It has been more than a decade now since James Franklin joined Penn State. But apart from that, the 2016 conference title, the team has always missed their chances in big games. In fact, this was their 16th consecutive time they had lost to a top 5 AP team against Notre Dame in the playoff. What could be the reason that Penn State, despite their dominant regular seasons, have failed to capitalize on their big games? Could it be the coaching staff? Or is it James Franklin’s on-field strategies? Or maybe the recruitment game?

Recruitment at Penn State had certainly seen a sharp upward trend after James Franklin joined in 2014. They were ranked 23rd before his arrival and jumped up to 14th nationally in just one year. But, in recent years since the 2023 class, it seems Penn State always begins with several good prospects initially, and then when the recruitment closes, we see them sitting at 14th, 15th, or 16th position nationally. The 2026 class has also begun on a cheerful note, as they are currently ranked 8th nationally and have roped in some of the top talented prospects. But, you know the story after this. Decommitments will plague Penn State, and Prospects will jump ship at a moment’s notice. One of the top prospects has even hinted it after all !!

Yes, we are talking about James Franklin’s top blue chip prospect Messiah Mickens. Standing at 5’10 ” and weighing around 210 lbs, this is the prospect who is ranked 4th in the state of Pennsylvania and has a rating of 91.38 on On3. He committed to Penn State back in 2023, which is quite early and looked to stay that way. Until the influential Running Backs coach Ja’ Juan Seider decided to move to Notre Dame. This was a coaching move even James Franklin couldn’t digest as he had produced players like Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, both of whom had 1,000+ yards rushing in a season. Naturally, then Messiah Mickens would also feel inclined to switch ships, considering the relationship Seider created with the player throughout his recruitment.

Brian Smith, the host of a major college football recruiting podcast ‘The Portal’, asked a Penn State Insider about Mickens’ fate. And also about other potential prospects jumping ship. “Currently Messiah Mickens to go back to him. I think that would be the only one. The guys that are on board all seem bought in as far as I think they are. I could have rattled off maybe a dozen or two dozen different prospects that are uncommitted that, you know, maybe Penn State misses on. They need Joey O’Brien, which comes to mind. Right, those are just some of those players within Pennsylvania that you really need to get to stay at Penn State for just continues that trend.”

So it seems currently Messiah Mickens is the only one who is expected to decommit from the program. He has also announced that he will visit Notre Dame soon in the future, as he posted on X, tagging coach Seider. Apart from his visit to the Irish, he also has a visit scheduled to North Carolina on the 20th June this year. For those less versed, Jerquaden Guilford, a 3-star wide receiver prospect also had decommitted from Penn State in a shocking move recently. He announced the news with a statement that could be interpreted in many ways.

The player wrote on X. “This was not an easy decision, and I have so much respect and love for Coach Franklin, I want to take the time to thoroughly evaluate my options and ensure that the school I choose aligns with the values my family and I hold. With the new landscape of college recruiting, I want to make a decision that is as close to perfect as possible for my future. Thank you to Penn State for everything.” Can Notre Dame swoop this one, too? Well, it can be a possibility since they have made an offer. Furthermore, he has also made the highest visits to the Irish (4), so things are looking quite possible in that regard.

Penn State and James Franklin losing their grasp on another prospect?

About the prospect Joey O’Brien, an insider mentioned. This is a 4-star blue chip prospect who is currently being sought aggressively for Penn State. The reason?

Playing as a safety, he lightened up the field in the OT7 finals and is touted to possess quite advanced ball skills for his age. He is currently ranked 4th nationally in his position and 2nd in his state. Well, talking about the state, the prospect being an in-state prodigy becomes another reason why Penn State is after him, as James Franklin has stressed several times the importance of in-state recruitment. Penn State, for that matter, is lagging behind in its recruitment too.

Well, currently, Penn State is listed as having a 58.7% probability of landing the talent led by their safeties coach, Anthony Poindexter. But, guess who is making quite the inroads in his recruitment apart from Penn State? Well, it’s none other than Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame. They have gained close to 35% probability in his recruitment and have already visited the Irish three times before. Surely, this could be another blow to James Franklin, sneakily delivered by Marcus Freeman.