-
New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.
- Thread starter mercer_buckeye
- Start date
I just took a look at the B1G signing day show. Class ranks:
1. USC
2. Oregon
6. tOSU
…
144. Penn State
I lol’d. I really didn’t know there were that many FBS teams now. Or maybe some FCS classes are ahead of them.
1. USC
2. Oregon
6. tOSU
…
144. Penn State
I lol’d. I really didn’t know there were that many FBS teams now. Or maybe some FCS classes are ahead of them.
Last edited:
Upvote
0
ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Penn State's botched coaching search turns Signing Day into unprecedented disaster
The Nittany Lions have lost over 20 commitments since James Franklin's firing and plummeted to No. 150 in the 2026 class rankings.
www.cbssports.com
Penn State's botched coaching search turns signing day into unprecedented disaster
The Nittany Lions have lost over 20 commitments since James Franklin's firing and plummeted to No. 150 in the 2026 class rankings.
When Penn State made the bold move to fire longtime coach James Franklin on Oct. 12, the assumption was clear: act early, land a marquee replacement and steady the 2026 recruiting class as the starting point for the future. Instead, six weeks later, the class has completely come apart.As the early signing period opened Wednesday, Penn State was down to four commitments -- then it lost four-star safety Matt Sieg to West Virginia and four-star linebacker Terry Wiggins to Virginia Tech before lunch time. It later signed four-star edge rusher Jackson Ford, but with no permanent coach in place and the office empty on the most important day of the year for any program chasing national titles, the class is effectively gone.
The damage is staggering.
"Other coaches are looking around going, 'What is going on over there?'" 247Sports recruiting analyst Brian Dohn said during live National Signing Day coverage. "Penn State will come back from it because it's Penn State and it's the dominant program in the region. ... They'll be fine in the long run, but in the short term, 'embarrassing' is putting it mildly."
Since Franklin's dismissal, 23 commitments have backed out of the 2026 class, gutting a group that once sat inside the national top 20. Now it has plummeted to -- at this moment -- No. 150 in the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings, surrounded by FCS programs, purely because so few prospects remain attached. Even worse: 10 decommits have flipped to Virginia Tech where Franklin has wasted no time rebuilding momentum at his new stop since being hired two weeks ago.
That group uniting with him in Blacksburg now includes:
- Four-star LB Terry Wiggins (94)
- Four-star RB Messiah Mickens (90)
- Three-star WR Davion Brown (89)
- Three-star IOL Benjamin Eziuka (89)
- Three-star LB Tyson Harley (89)
- Three-star QB Troy Huhn (89)
- Three-star TE Pierce Petersohn (89)
- Three-star OT Marlen Bright (88)
- Three-star OT Roseby Lubintus (88)
- Three-star LB Mathieu Lamah (87)
Penn State had eight four-star commitments at the time of Franklin's exit. Most have flipped elsewhere, representing a devastating loss of talent.
| Name | Position | 247Sports rating | Commitment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Sieg | S | 95 | West Virginia |
| Terry Wiggins | LB | 94 | Virginia Tech |
| Kevin Brown | OT | 94 | West Virginia |
| Jackson Ford | Edge | 91 | Penn State |
| Alexander Haskell | DL | 90 | Syracuse |
| Elijah Littlejohn | LB | 90 | Georgia |
| Messiah Mickens | RB | 90 | Virginia Tech |
| Jahsiear Rogers | WR | 90 | Oklahoma |
The collapse is magnified by the stability Franklin once provided on the trail. His recruiting wasn't flawless -- Penn State still needed to climb into the true championship tier -- but he delivered a consistent floor of top-20 classes and cornerstone players.
The moment he left, that floor gave way.
The October plan was supposed to create clarity. Instead, it created a void. Top coaching targets signed extensions to stay put, and while Penn State kept looking, recruits made their own decisions. Competitors, including Franklin himself, pounced.
.
.
.
continued
Just sayin': According to 24/7 Penn State sits at #150 with just 2 players (Jackson Ford and Peyton Falzone) signed in this recruiting class.
