powder keg, requiring someone who knows how to deal with the petty exercise of power that frequently tears universities apart? Unlike O’Brien, this guy appears to be equipped to handle it. He’s going to take everybody out to lunch to get to know them (another inflated promise, but indicative of a uniting spirit). Describing himself as “a college guy through and through”, he will make time for the politics.

One of my favorite barbs directed at academia: “In acadème, the fights are so vicious because the stakes are so small.”

Anyone who occupies as highly visible a position as head football coach in a university that remains in denial about its dominant culture of football is going to have to surmount this petty bullshit. He can be aloof to it like O’Brien and let it grind him into the ground, or he can acknowledge it and relish taking on the role of uniter, as Franklin appears to want to do. While this crap almost never comes up in casual fan debate about coaching candidates and in football blogs like this (except when I feel like it), it must be a major consideration.

With O’Brien, the times were different. First of all, Penn State football was on the verge of extinction, with no one knowing quite what form its NCAA punishment would take. Who would take a job under those circumstances? The BoT was at war, the “Paterno People” were screaming bloody murder about the statue and the firing, and everything else was up in the air. The University found a guy with brass balls willing to brave the fetid miasma who could manhandle the football program; however, never having been a head coach, O’Brien faltered on the finer points of university politics, which can be as raw and bloody as the Saturday battles in the trenches.

This is why hiring anyone who hasn’t been the point man in that sort of situation is a major crap shoot. You don’t want an “earn while you learn” guy getting his feet wet in a top-tier program and quickly realizing that he’s in over his head. He needs to get his baptismal of fire elsewhere, where he can establish a proven, politically propitious track record beforehand. This is why Larry Johnson, “Scrap” Bradley, and yes, even Bill O’Brien were unsuitable candidates. Assistant coaches are shielded from most of the political crapola.

I think Franklin knows how to play this game, and I think he even relishes the pressure it will bring to bear upon him. This is crucial to his success and that of the football program at Penn State.

Nobody is going to make the “Paterno People” happy until they get their statue back and their wins reinstated. Probably not even then. They still seem to want their pound of flesh. However, Franklin, who showed due deference to the Legend of St. Joe throughout his press conference, will try to heal some of the wounds. He won’t shy away from it. By facing the undercurrent squarely, I hope that he can put this divisiveness behind us. It is certainly time. Once removed coachwise from the seaminess, it is unfair to put the new guy in the middle of this passé and sometimes puerile debate. We need to look forward, not back.

Someone asked Franklin about hiring Vanderlinden and Johnson. He waffled, as indeed he should have. Hell, he ain’t going to hire Ron Vanderlinden, you idiot! He worked for the guy at UMd! When does that ever work out? It’s one thing to be elevated to boss from being one of the boys, but for the boss to wind up working for one of the boys is almost unheard of. As for LJ, he’s a good guy caught in an unfortunate squeeze. Franklin must assemble his own team and make the program his own. He broke off talks with the University of Texas when it became clear that the “good old boys” there wanted him to keep four of Mack Brown’s assistants on the staff. I still have the feeling that LJ and Vanderlinden were compromises forced upon O’Brien in a similar manner, in Penn State’s case to assuage fears that the program would deviate from Paternoland completely and lose many fans in the process. Again, the time for that kind of concession has passed. Sentimental reasons be damned — Franklin gets to hire the guys he must manage. We need new ideas, not ties to the past. Sorry, nostalgia buffs, but I’m hoping that a new broom sweeps clean. Let’s hope that the administration gives this guy free rein and attaches no strings.

I think they will and they have. Joyner seems to have learned from his mistakes with O’Brien and he seems to have grown a pair. He and Erickson are also probably lame ducks, so they have more freedom to make ballsy decisions. This was a good one, bought at an unprecedented price for Penn State: $4.5 million per year for six years, plus or minus, with additional bonuses.

Perhaps, Franklin has the vision, the political presence, and the can-do spirit that it takes to convince LJ to take on a recruiting position if he replaces him as defensive line coach — not as an appeasement or a make work position, but because he believes that a net benefit will accrue to him and to the program if he keeps Larry around. It’s his decision. It better be.

There is even an Irish connection for those who lament that the Croke Classic next year won’t be O’Leary vs. O’Brien. Franklin’s military dad married his mom while in England and had a honeymoon in Ireland. Thus, Franklin might well have been conceived on Irish soil.

I have good, optimistic feelings about Franklin and where this whole program is heading. Time to heal. Time to “get over it”.

But unless he decides to commit a healthy chunk of that big, fat salary to purchasing 10,000 tickets, he ain’t gonna sell out the Akron game!

