How many players will PSU have in 2026?

SummitLion

Active member
I think they lost 48 to the portal as well as 30 seniors. They have brought in 36 in the portal and 6 in the recruiting class. If they had 105 players this year, that leaves 69 players. Is this worse than the sanctions years?
 
I think they lost 48 to the portal as well as 30 seniors. They have brought in 36 in the portal and 6 in the recruiting class. If they had 105 players this year, that leaves 69 players. Is this worse than the sanctions years?
Your numbers are way off. They’re going to have about 15 in the recruiting class and they will have more than 36 from the portal. They will end up with well over 90 players, probably even at the 105 max, counting some of these lower level guys that are coming in strictly as depth pieces.
 
Your numbers are way off. They’re going to have about 15 in the recruiting class and they will have more than 36 from the portal. They will end up with well over 90 players, probably even at the 105 max, counting some of these lower level guys that are coming in strictly as depth pieces.
Per 247, they have 10 signed in the 26 class, so that takes the number to 73. I don't care about 32 walk ons. And of the 10 recruits, per 247, there is 1 4 star and 1 unranked. So, they will have 72 players, that are mostly low 3 stars. Sounds like Temple.
 
I suspect that 2026 may be a challenging year. We lost so much talent both in terms of playing out their eligibility and portalling out. The AD took way too long to hire a new HC and that led to a wipe out in what was going to be a very good incoming class. Regardless, the future is to build a team in the portal and 2027 could be a whole different story if the new HC and staff is any good. I did see an article where the new staff represents the entire USA. In other words, there are coaches on the staff that have connections across the nation. By accident or on purpose, that is an excellent strategy. For example, you loo, at the Heisman winner: kid is from Miami and went to Cal and now Indiana. He's got both coasts and the midwest covered.
 
4 have verballed, but not signed. Regardless, we won't come close to 85 scholarship players. Franklin, on the other hand...
I don't understand your infatuation with this and all things JF.
You seem to be saying that PSU would be better with JF
JF was never going to win here. NEVER. He couldn't even figure out how to manage 4th down from our own side of the field in the first half.
2026 is irrelevant.
Let it go. PSU is in better hands.
2026 is irrelevant.
MC will be in the upper half of the B2G next year with a cobbled together team.
2026 is irrelevant
This is about the future because JF was never going to win.
2026 is irrelevant
 
No excuse for not winning this year. This isn't the old day's, they could have went out and bought the talent and not let the best players leave. Kraft bragged about how much money was available.
Cignetti didn't have much at Indiana but was very good his first year. This team should be 10-2 at worst with this cupcake schedule.

“This is also about the modern era of college football,” Kraft said. “Our next coach needs to be able to maximize elite-level resources, attack the transfer portal and develop at the highest level.
 
No excuse for not winning this year. This isn't the old day's, they could have went out and bought the talent and not let the best players leave. Kraft bragged about how much money was available.
Cignetti didn't have much at Indiana but was very good his first year. This team should be 10-2 at worst with this cupcake schedule.

“This is also about the modern era of college football,” Kraft said. “Our next coach needs to be able to maximize elite-level resources, attack the transfer portal and develop at the highest level.
Agree. I don't mind bring in some kids from ISU, as Cigentti did the same with JMU. I'm concerned that even after keeping Terry, 50 kids went to the portal, and besides a handful of good players from ISU, we did nothing g in the portal.

I'm fine with giving Campbell a chance, but I have to say I am not optimistic for the future, and I mean beyond 26.

I was frustrated with Franklin as much as anyone, but at least he was able to recruit and limit players going to the portal. Who would be favored if PSU played VT next year? I think VT would be favored by 7, and that's coming off of a year where they had 3 wins...in the ACC.
 
Agree. I don't mind bring in some kids from ISU, as Cigentti did the same with JMU. I'm concerned that even after keeping Terry, 50 kids went to the portal, and besides a handful of good players from ISU, we did nothing g in the portal.

I'm fine with giving Campbell a chance, but I have to say I am not optimistic for the future, and I mean beyond 26.

I was frustrated with Franklin as much as anyone, but at least he was able to recruit and limit players going to the portal. Who would be favored if PSU played VT next year? I think VT would be favored by 7, and that's coming off of a year where they had 3 wins...in the ACC.
Ohio State had 35 kids enter the portal and counting. It is just the way it is today. Why not? You can fish for more money and if you don't get it, the school is probably going to take you back.

I think we'll take a step back this year. The new staff came in far too late to save the recruiting class and also too late to make significant headway for transfers. That is on the AD. But this wasn't about 2026. It is about the next five years.
 
If it's about players chasing money, then PSU has the budget. If it's about not getting 2026 HS kids to PSU, well, then they weren't going to play anyway. If it's about a coach's football acumen and system, then CMC >> BGJ. If it's about Amare Campbell, Dejuan Lane, Reynolds, Denmark being irreplaceable, then that's something I'll need to catch up on. If it's about the seasoned Becht, Brahmer, Eskildsen, Sowell, Bacon et al not being effective in Big10 play, then that's even more research I'll need to do.
 
If it's about players chasing money, then PSU has the budget. If it's about not getting 2026 HS kids to PSU, well, then they weren't going to play anyway. If it's about a coach's football acumen and system, then CMC >> BGJ. If it's about Amare Campbell, Dejuan Lane, Reynolds, Denmark being irreplaceable, then that's something I'll need to catch up on. If it's about the seasoned Becht, Brahmer, Eskildsen, Sowell, Bacon et al not being effective in Big10 play, then that's even more research I'll need to do.
I just had a great idea. We can buy the software for "OnlyFans" and create "OnlyPlayers". That cuts out agents and managers. We can charge $20 bucks a download. There, universities can bid on players directly for a season. Everyone wins.
 
