The Nittany Lions’ top recruit in each of the past three classes has been a defender, led by sophomore linebacker Micah Parsons, Penn State’s leading tackler and one of the top 10 recruits in the country in 2018. One surprise, perhaps: That next wave is largely on defense. 2 in the NFL draft in 2018, Herbstreit said, “ can still go out and do what you need to do to get that next wave of talent.” When they lose a guy like Saquon Barkley,” who went No. and Florida, trying to capitalize on this year’s success with next year’s class. While his team enjoyed a week off last Saturday, Franklin said he was in Washington, D.C. The Nittany Lions have ranked with Ohio State in the Big Ten in attracting top-tier talent the past couple of seasons, according to, and among the top dozen schools in the nation. There really isn’t any secret to Franklin’s methods: He’s become one of the most adept recruiters in the country. Penn State is 8-0, already has beaten Michigan for only the second time in Franklin’s tenure, and on Tuesday was ranked fourth by the College Football Playoff committee, ahead of defending champ Clemson. “The brand is back,” declares Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN’s top college football analyst. That’s what Frankin has done this season. But the mark of a great program isn’t joy-riding to a New Year’s Day bowl with the occasional superstars, it’s sustaining their success once they’re gone. Perhaps the turnaround that day was inevitable, given that two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley was carrying the ball and Big Ten championship game MVP Trace McSorley was throwing it. “From that game and from that year, moving forward, if you look at the coaches that have been doing it since then, there are very few that have won more games than we have as a program since that point,” Franklin said of the Nittany Lions, who rallied to beat Minnesota 29-26 in overtime, then proceeded to reel off a 37-7 record since that day. There was a palpable sense that Franklin’s job was already in jeopardy.Īnd then? The Gophers witnessed the rebirth of a college football powerhouse. Minnesota took a 13-3 halftime lead in a dreary Beaver Stadium drizzle, and the sellout crowd was restless. James Franklin had led Penn State to a pair of underwhelming 7-6 seasons and stood only 2-2 coming into the Oct. In other words, they’re hoping this weekend’s game does for them what their last meeting did for the Nittany Lions. The Gophers say they sense a pivotal moment in their football program’s history coming on Saturday, a chance to propel themselves to national prominence by spoiling Penn State’s unbeaten season.
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