PDB26

Yes, I think ND is either in at 11 or they squeezed out by the G5 team.

Now that I think about it, if Miami and A&M take that many losses, they’ll just get dropped in behind ND and then ND will almost surely be in, assuming they win out.

IU could easily be number 1, and they probably have the best win so far. Not sure how often they demote the number one team for winning convincingly if unspectacularly, but there is a strong case for IU at 1. I think it's too early to rule out a 5-2 ND, and it's certainly too early to rule out a potential 10-2 ND. Losing how they did to Miami and A&M in weeks one and two when most programs were in the middle of a stretch of three or four gimmes probably works in ND's favor so long as Miami and A&M don't crash out and ND looks like the team they were expected to be. ND's margin is slim, but if they win ten in a row I'm not sure it would be inappropriate to have them in as the last at large team. They're on the outside looking in without any control over their destiny, but I don't think they're disqualified by their schedule.

BK never really seems like football makes him happy. Golf, on the other hand.

He was on a nice little run there with Mike Elko to Clark Lea to Marcus Freeman.

Can’t remember, but maybe it is this way so that everyone benefits/suffers from the week off instead of just the two finalists.

Not bad, but I don’t think seeding has to get more complicated than using Sagarin, especially if you’re just going to seed the regionals.

I guess it comes down to how you balance the two teams’ results against their schedules. If the two factors get equal weight, then there is no way you can put CP’s 9-0 ahead of Westfield’s 7-2. If you’re giving more weight to wins and losses, then that seems more appropriate for determining qualifiers for a tournament. And if anything should be rewarded or punished it should be out of conference scheduling.

I’m not saying Westfield should be rewarded with the second seed. I’m saying they are the second best team on the north side of the bracket.

I don't think you can balance the teams' results against their schedules and still wind up with CP ahead of Westfield. Ahead of Fishers? There's an argument to be made there––I suppose––but this CP team is getting a lot of credit for things that were achieved by guys who aren't wearing red and white anymore.

Yes, the conversion rate on the 4th and goal play is probably <20%. Yes, there is national champion talent on the team. Yes, they miss Golden—especially his pressure packages—but I’d say the defense is more talented top to bottom while being significantly younger.

Obviously things had run their course at Penn State, and I’ve been critical of Franklin’s in-game prowess in the past, but are there more than three or four other Big Ten programs that for sure wouldn’t be improved under him? Was thinking the same thing this morning. In the shadow of both Knight and Cignetti.

I don’t buy it. I suppose Penn State, for some reason, could have agreed to a on-field performance clause that would allow Adidas to cancel the deal, and they fired Franklin in order to prevent Adidas from enforcing that clause. I think the report is especially dubious because Franklin is obligated to mitigate Penn State’s damages. He’s a known quantity and great recruiter. Some program will come along and make him a highly paid coach, soon. Depending on his salary and length of contract, Penn State’s total obligation could be reduced to zero. It’s already rumored that MSU is sniffing around, and there are plenty of programs that could use him.

I don't know, USC's first two coaches were 126-41 and McKay was 127-40. I agree about Ohio State. To your last point, I get the sense he's a guy that doesn't care about sunshine and rainbows considering he took the IU job. I think Cignetti has to be Penn State's first call, and I think it's unlikely that he takes the job. I'd guess the only way he goes is if he thinks player acquisition, especially out of high school, will be easier or have a higher ceiling at Penn State. I don't think IU––anyone––can live in the portal forever, and this IU team is definitely on the old side.

That’s if they aren’t gobbled up first by some other school looking to pull off a Dan Lanning type hire—defensive coordinator especially.

True, although there would be some of that going on at Penn State despite the wildly different historical context. It’s possible he actually doesn’t have everything he wants at IU, although this Penn State situation might be the perfect opportunity to get whatever else he might need there. My guess is it’s most likely to come down to what $$ he has to hire staff and to get players, and whether he thinks his model for player acquisitions is sustainable or if he believes IU can recruit well enough out of high school to sustain this success. The two-deep is littered with transfers and redshirt juniors/seniors and super seniors. It would seem that you can’t live in the portal forever, but who knows.

There are a few things to consider: 1) The BK and Lincoln Riley deals totally reset the market, and more than just the top coaches are getting 8+ years and $8MM per. So this might be the new cost of doing business. 2) We don't know the full terms of the deal so we can only speculate the value of the buyout and we have no idea what the parties agreed to for a payment schedule in the event of termination without cause. This means it is likely that a lesser amount would be due in the near future should they move on, and then the remaining payments would be scheduled out annually. 3) Finally, is there offset provision in Franklin's contract that would reduce the buyout in the event that he got another coaching job, and is he obligated to attempt to find employment? If so, the buyout would likely never reach the full remaining value of the contract or whatever amount the parties agreed to when they made the deal in the first place. MOOT POINT: Just got a text from a buddy that Franklin is out.

Might be terminal, hard to imagine surviving another clunker. Maybe he gets a chance to reset the program like BK did after 2016.

Cignetti and his staff deserve credit for their successes. They've evaluated the portal well, which is easier said than done––looks at Bill B., among others––and they've won a bunch of games. The players deserve credit, too. Coaches like Cignetti and Brian Kelly should be commended for their ability to succeed at all levels. But, if @23andCounting is talking about taking Cignetti ahead of Saban, I said we're going to need a put up or shut up kind of win first. Again, it could very well be this weekend.

I think you’re right, but the first issue’s importance is more or less dependent on the second. Historically, Penn has a fairly even history with the few suburban Indy programs it has faced—Penn has found itself pointed more toward the ground since they last locked up with Carmel in 2017, so it likely wouldn’t look so even today. I’ve been on the second issue for nearly twenty years. Penn’s guys get so little exposure to challenging or even average competition throughout their time in the program. Even when the varsity team has games with great or elite programs, that benefit never extends down to the developmental levels of the high school program. This problem is exacerbated when you try to reload with as many 18 year olds as possible each season—which every coach would do given the chance.

From sports-reference. MSU SOS: ‘95, 6th; ‘96, 19th (6 ranked opponents) IU SOS: ‘24, 55th; ‘25, 25th (4 ranked opponents counting Oregon—who knows, maybe Maryland and Penn State will be ranked in November, too) IU SOS: ‘21, 1st; ‘22, 20th; ‘23, 18th (12 ranked opponents) Full credit to Cignetti and staff for the results, but the guy has to win a put up or shut up-game if you’re going to hold him up with someone like Saban. Maybe it’s this weekend.

Mike Florio talked a little bit about employer liability yesterday since Fox is now a named defendant in a civil suit filed Monday. It’s normal for charges to get upgraded as the factual picture becomes clearer and evidence supporting elements of different or more severe crimes emerges.

Seems like a suggestion for the district to add a third high school.

I think the decision for multiple high schools has to be made by the time you're starting to run out of room for 3000ish students.

Michigan State and Rutgers aren’t sneaking up on Penn State at this point. Somebody’s—Franklin’s or his coordinators’—seats would be hot if they lose one of those. I would be surprised if Penn State doesn’t muddle through a lifeless win against Illinois, too.