I just had a great idea. We can buy the software for "OnlyFans" and create "OnlyPlayers". That cuts out agents and managers. We can charge $20 bucks a download. There, universities can bid on players directly for a season. Everyone wins.
Indeed meets eHarmony with some auction/reverse auction functionality. Textbook perfect competition. The middlemen won't like that. And upsell broader NIL opportunities the same way.
 
I really think this team will go 10-2 or 9-3 with the schedule. What positions are we worried about?
OL seems ok and everywhere else on offense, except maybe wide receiver, but I think they will be about as good as last year. With Kraft bragging about resources, I thought there would be a big name WR brought in though.
Matt seems be bringing in bigger players on defense, and i find that interesting. Maybe when it's 4 and 1 we will actually get a stop more often.
DE seems ok with Granville and Kamojou, if the portal DE are good we should be ok there eh?
Same for DT
LB will be a question mark.
The secondary I feel will be good
 
I really think this team will go 10-2 or 9-3 with the schedule. What positions are we worried about?
OL seems ok and everywhere else on offense, except maybe wide receiver, but I think they will be about as good as last year. With Kraft bragging about resources, I thought there would be a big name WR brought in though.
Matt seems be bringing in bigger players on defense, and i find that interesting. Maybe when it's 4 and 1 we will actually get a stop more often.
DE seems ok with Granville and Kamojou, if the portal DE are good we should be ok there eh?
Same for DT
LB will be a question mark.
The secondary I feel will be good
🎯 And after seeing the tall Indiana receivers like Barker and St. Francis PA's Sarrat, I think with the ISU receivers, Howard, and the two massive TEs, Becht will have a similar variety of good targets, and most being the tall jump ball types. And even though Tengwall indicated that Bacon needs to be better at tackling angles, he's a big, tough LB who, along with the bigger DL, will help shut down the middle.
 
Ohio State had 35 kids enter the portal and counting. It is just the way it is today. Why not? You can fish for more money and if you don't get it, the school is probably going to take you back.

I think we'll take a step back this year. The new staff came in far too late to save the recruiting class and also too late to make significant headway for transfers. That is on the AD. But this wasn't about 2026. It is about the next five years.

^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^
This isn't a failure of MC. It is all timing.
2026 is mostly a pass. We're looking for good coaching, improvement throughout the year and building momentum. Assessment starts next off-season.
 
Agree. I don't mind bring in some kids from ISU, as Cigentti did the same with JMU. I'm concerned that even after keeping Terry, 50 kids went to the portal, and besides a handful of good players from ISU, we did nothing g in the portal.

I'm fine with giving Campbell a chance, but I have to say I am not optimistic for the future, and I mean beyond 26.

I was frustrated with Franklin as much as anyone, but at least he was able to recruit and limit players going to the portal. Who would be favored if PSU played VT next year? I think VT would be favored by 7, and that's coming off of a year where they had 3 wins...in the ACC.
Respectfully, it seems that JF recruited a certain kind of kid...or perhaps he was not capable of growing them into a different type of kid. JF sold himself and seemed to not hold players accountable to the team. If players heard MC's message of work and accountability and chose to leave, that my friend is the best news of this whole mess.
 
I really think this team will go 10-2 or 9-3 with the schedule. What positions are we worried about?
OL seems ok and everywhere else on offense, except maybe wide receiver, but I think they will be about as good as last year. With Kraft bragging about resources, I thought there would be a big name WR brought in though.
Matt seems be bringing in bigger players on defense, and i find that interesting. Maybe when it's 4 and 1 we will actually get a stop more often.
DE seems ok with Granville and Kamojou, if the portal DE are good we should be ok there eh?
Same for DT
LB will be a question mark.
The secondary I feel will be good

There are some questions at some postions for sure.

I'm more optimistic than you about LB as the 2 starting LB's from ISU together with Rojas, Tatsch and the young returning PSU LB's Arrington and Smith and the other ISU transfer LB's seem to be enough talent and numbers to field 3 good starting LB's.

And less optimistic about the numbers at DE as the losses in both experienced players (Fisher, Coleman and Harvey) and young players (Williams, Harris, Jennings) don't seem to have been nearly replaced by only the incoming transfer McPherson and true freshman Ford. A couple of injuries at DE could be devastating to the pass rush.
 
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There are some questions at some postions for sure.

I'm more optimistic than you about LB as the 2 starting LB's from ISU together with Rojas, Tatsch and the young returning PSU LB's Arrington and Smith and the other ISU transfer LB's seem to be enough talent and numbers to field 3 good starting LB's.

And less optimistic about the numbers at DE as the losses in both experienced players (Fisher, Coleman and Harvey) and young players (Williams, Harris, Jennings) don't seem to have been nearly replaced by only the incoming McPherson and true freshman Ford. A couple of injuries at DE could be devastating to the pass rush.
This is only a guess, but an educated one, I do think that the last couple roster spots are ones that are specifically saved for the positions you’ve mentioned. I think the portal will sort itself out a little bit more in the next couple days and the staff will find a way to get One or two more guys who may be a little lower down their original choice list, but will be depth guys
 
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