Will PSU move to the Indiana model?
- Thread starter Warlerski
- Start date
Basically, most programs now are going to bring in at least three fourths to a complete recruiting class of portal players every season because at least two thirds to three fourths of every high school recruiting class is going to leave within a season or two. That’s the new reality, and almost every program, including most of the top powers in the sport, and I include PSU in that group, is going to have to do this.
Obviously, PSU had to bring in many portal players for the 2026 season because of the defection of almost the whole 2026 recruiting class. While I expect that PSU will have to continue to use the portal extensively like most every other program, it probably won’t be as extreme next year.
That's not true - Coach Campbell was a huge user of X-fers even before the advent of NIL... and was an even bigger user of X-fers after the advent of NIL.
Cig is the master at picking talent (he could give a rat's arse about recruiting services star ratings) that fit his system and then improving those players thru better coaching/development and putting said players in the best position to be successful.
Cig stated that Mendoza was more lacking in certain areas than they had thought (from watching his film) once he was in the fold, so improving his footwork, processing, timing, etc has been paramount in his improvement from a pretty decent college QB to the Heisman winner.
According to 247Sports, Indiana had the least talented roster in the B1G based on recruiting rankings, followed by Illinois, Northwestern and Purdue.
Indiana, Illinois and Northwestern all outperformed their talent level, with Indiana doing so in a manner unseen.
With Northwestern, they particularly outperformed their talent level on D, not so much on O.
Hence the change at OC and hopefully a better starting QB.
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It doesn’t hurt that one of those talents happened to end up being the best QB in the country…can’t rely on that happening every year.
^ Again, Mendoza went from a pretty decent college QB to the Heisman winner due to the improvements made in his development while at IU, along with being surrounded by a better group of players (better not equaling recruiting rankings).
Cig already has shown to college QBs that he can turn them from good to great, which is why talented QBs will be drawn to playing for Cig.
Sure, that also requires some NIL$, but IU hasn't been paying top dollar like some other schools.
Cig already has shown to college QBs that he can turn them from good to great, which is why talented QBs will be drawn to playing for Cig.
Sure, that also requires some NIL$, but IU hasn't been paying top dollar like some other schools.
Cignetti’s success ends when one or both of his coordinators get hired away.
They’re both good
The o-coordinator is Mike Shanahan, the former Pitt tight end. I bet that a lot of Pitt fans who are tired of their current head coach will be pushing for his hire.
And rarely fall into the NFL no 1 pick. No one would have called that when Mendoza came over from Cal.
Cig not only has an eye for talent, he seems to have an eye for coaches.
Cig has had other coordinators while at UP, Elon, JMU.
Shanahan, for instance, was a long time position coach for Cig, who was only promoted to OC in 2021 (and he's running Cig's system).
He's not BGJ (or for that matter, Pat Fitzgerald) when it comes to hiring, much less developing coordinators...
And not to mention what he did with Rourke last season.
My money is on Cignetti.
Unlike Franklin cignetti can run an offense on his own. Cignetti will be fine.
Ps. Campbell's best coordinator retired.
Considering what he's done in 2yrs at arguably the worst p5 program in history, hard to argue he's not the best thing going right now.
We drove through Lubbock a couple of years ago when we were traveling to see my daughter in Livermore, CA. It is in the middle of nowhere. Of course some may say the same about Penn State.
Listening to Cignetti post victory interview...I kept thinking how he sounded like Joe when asked how he accomplished this within 2 years...his remark about recruiting the right players with the desired attitude, work ethic, and personality, and having a staff that has the same direction and philosophy.. I agree with the poster who said he has perfected recruiting by using both portal and traditional HS recruits.
Not the same sport and this idea is much easier to implement. Wrestling is a different animal.
He’s not bringing in many HS recruits when his team’s average age is almost NFL level.
Some one said it before. Coaching matters. You can bring whoever in to your team but if the players are all about themselves and don't trust the coaching then it becomes a problem. If your staff and players do not buy into what is being coached you can get by but you will not win the big games. Cignetti and staff and players are a well coached team. They seem very disciplined and rarely make mistakes. You heard Cignetti last night that on defense in first qtr they had some missed alignments or assignments and they fixed them. Also, Cignetti mentioned attention to the little details. That makes a huge difference putting a team over the top. We are witnessing a team with coaches and players all on the same page with the same goals that take care of the little details. It is fun to watch.
