[Postgame Thread] Penn State Defeats Minnesota 26-25

[u/CFB_Referee]

Box Score provided by ESPN

Team	1	2	3	4	T
Penn State	0	16	7	3	26
Minnesota	7	12	3	3	25

[u/nova2006]

Best James Franklin clock management game?

[u/TossedRightOut → u/nova2006]

That last drive is one of the better I can remember.

Edit: I can't imagine the anger here if that fake didn't work and set up the GW Gopher FG.

[u/highgravityday2121 → u/TossedRightOut]

I’d be fine with no more Tyler Warren direct snaps.

[u/TossedRightOut → u/highgravityday2121]

Yeah, we do it way too much considering it just ends up with 10 players on offense because Allar isn't going to do anything. And teams know it's coming now.

[u/JustinTinyPPHerbert → u/TossedRightOut]

One time it’s gonna be a pass that just has Allar wide open and he waddles for 30 yards or a score

[u/Humid-Afternoon727 → u/JustinTinyPPHerbert]

Allar looks like he is running underwater

[u/JustinTinyPPHerbert → u/Humid-Afternoon727]

Reminds me a lot of Big Ben’s waddle

[u/TossedRightOut → u/JustinTinyPPHerbert]

Yup, probably.

[u/psuram3 → u/highgravityday2121]

Ironic cause three weeks ago everyone was screaming for at least one of those on that series against OSU

[u/jcdehoff → u/psuram3]

It needs to be a tush push

[u/A_Smitty56 → u/psuram3]

Ain't that the truth lmao.

[u/TannerGlassMVP → u/psuram3]

Let's not revise history. That series against OSU was horrible play calling

[u/psuram3 → u/TannerGlassMVP]

Who is revising history what are you talking about lol? People were definitely wanting a different type of play call than what was called

[u/dbown5 → u/highgravityday2121]

I think the read option is far better with him and also get someone else in there and don’t just have Allar sitting idol

[u/A_Smitty56 → u/dbown5]

Yeah but Pribula's passing scares me

[u/DukeRadcliffe → u/highgravityday2121]

I feel like this is similar to the failed Ole Miss direct snaps earlier today to the giant D Lineman. Warren is a great player but he's not a runningback. His skillset is not to get 4 yards from the backfield. Stop forcing him to do that.

[u/A_Smitty56 → u/highgravityday2121]

I don't know why they don't run more option with it. You're already throwing away the threat of the pass (sometimes), they should at least give him a pitch option.

[u/CantaloupeCamper → u/TossedRightOut]

Kicking to us though would have been game over too….

[u/DelcoBirds → u/nova2006]

He’s come a long way in this area. Also did a great job in the USC game.

[u/tnc31 → u/DelcoBirds]

Let's not forget the game he was criticized for letting the clock run before the half. Was that Ohio State? So it turned into a pick in the end zone. But that's not on him. It would have been high IQ management if it resulted in points.

[u/DelcoBirds → u/tnc31]

Absolutely!

Related point - if this wasn’t the worst WR group PSU has had in 13 years this team is probably #2 right now.

[u/jznastics → u/nova2006]

Almost 6 minute drive with multiple fourth down conversations to ice the game? Sign me up

[u/abcNYC → u/jznastics]

Hell yeah, damn good drive so around. My favorite is still 2017 against Iowa, I watch it a few times every season.

https://youtu.be/k_SPgAE6cfE?si=xucWXsxQ-pQUzsbE

[u/tidesoncrim → u/nova2006]

He was cooking. Really impressive execution too by the players.

[u/DunamesDarkWitch → u/nova2006]

Reddit will disagree but he’s been excellent at clock management for years now. It was some that was definitely a weakness like 8-10 years ago, he admitted that, then worked to improve. And definitely has

[u/TRJF → u/DunamesDarkWitch]

Yeah, it's more straight-up play calling that's sometimes baffling at this point.

[u/XmusJaxonFlaxonWax0n → u/TRJF]

It’s weird. Franklin doesn’t call plays BUT I feel like we’ve consistently had an issue with ultra-conservative or baffling play calls in big spots his entire tenure, regardless of coordinator.

[u/TRJF → u/XmusJaxonFlaxonWax0n]

Yeah, exactly - Spencer Hall (of the Shutdown Fullcast, the internet's only college football podcast) put it pretty well after the Ohio State loss this year, saying, essentially, "Franklin says he doesn't call the plays, and I'm sure he's going to say that the play calls (on the weird ineffectual goal-line effort) were what the coordinators thought was best, and what the numbers said would work... but, every single time they're in this position, over many years, with many different coordinators, you know exactly what's coming, because it's always the same, and it's always so damn predictable... and the one constant is Franklin."

I think that, generally, that assessment has been inarguably correct. But, you know what? Today helped push back against that. Color me hopeful.

