After Signing Day, Penn State Turns to the Transfer Portal
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. | “There’s a lot to be said for a drama-free signing day,” Penn State coach James Franklin noted on Wednesday
within the first few seconds of his National Signing Day opening statement. Franklin walked into the Beaver Stadium media room
wearing a suit and a clean shave, a fair bit different from the 5 o’clock shadow and jumpsuit he had just a few days ago. On Dec. 15 for
his Peach Bowl media day availability, Franklin was asked about his schedule the past few weeks amid two coordinator searches,
putting the finishing touches on the 2024 recruiting class and navigating the transfer portal. He responded, “Are you asking that
because I look like s—?” Well, Franklin even received a compliment from reporters Wednesday about his appearance. Signing a 25-
player 2024 class, which ranks 14th in the nation, with no day-of flips or decommitments and introducing his second high-profile
coordinator hire of the offseason, Franklin was in a pretty good mood. “That’s what I probably have the most comfort in and why you
said I look better,” Franklin said. “Well, wonder why? Because I have got Coach [Andy Kotelnicki], and I have got Tom Allen, and
everybody signed. No drama. So, I slept more than five hours last night, which was awesome.” As Name, Image and Likeness seeps
further into recruiting and the transfer portal continues to make college football a system Franklin called unsustainable, a “drama-
free” Signing Day really is a big feat. Franklin’s main recruiting pitch while navigating the coaching searches was simple: You’re
committing to me and Penn State, not coordinators or position coaches. “I literally say to them, ‘Hey, are you going to be committed if,
say, for example, [safeties coach] Anthony Poindexter has a chance to go to be the head coach at School X, Y or Z, are you going to stay
committed to Penn State?’” Franklin said. “We kind of go through those things and I think that is helpful.” Another factor, Franklin
said, is seeking out low-maintenance players and coaches. He specifically gave low-maintenance praise to two top in-state recruits who
signed Wednesday, and offensive lineman Cooper Cousins and running back Quinton Martin Jr. Cousins was a particularly unique
player, as Franklin told the story of offering the 4-star prospect and receiving a commitment four minutes later. “And that was the end
of it. You know, a high-profile guy that knew this is where he wanted to be. The family was comfortable, and they never wavered. They
never wavered,” Franklin said. “They were awesome the whole time. He became a leader within the class in helping us get other guys.
He’s coming in early. Is going to have a chance to compete. So I love him.” Franklin’s mantra for the past few weeks has labeled Penn
State as an “underpromise, overdeliver” program. He said they won’t promise a player a starting job, a certain jersey number or an
NIL package. It’s part of why Franklin said Penn State is not a “big transfer portal team” two different times. The Lions have brought
in kicker Chase Meyer from Tulane but lost offensive lineman Alan Herron, a verbal commitment, on a flip to Maryland. They’re still
in play elsewhere, especially with former Ohio State wide receiver and former No. 1 Pennsylvania prospect Julian Fleming, though
Penn State has missed on a couple of other targets at its biggest position of need. Wide receivers coach/offensive recruiting
coordinator Marques Hagans, in his first full offseason at Penn State, might have put it best, as the recruiting process that takes 2-3 in
high school is now fit into two weeks. “It’s such a crunch and a small period of time to try to navigate through so many talented
players,” Hagans said. “And there’s so many guys in the portal.” “Now you gotta get to know him, you got to go see him, you gotta
bring him out here,” he added. “And you gotta ask yourself, within that two weeks, have we established enough rapport with this
young man? Do we have enough credibility? Do we have enough people we trust that know him, that not only is he going to help us
win, but he’s gonna be the right fit for our program? “It’s almost like, in essence, can you marry someone in two weeks?” And
remember, Penn State did such speed dating without an offensive or defensive coordinator for a good chunk of time. There was a brief
“Oh, s—” moment for some of the staff, as director of player personnel Kenny Sanders said Wednesday, and they called each recruit
before the changes were made public. With Kotelnicki and Allen both on staff, Penn State can get back to the work Franklin vaguely
said it still has to get done with belief in the drama-free foundation it’s building. “I think we do a really good job of not just selling the
individual coach but the whole program. So, yes, we did lose both of our coordinators, but the foundation of this program and Coach
Franklin is always gonna be here while we’re here,” Sanders said. “And the thing about it is we have proven over time that once one
coach goes down, we’re gonna bring in someone that’s also gonna be really good as well.“ “But when you build trust in the process, and
you’ve proven over time that everything I’m telling you is what it is,” he continued, “I think there’s a different level of confidence in
what we’re gonna be able to do going forward.”
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