Maybe Penn State can find some bush league school where they can get transfers who can play until they're 41.
They may be older more experienced players, but I think the "magic" is in finding the right guys. Saban said something funny about it during pregame the other day. I wish I could remember it. It was something to the effect of not all dogs can hunt.
Folks here in Columbus (media folks) are saying that the old way won't work for tOSU going forward either.
He certainly is a terrific booster for Miami. Not to change the subject, but when I think of him, I think of 55 yds, a fumble and 5 dropped passes. Sorry but my dislike for Miami knows no bounds. lol
Right now, OSU probably is one of a very, very small group of schools that do not have to use this modus operandi. However, and this may be hard to believe, OSU is not always going to be this dominant and will experience a relative down period much like Bama is experiencing now; it happens to every program regardless of how dominant it is during a particular period. When that happens, then they’ll have to change their mo too.
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Has nothing to do with 20, 40 or 60 players in the portal. Most of our best players came back to PSU
JMO,
Our best returning DB? Dixson
Our best returning LB? Rojas
Our best returning DE? Based on production Kemajou, but Granville is probably better
Our best returning lineman? Donkah
Our best returning TE? Rappleyea
Our best returning WR? Howard
Our best returning RB? Martin
Are all of these guys are playing at PSU next season. The only guy we lost that is truly bothersome to me is Gilliam, because he was our best returning DT and ISU didn't have an equivalent guy that will just fill in. You are thinking we should have kept them all and had guys who have been starters at ISU or PSU being backups next year and not getting reps. That was never happening.
Grunk v Becht - Long term I think Grunk is the better QB, on3 and 247 rate Becht higher
Reynolds v Brahmer - They are clones of each other and were rated as the top 2 TEs in the portal
Campbell v Bacon - Both are Mike LBs, on3 and 247 rate Bacon higher
About the only poor thing that can be said is we lost Chaz Coleman. That is about potential, not production. I told a co-worker the day Campbell was hired. We have to keep 2 of those 3 freshman DEs, and we did. I also understand PSU made Coleman a serious offer immediately. You think he didn't go to the highest bidder. He wanted more than OSU was offering.
It would have been nice to keep either Lane or Mack, but again thats only about depth and having 5 or 6 guys that have played a lot reps for PSU/ISU in the secondary, but that just isn't realistic that a couple of those guys (be they ISU transfers or PSU returners) would be sitting on the bench next year.
Not hard to figure out where Campbell thinks the weak spot on his team is. How many DTs has he pulled from the portal so far?
Right now for PSU next season. I believe the only two positions on the entire football team that doesn't have a returning starter coming back is left tackle and one of the DE positions (and had Granville played last year, we'd have a returning starter there)
Maybe you are going to argue that the center we just got from Texas St that Bama and USC wanted isn't good enough to start at PSU. I'll disagree.
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You are reaching. Us usual you round everything up which tends not to work.
You will need another 50 players for a successful season.
Best db was third in tackles among dbs with eligibility.
Best LB was also third in tackles.
Best wr had 7 catches.
Best rb had 20 carries for the season.
Best te had less catches than the VT commit.
Not reaching at all. Did we have a better cover corner than Dixson? Yes or No. I don't care how many tackles he had. Are you somehow suggesting with your tackles number that Wheatley should be back next year.
Best Linebacker is a two years starter that got hurt. Fact is, we paid him. He's they guy PSU wanted and he stayed.
Best WR had 7 catches. Who did we have coming back that was better? Was Pena coming back?
Best RB had 20 carries? Again who was better? Was Singleton/Allen coming back?
Best all around TE and it wasn't even close. Rappleyea is a far superior blocker to Reynolds, or do you disagree what that? Reynolds is considered the better receiver, though Rappleyea showed better hands all season. Further do you think Reynolds is better than the kid from ISU, because they appear to be about exactly the same player.
With the exception of DT we kept our best retuning players at each position, and if we didn't at QB and Safety. They got replaced with guys just as good. Also, with all the other starters coming from ISU. We have more depth at PSU in 2026 than we had in 2025. Its not all that close
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Largest player on Indiana's dline is 302. Only one other dl over 300 are 306.
Big , fat and slow does not guarantee a good dline.
Big , fat and slow does not guarantee a good dline.