The conversation needs addressed immediately
- Thread starter Efejle
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+1. The current group, outside of Rojas, look really slow. #8, Ebel is completely over matched and our safeties, eeesh.
You earn playing time in practice. Games aren't auditions.
Yeah, Joe stopped recruiting and the roster turned to shi&. That said it was amazing how as an old man he was able to put on his recruiting shoes again and win two more BIG titles. And we should have been undefeated in 2005 if not for some bs at scum.
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Just like a new coach could not be worse than franklin yet here we are with a much worse coach.
Manske is not even healthy. Doubt he will even finish a game.
your 
elsewhere.I wont claim to speak for the pro manske crowd. I certainly dont think hes the "bomb," but I do know he should play as this year wraps up. This is a pretty unique situation for Penn State to be in...this season is already fully over. I know they'll be old timers on here saying as long as the ball is being kicked, there is something to play for, but whether we finish the year 7-5 or 5-7 doesn't materially matter. What matters now is the future and the coaches should be doing EVERYTHING to assess the future at this point. We'll have transfers out, roster reconstruction, a new chest of NIL funds to distribute. Is Manske a part of the future or not? We can all agree that Becht is moving on with his life's work in 5 weeks, but Manske is a young player. IN fact, I think the coaches really need to start assessing what players all over the roster they want to retain into the future. I know they see them at practice, but wouldn't you like to see them in games before heading into the off-season? If Manske gets a call in the off-season...let's say from his hometown Iowa Hawkeyes and they offer him $500K to go there and compete, we are going to have to decide whether to match that or not. I just don't know how you prepare for this roster reconstruction without knowing who you need to pay and retain and I can't think of a better way to make that assessment than playing them against Big Ten opponents.
Man remember when we had those crappy teams and QB's who could only beat the teams they were supposed to......thank god we moved forward with zero growing pains. LOL, people honestly thought replacing JF would be just that easy and now don't have the balls to take the medicine. It's going to be at least 2 years of this, but we're now at least losing across the board to teams we shouldn't and should. If you wanted him gone, but now don't have the patience to let a new HC get things moving in a different direction.....you better buckle up for a bit.
I think it's a mistake to assume that coaches are not and have not been assessing the roster since winter workouts. The snap counts reflect the results of staff evaluations. I think it's always a mistake when fans think they need to be part of the process. There are consequences to passing over any position player for another that is recognized as currently less qualified than another. Especially one that is a leader in the clubhouse. By all accounts, Coach Campbell has not yet lost the locker room. When he arrived here, he was hailed as a massive improvement over the previous coach in every category. I suspect he and his staff are weighing the decisions very carefully moving forward. Do we bench Tony Rojas too? Rapp? They have no future here either. It's a delicate dance that no coach wishes to engage in (because it means you have had a terrible season).
Here's something to consider. Other than Northwestern, every loss could easily have gone the other way. Do you give up on 8-4? If you do 70% of the teams in America would be emptying the bench Saturday. Coach Campbell will continue to put the team on the field that has the best chance to win on gameday. Every coach has that solemn responsibility to his players. QB is the most visible position and has never not been a source of fan outrage here.
I think he'll continue to start Becht. and find ways to incorporate Manske (if healthy) at increasing frequency, depending on the w-l results until the end of the season.
Campbell needs to keep everyone from this roster who can contribute, because he doesn't have the NIL money to go out and attract top talent. Turning your back on a player that has given you everything for 5 years may be easy for our internet coaches, but I can assure you it more complicated when the decision is actually yours. Its consequences will resonate with the current roster as well as prospects.
Well reasoned response and persuasive. To address a few of the points, however, I think suggesting we don't play Rojas isn't really apples to apples. Firstly, I think we are very limited at linebacker currently so I am not even sure there are options for other guys. I don't think there are 4 star young recruits sitting behind Rojas currently, Manske was. I agree with the exception of Northwestern, the team has been mostly competitive against a very weak schedule. I think at 0-4 in the big ten, the season is over, so the question becomes how to best evaluate the young players. I know they have been evaluating them at practice, playing against a weak roster, but I do think game action in the Big Ten is useful for these kids in terms of evaluation and development. I also think the QB position is unique in substantial ways. You're right, I am not clamoring for them to play young players everywhere, but at this most important position in all of sports, it would be really good to get Manske some run. With the poor run defense, poor line play, everything that isn't working, you're right....we would probably be 1 good QB away from 6-1 or something. If we have potentially talented players not playing at this point, anywhere on the roster, I'd have to question why not? I really don't think this program can afford poor QB play again next year....so it would seem to make sense to get a jump on determining if Manske is the guy or not....locker-room fealty be damned.
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Well reasoned comment. My only disagreement is not giving up, ( though I believe 6-6, and especially 8-4 is a pipe dream), but why continue to play a 5th year QB who is playing like a freshman. Whether injury, better competition, or a head case, it doesn’t matter, Rocco Becht is no good. With all the warts, PSU beats UM if he doesn’t turn it over. Moving on at QB is not giving up. And if every other QB is a Roberson, that’s a larger indictment on HCMC
I appreciate your perspective. I think we just disagree on the idea that the season is over with 5 games to play. I think there are a number of reasons you continue to put the team on the field that gives you the best chance of victory. I understand that many feel at this point that the season is over, I'd suggest the coaches and players would disagree,
Good luck with disregarding your locker-room. Campbell is walking a tight rope. He's not my favorite coach. But I will acknowledge that he's an established figure in the business and he has a definite concern for his players. That goes a long way with players and parents (current and potential ).
Dispite the fact that college players are now highly compensated, no one wants to feel mistreated.
While I don't necessarily think he's the right fit for PSU, I do think he'll handle this carefully and properly.
At least one PSU player's dad has made it publicly known that he does not think too highly of Rocco as the starting QB for PSU... It also probably signals that a certain RB who many of us think has something to offer this team will be transferring after the season. 
Yes, we call that Little League Parent Syndrome FWIW. More often than not those players (2 staffs now) aren't going on to the league. As good as Nick and Kaytron were I get that he didn't see the field much, but he still can't and if you blame the coaches....it's an easy out FWIW. I don't pay much attention to that as People's jumped him in a NY minute. It's a very average RB room to begin with compared to past PSU RB rooms.At least one PSU player's dad has made it publicly known that he does not think too highly of Rocco as the starting QB for PSU... It also probably signals that a certain RB who many of us think has something to offer this team will be transferring after the season.
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You can go all the way back to Paterno. It's just not very common to sit a starter because they're seeing practice and there's a reason one person is starting.
Finally, a post I agree with - There's almost no benefit to start Manske.
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We don’t know. But a better question is why does anyone care? Penn State football went from literally the most important thing in my life every fall for over 40 years to me literally not giving a ****. I used to think it was money that ruined college football. It’s not. It’s greed.
I think you guys are basically saying the same thing, only neither of you can see it.
The issue is the nonsense comparing him to Seneca and saying he couldn't beat Lehigh. Hence "you can be critical without being ridiculous". Becht's career is infinitely better than Seneca's plus he's won 29 games. Give respect when it's earned
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