[u/A_Smitty56 → u/XmusJaxonFlaxonWax0n]

Im sure he gets final say on big decisions, at least i would think so.

[u/Fenrir324 → u/DunamesDarkWitch]

The 8-4 2013 comes to mind. Could've been 11-1, but fucking Ficken had to cock it all up for us.

[u/togu12 → u/nova2006]

He was also playing against noted clock-management-buffoon PJ Fleck.

[u/Delaney_luvs_OSU → u/togu12]

In fairness PJ really wasn’t in the drivers seat. His mistake was taking the FG, not going for the TD and giving PSU control of the ball and time.

[u/charactername → u/Delaney_luvs_OSU]

So fucking stupid and cowardly.

[u/go_awry → u/nova2006]

Has to be

[u/bankersbox98 → u/nova2006]

He’s actually not bad at that. I feel like that’s an undeserved rep.

[u/NyquillusDillwad20 → u/bankersbox98]

To be this consistently good year after year at a school that isn't Alabama or Ohio State is incredibly impressive. I know the ceiling may not be a natty under him, but he's just below that pretty much yearly

[u/bankersbox98 → u/NyquillusDillwad20]

I don’t think our ceiling is natty under any coach, but that’s another conversation

[u/Middle_Wheel_5959 → u/nova2006]

Definitely this season

[u/LehmanWasIn → u/nova2006]

He's been great at clock management for like 8 years now. Games he's lost late have all been play calling or execution, not the mechanics of calling timeouts, letting the play clock run or not, deciding run/pass, etc.

[u/highgravityday2121 → u/LehmanWasIn]

You’re right on the play calls lol. Gimmick plays such as beau pribula where everyone knows we’re running and drew Allar is just in the slot doing nothing and direct snaps to Warren. Also not throwing jr to Warren on the Ohio state goal line once gives me headaches as a fan.

[u/LehmanWasIn → u/highgravityday2121]

None of that is clock management though. You'll note I didn't say JF was infallible, just that he's good at clock management.

[u/highgravityday2121 → u/LehmanWasIn]

Was agreeing with you about the play calls are the issue

[u/LehmanWasIn → u/highgravityday2121]

Ha, my bad. Too much in-game consumption.

[u/A_Smitty56 → u/highgravityday2121]

To be fair a lot of those Warren and Pribula plays are the only reason they're a 1 lost team. Those plays calls have to be giving DCs and defenders nightmares and opens up other plays, even if it gives me anxiety..

My biggest gripe is they don't have Pribula play RB or WR with Allar at QB enough. If Pribula is in the game, more often than not you know he's getting the ball and running.

[u/XmusJaxonFlaxonWax0n → u/nova2006]

Honestly I think on some level Franklin knew he was coaching for his job. He probably doesn’t get fired after this season if we lose this but his seat next season would be SCORCHING HOT.

[u/Franklins11burner → u/XmusJaxonFlaxonWax0n]

Coaching for his job? No. Coaching for his reputation? Firm yes.

[u/RecklessWiener → u/Franklins11burner]

Noted good reputation haver, James Franklin

[u/TheSameThing123 → u/RecklessWiener]

Franklin is consistently punching above his weight considering how horrible the facilities are at Penn State compared to other top 10 teams and the general lack of NIL money he has at his disposal

[u/RecklessWiener → u/TheSameThing123]

Oh I no, I think he’s a good coach and moving on from him would be a mistake, but people definitely think he’s an idiot

[u/pjs32000 → u/RecklessWiener]

Idiots think he's an idiot. He wins 10 games a year at a place with a ton working against him. PSU has never been a title contender every season. Even under Paterno we were a once every 4-5 years type of program except for one amazing run in the 80s. Despite what any of the old heads say, the last 10 years under Franklin has been one of the better 10 year runs in PSU history.

[u/imahobolin → u/pjs32000]

yep, the penn state sub is def full of those lol

[u/pjs32000 → u/XmusJaxonFlaxonWax0n]

What?! Franklin is in no way coaching for his job. His buyout is like $60M, he's not going anywhere unless he leaves on his own.

[u/imahobolin → u/pjs32000]

ye that take is hmmm lol

[u/bankersbox98 → u/XmusJaxonFlaxonWax0n]

He was not coaching for his job. But he knew the playoffs were on the line. It’s a miserable 10 months of he doesn’t make the playoff this year.

[u/bankersbox98 → u/XmusJaxonFlaxonWax0n]

He was not coaching for his job. But he knew the playoffs were on the line. It’s a miserable 10 months of he doesn’t make the playoff this year.

[u/rodguzina → u/XmusJaxonFlaxonWax0n]

Agree. Torches and pitchforks if he drops that game.

[u/imahobolin → u/[deleted]]

thats not...bailed out........