X = Franklin

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James Franklin
James Franklin

The seeming consensus pick for Penn State’s 16th head football coach, James Franklin, late of Vanderbilt University, is now a done deal, as was announced this morning after the formality of a salary approval meeting to satisfy the Freehfolk was concluded. Franklin emerged as the popular choice after a false start with Al Golden, who the Twittiots had previously reported as a “definite” and were joined by some respected local journalists. One decidedly negative hunk of fallout will be the reported intention of highly respected and loved defensive line coach Larry Johnson to leave the program after 18 years.

The vote of the BoT compensation committee was a unanimous 6-0. Let us hope that’s how Franklin’s season starts, too. 6-0.

I know, right?

The media circus and the social media feeding frenzy have now officially climaxed. Franklin will be introduced to the public at 4:15 today by Erickson and Joyner.

Who says there’s a dominant culture of football at Penn State? This was just like the College of Agriculture hiring a new assistant professor of animal husbandry.

For the weenie named Michelle Rodino-Colocino, Associate Professor of Film, Video, and Media Studies who called the hiring “apalling”, I guess your petition to tell the BoT not to hire Franklin didn’t work. So sad. Ho hum.

Here’s the unusually verbose press release from Olde Maine:

Jan. 11, 2014

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Pennsylvania State University has selected James Franklin, a Pennsylvania native who is one of the nation’s most successful and dynamic coaches, as the 16th head football coach in its storied 127-year history.

Penn State President Rodney Erickson and Director of Athletics Dave Joyner announced Franklin’s appointment today. The enthusiastic and passionate Franklin led Vanderbilt University to unprecedented success in his three years as head coach, winning nine games in each of the past two years, and finishing in the Top 25 in consecutive seasons, both for the first time in school history.

Franklin will be introduced on the Penn State campus today at 4:15 p.m. Franklin succeeds Bill O’Brien, who was named head coach of the National Football League’s Houston Texans earlier this month.

From Langhorne, Pa., a Philadelphia suburb, Franklin’s enthusiasm and tireless efforts resulted in taking Vanderbilt to new heights over the past three years, posting a 24-15 record, including marks of 9-4 during each of the past two seasons, capped by bowl victories. The Commodores finished the 2013 season with five consecutive victories, with wins over Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky in Southeastern Conference play, along with a win over Houston in the BBVA Compass Bowl. Franklin’s 2012 squad finished the season with seven consecutive victories and posted VU’s first nine-win season since 1915.

“Dr. Joyner and I have stressed that our No. 1 priority in hiring a new coach was to hire an outstanding leader for our football program, one who will continue our long tradition of student-athlete success on the field and in the classroom,” Erickson said. “We have achieved that goal. On behalf of the University and the entire Nittany Lion Nation, I am proud to welcome James Franklin as Penn State’s 16th head football coach.

“Coach Franklin’s record of success is extraordinary, but even more impressive is his passion for not only the game of football, but also creating an atmosphere in which student-athletes can succeed. His character, work ethic, values and knowledge of the game make him an outstanding fit for our program and to lead our student-athletes.”

Penn State and Vanderbilt annually rank among the nation’s top institutions in the graduation of its football student-athletes. In the NCAA Graduation Success Rate data from October 2013, the Nittany Lions and Commodores both ranked among the leaders in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Penn State’s 85 percent Graduation Success Rate was tied for 12th among the nation’s 124 FBS programs and Vanderbilt’s 82 percent GSR was tied for the best in the Southeastern Conference. Both programs were well above the 70 percent FBS graduation rate average.

“We launched this search with several priorities, but our primary focus was to identify someone who shared our commitment to integrity, academics and winning championships,” Joyner said. “We have found that person in James Franklin. Coach Franklin is a highly regarded coach and tremendous leader, but more importantly, he shares the same vision for Penn State Football that we, and our fans, have for the program. His record shows that he takes great pride in the academic and athletic success of his student-athletes. We’re thrilled to welcome Coach Franklin to Penn State.”

A two-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) quarterback at East Stroudsburg University, Franklin has demonstrated the ability to recruit, teach and motivate talented student-athletes throughout his coaching tenure. He was named Vanderbilt’s head coach on December 17, 2010 after three years as the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Maryland, his second stint with the Terps. Franklin was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Kansas State in 2006-07 and the wide receivers coach of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers (2005) prior to arriving in Nashville.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to come home,” Franklin stated. “I grew up watching Penn State football and now to be at the helm of such a storied program is a tremendous honor. It’s important to me to be a part of a University that strives for excellence in everything they do. When football student-athletes come to Penn State, they have a unique opportunity to receive a premium education while playing at the highest level of competition.