Upvote
0
At the end of the show, the Pedsters stood at #150.I just took a look at the B1G signing day show. Class ranks:
1. USC
2. Oregon
6. tOSU
…
144. Penn State
I lol’d. I really didn’t know there were that many FBS teams now. Or maybe some FCS clauses are ahead of them.
Upvote
0
Fungo Squiggly
Mortal enemy of all things Bucky
Yahoo Pickem Champ
Former Game Champion
'18 BPCFFB II Champ
'18 Keeper League Champ
Upvote
0
@Thump bad???Penn State's botched coaching search turns Signing Day into unprecedented disaster
The Nittany Lions have lost over 20 commitments since James Franklin's firing and plummeted to No. 150 in the 2026 class rankings.Penn State's botched coaching search turns signing day into unprecedented disaster
The Nittany Lions have lost over 20 commitments since James Franklin's firing and plummeted to No. 150 in the 2026 class rankings.
When Penn State made the bold move to fire longtime coach James Franklin on Oct. 12, the assumption was clear: act early, land a marquee replacement and steady the 2026 recruiting class as the starting point for the future. Instead, six weeks later, the class has completely come apart.
As the early signing period opened Wednesday, Penn State was down to four commitments -- then it lost four-star safety Matt Sieg to West Virginia and four-star linebacker Terry Wiggins to Virginia Tech before lunch time. It later signed four-star edge rusher Jackson Ford, but with no permanent coach in place and the office empty on the most important day of the year for any program chasing national titles, the class is effectively gone.
The damage is staggering.
"Other coaches are looking around going, 'What is going on over there?'" 247Sports recruiting analyst Brian Dohn said during live National Signing Day coverage. "Penn State will come back from it because it's Penn State and it's the dominant program in the region. ... They'll be fine in the long run, but in the short term, 'embarrassing' is putting it mildly."
Since Franklin's dismissal, 23 commitments have backed out of the 2026 class, gutting a group that once sat inside the national top 20. Now it has plummeted to -- at this moment -- No. 150 in the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings, surrounded by FCS programs, purely because so few prospects remain attached. Even worse: 10 decommits have flipped to Virginia Tech where Franklin has wasted no time rebuilding momentum at his new stop since being hired two weeks ago.
That group uniting with him in Blacksburg now includes:
247Sports rating in parentheses
- Four-star LB Terry Wiggins (94)
- Four-star RB Messiah Mickens (90)
- Three-star WR Davion Brown (89)
- Three-star IOL Benjamin Eziuka (89)
- Three-star LB Tyson Harley (89)
- Three-star QB Troy Huhn (89)
- Three-star TE Pierce Petersohn (89)
- Three-star OT Marlen Bright (88)
- Three-star OT Roseby Lubintus (88)
- Three-star LB Mathieu Lamah (87)
Penn State had eight four-star commitments at the time of Franklin's exit. Most have flipped elsewhere, representing a devastating loss of talent.
Only one remaining Penn State commit, three-star cornerback Amauri Polydor, has yet to sign. He has been in contact with Colorado and Virginia Tech in addition to Penn State, and his final decision may not come until later in the week, according to Dohn.
Name Position 247Sports rating Commitment Matt Sieg S 95 West Virginia Terry Wiggins LB 94 Virginia Tech Kevin Brown OT 94 West Virginia Jackson Ford Edge 91 Penn State Alexander Haskell DL 90 Syracuse Elijah Littlejohn LB 90 Georgia Messiah Mickens RB 90 Virginia Tech Jahsiear Rogers WR 90 Oklahoma
The collapse is magnified by the stability Franklin once provided on the trail. His recruiting wasn't flawless -- Penn State still needed to climb into the true championship tier -- but he delivered a consistent floor of top-20 classes and cornerstone players.
The moment he left, that floor gave way.
The October plan was supposed to create clarity. Instead, it created a void. Top coaching targets signed extensions to stay put, and while Penn State kept looking, recruits made their own decisions. Competitors, including Franklin himself, pounced.
.
.
.
continued
Just sayin': According to 24/7 Penn State sits at #150 with just 2 players (Jackson Ford and Peyton Falzone) signed in this recruiting class.
......
Upvote
0
Well I certainly hope that each of those coaches is planning on sending Mr. Kraft a lovely fruit basket for Christmas.
Upvote
0