This may be too obvious to write, but we are shaped by our childhoods. I grew up on LI where there was no big-time university football. My family could not distinguish photos of Lou Carnesca from Joe Paterno. St John's basketball was a bigger deal than PSU football to them. Big time university football would be better understood as a farm system to the NFL. I agree with the central premise of your article but it fits best in pockets of the country dominated by university sports.
I have been a James Franklin critic, although I am not a social media flame thrower about it. And I’ve scratched my head (and said some bad words) more than once over various in-game decisions he has made. But props to him for exactly what you just highlighted, and I also thought his clock management at the end of the Minnesota game was perfect.
As we all saw with the Bears game against the Lions on Thanksgiving, even millions of people yelling at their TVs isn’t enough to get a coach to use his timeouts with a game on the line the way he should. 😁 But Franklin and his staff made (to me) textbook decisions in clock management to ice that game, which was another key piece enabling Penn State to not only make the CFP but also to play for the B1G championship.
You bring up a valid point. Perhaps we do see our alma mater and its coaches through a more critical lens. I know for a fact that if Montana loses at South Dakota State this weekend, although it makes zero sense to feel that way since they're a heavy underdog, I shall be none too pleased with my school.
This may be too obvious to write, but we are shaped by our childhoods. I grew up on LI where there was no big-time university football. My family could not distinguish photos of Lou Carnesca from Joe Paterno. St John's basketball was a bigger deal than PSU football to them. Big time university football would be better understood as a farm system to the NFL. I agree with the central premise of your article but it fits best in pockets of the country dominated by university sports.
Another one for the time capsule.
Thanks for highlighting an overlooked part of that excruciating Minnesota win. Franklin calmly settling Allar down in the midst of all that chaos
I have been a James Franklin critic, although I am not a social media flame thrower about it. And I’ve scratched my head (and said some bad words) more than once over various in-game decisions he has made. But props to him for exactly what you just highlighted, and I also thought his clock management at the end of the Minnesota game was perfect.
As we all saw with the Bears game against the Lions on Thanksgiving, even millions of people yelling at their TVs isn’t enough to get a coach to use his timeouts with a game on the line the way he should. 😁 But Franklin and his staff made (to me) textbook decisions in clock management to ice that game, which was another key piece enabling Penn State to not only make the CFP but also to play for the B1G championship.
Another excellent essay - thank you.
You bring up a valid point. Perhaps we do see our alma mater and its coaches through a more critical lens. I know for a fact that if Montana loses at South Dakota State this weekend, although it makes zero sense to feel that way since they're a heavy underdog, I shall be none too pleased with my school.