“I’m incredibly excited to get to know the students, alumni, and fans who have demonstrated such loyalty to the University as a whole and to the football program in particular,” Franklin added. “I’ve worked my way through every division of football and no other school boasts a fan base like we do. We Are…Penn State!!”

The engaging Franklin spent this past Monday in Pasadena, appearing on multiple ESPN platforms throughout the day during the network’s coverage of the BCS National Championship Game.

Entering his 20th year in coaching, Franklin directed Vanderbilt to consecutive Top 25 finishes for the first time in the 124-year history of the program. The Commodores finished this past season No. 24 in the Associated Press poll and No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches survey. The 2012 Vanderbilt squad finished No. 23 and 20, respectively, marking its first AP final ranking since 1948. ???? ??? ????? Franklin’s 24 wins tied Dan McGugin for the most by a Vanderbilt coach in his first three seasons.

Franklin led Vanderbilt to a bowl game in each of his three seasons in Nashville, with the last two years resulting in wins over North Carolina State (Music City Bowl) and Houston (BBVA Compass Bowl). The Commodores had played in four bowl games all-time in the 121 seasons prior to his arrival, none in consecutive years.

Vanderbilt has posted four nine-win seasons in program history, with Franklin’s last two teams comprising half of the total. Over the past 20 games, the Commodores’ 16-4 record is second-best in the SEC to Alabama’s 17-3 mark.

Franklin inherited a Vanderbilt team that finished 2-10 in both 2009 and 2010, including a 1-15 SEC mark. From 1983-2010, the Commodores had just one winning season (2008) prior to his arrival. His enthusiasm and coaching acumen drove a quick turnaround in VU’s fortunes, as the team posted a 6-6 regular season record and earned a berth in the Liberty Bowl during his first season. The 2011 bowl berth was Vanderbilt’s second since 1983 and running back Zac Stacy broke the Vanderbilt season record with 1,193 rushing yards.

The Commodores had a breakthrough campaign in 2012 under Franklin, finishing on a seven-game winning streak (longest since 1948) to post a 9-4 mark, VU’s most wins in 97 years. A victory at Missouri sparked an 8-1 finish, which included three consecutive SEC road wins for the first time in program history. ????? ?????? ??? ???? The Commodores were 5-3 in SEC play, winning five SEC games for the first time since 1935, and posted two shutouts for the first time since 1968. Vanderbilt defeated NC State, 38-24, in the Liberty Bowl and Franklin was among five finalists for the Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year. Stacy became the first player in Vanderbilt history to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons, gaining 1,141 yards to finish with a school record 3,143 yards and 30 rushing touchdowns. Stacy started 12 games and ran for 973 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie with the St. Louis Rams in 2013. Wide receiver Jordan Matthews broke the VU season receiving record with 1,363 yards on 94 catches.

Vanderbilt continued its historic rise under Franklin during the 2013 season, capping a school record second consecutive 9-4 campaign with a 41-24 win over Houston in the BBVA Compass Bowl. The Commodores defeated Florida, Georgia and Tennessee in the same season for the first time in program history, winning in Gainesville and Knoxville, and finished 4-4 in the SEC. Franklin helped Matthews develop into an two-time All-American and first-team All-SEC honoree, having compiled 262 career receptions for 3,759 yards and 24 touchdowns. He broke the SEC season record with 112 receptions for 1,477 yards and seven touchdowns this past season, becoming the first SEC receiver to make 100 catches in a season. Tackle Wesley Johnson also earned first-team All-SEC honors from the coaches and the Associated Press.

Franklin began his coaching career as the wide receivers coach at Kutztown University (1995) and was a graduate assistant coach at East Stroudsburg in 1996, working with the secondary. He then was the wide receivers coach at James Madison (1997), a graduate assistant (tight ends) at Washington State in 1998 and the wide receivers coach at Idaho State (1999).

In 2000, Franklin was named the wide receivers coach at Maryland under head coach Ron Vanderlinden. He continued in that role under new head coach Ralph Friedgen in 2002 and ’03 and helped the Terps to three consecutive 10-win seasons, including an appearance in the 2002 FedEx Orange Bowl. In 2003, Franklin added duties as recruiting coordinator and directed back-to-back recruiting classes ranked in the Top 25 nationally. Franklin and O’Brien (running backs) were Maryland assistant coaches in 2003 and ’04 under Friedgen.

After five successful years at Maryland, Franklin was named wide receivers coach on Mike Sherman’s Green Bay Packers staff in 2005. During that season, Green Bay ranked third in the NFL in receptions (383) and seventh in receiving yards (3,766). Donald Driver was among the top receivers in the NFL, ranking second in receptions and eighth in receiving yards, with a then-career-high 86 catches for 1,221 yards.

Franklin served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Kansas State during the 2006-07 seasons under head coach Ron Prince. In 2006, he helped the Wildcats to their first winning season in four years. Franklin coached quarterback Josh Freeman and oversaw an offense that produced a 3,000-yard passer (Freeman), 1,500-yard receiver (All-American wide receiver Jordy Nelson) and 1,000-yard rusher (James Johnson) during the 2007 season, a first in school history. Freeman would go on become the Wildcats’ highest NFL offensive draft pick since 1954 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him 17th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Franklin returned to Maryland in 2008 as the Terps’ assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. He helped the Terrapins to victories in the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl and the 2010 Military Bowl. The 2010 squad was among the national leaders in scoring offense at 32.2 points per game and was led by ACC Rookie of the Year quarterback Danny O’Brien. He threw for 2,438 yards, 22 touchdowns and only eight interceptions in 2010, with All-ACC receiver Torrey Smith making 67 catches for 1,055 yards and 12 scores.

In 1998, Franklin began his participation in the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship Program, starting with a stint with the Miami Dolphins and working with Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino. Franklin also worked with Donovan McNabb with the Philadelphia Eagles (1999) and Minnesota Vikings (2008) in the NFL program.

Franklin was a four-year letterman at quarterback and a two-time All-PSAC selection at East Stroudsburg. He set seven school records as a senior to earn team MVP honors and was a Harlon Hill Trophy nominee for the NCAA Division II Player of the Year. Among the records he set were for total offense (3,128 yards), passing yards (2,586) and touchdown passes (19).

Franklin graduated from East Stroudsburg in 1995 with a psychology degree. He also earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Washington State University. Franklin graduated from Neshaminy High School in Langhorne.

Franklin and his wife, Fumi, have two daughters, Ava and Addison.

Penn State is among the nation’s premier programs in success on the gridiron and in the classroom. ???? ??? ???? The Nittany Lions’ 730 all-time victories rank No. 12 in the nation and their 27 on-field bowl victories are fourth-highest. A total of 98 Penn Staters have earned first team All-America honors, with 28 first-team All-America selections since the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten Conference in 1993. Penn State has had at least one first-team All-American every year since 2005 (12 overall).

Penn State won National Championships in 1982 and 1986 under Coach Joe Paterno. Beaver Stadium is the nation’s second-largest facility with a capacity of 106,572 and Penn State has ranked among the top five nationally in NCAA home attendance every year since 1991.

Penn State is consistently among the nation’s most successful programs in the graduation of its football student-athletes. The 2013 NCAA Graduation Rates Report revealed that Penn State earned a football Graduation Success Rate of 85 percent to rank among the top 10 percent of the nation’s 124 Football Bowl Subdivision institutions. The Nittany Lions’ football graduation figure was tied for No. 2 among all public FBS schools, was 15 points higher than the 70 percent FBS average and second to Northwestern among Big Ten institutions, according to the NCAA.

Penn State Football student-athletes have earned a nation’s best 18 Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans® (16 first-team) over the past eight seasons. The Penn State football team has had a least one first-team Academic All-American® in 10 of the past 12 seasons (19 overall first-team selections since 2002). The Nittany Lions’ 63 Academic All-America® selections all-time rank No. 2 among all Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institutions.

The Nittany Lions return 15 starters for the 2014 season (7 offense, 7 defense, 1 specialist), which begins August 30 vs. 2014 Fiesta Bowl champion UCF in the Croke Park Classic in Dublin, Ireland. Rose Bowl champion Michigan State, Ohio State, Northwestern and Maryland are the Big Ten opponents who will visit Beaver Stadium during the 2014 season.

So, now where the hell are we going with this thing? Patriot News PSU beat writer Bobby Flounders gives Franklin a five-point to-do list, which sums up some rather obvious priorities. Frank Bodani of the York Daily Record thinks Larry Johnson might stay. StateCollege.com captured some tweets by PSU players reacting to the hire. (Nothing from Christian Hackenberg, yet, though, and nothing from Mike Poorman, who still thinks there’s a 72% chance that Al Golden will be the new coach.) PSU beat writers Rich Scarcella of the Reading Eagle and Ron Musselman of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette slept in.

Joe Juliano, of the Philadelphia Inquirer, posits the following:

Franklin also must persuade the doubters in the Penn State community that he did not cover up a rape incident last summer involving five players who were kicked off the team after being charged. The prosecutor in the case told the Inquirer on Thursday there was no evidence Franklin was involved “in any way whatsoever in covering it up or anything like that.”

The “doubters” seem to be led by baby Michelle, the aforementioned associate professor who started the petition not to hire Franklin.

Yeah, baby. I’ll wrap this up with a hack cliché about Penn State football entering a new era. No I won’t.

So, whattya think?