My heart goes out to James Franklin. It really does. The loss in the Orange Bowl certainly shouldn’t all be attributed to him. However, one can’t help but think about how Penn State had the best opportunity to change the narrative surrounding its head coach’s tenure but simply missed it with a 24-27 loss. Franklin is now 4-20 vs. Top 10 opponents and 1-15 against the Top 5. There’s a little relief amid all this, though. QB1 Drew Allar will be back next year and he will have the CFB variants of Sonic and Knuckles by his side too.
Drew Allar is a good football player; that much is conspicuous. He has the tools to be great, which is the frustration reverberating across State College this week. Still relatively young, Allar has a high ceiling but an evidently low floor. Against Notre Dame, even this low floor essentially left from under his feet. He sunk to a performance that was an unprecedented disaster by all accords. What’s clear is that Franklin needed ancillary aid to complement him. He has done just that, against the prevailing notion.
Two of Penn State’s star tailbacks are foregoing the Draft to return to Happy Valley in 2025. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen have been some of the only guys in the skill position on the Nittany Lions’ offense worth writing home about. And they are back!
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As per Singleton’s statement: “It has been a true honor to don the blue and white for the last three seasons. When I set foot into Beaver Stadium, I am aware just how special this place is. Playing in front of college football’s greatest fans is something I have never taken for granted. I have been extremely lucky to play for coach Franklin, coach Seider, and the rest of this incredible coaching staff. The guys in the running back room, along with the rest of my teammates, are men I will appreciate forever. It has been a privilege to play with those guys, and they mean the world to me.
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“The family environment in the Lasch building is real. We have accomplished a lot here and we took another big step this season. But we know we are capable of being even better. After discussing my football future with my family, I have decided to return to Penn State for the 2025 season. We still have goals we want to reach as a team. And I want to be alongside my teammates as we reach those goals. I am scheduled to graduate this fall and will earn a degree from Penn State University, which has always been a goal for me.”
Similarly, Kaytron Allen had his own reasons for returning. As per his statement:
“I have learned so much about football and life from being a part of this elite organization that coach Franklin leads. Going to work with coach Seider and the LawnBoyz every day is something I will cherish forever. Penn State has been an extraordinary experience for me. This has led to my decision to return for the 2025 season. Throughout my life, my family and support system has been critical in helping me in my football journey.
“Through discussions with them, my coaches and teammates, it’s clear that we still have a lot more to accomplish as a team at Penn State. I want to thank god for putting me in this position and the opportunity to play the sport that I love. Playing in front of these fans has been an experience I will never forget. I love playing football and being able to play it in front of these great Penn State fans has made it extra special. I look forward to it again next season. Boom! I’m back!”
Before the start of the playoffs, it wouldn’t have been far-fetched to say that Allar, Singleton, and Allen were destined for the Draft board this April. James Franklin keeping all three in-house is a testament to his recruiting prowess. As per ESPN’s draft analyst Mel Kiper’s discernment, Allen and Singleton were the #5 and #6 RBs in this class, respectively, if they chose to turn pro.
HOLD UP WAIT A MINUTE, YOU THOUGHT THEY WERE FINISHED?
Both Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton are BACK for the 2025 season. HUGE news for the Nittany Lions. pic.twitter.com/g9KfkLh9a8
— Penn State Nittany Lions | Happy Valley Insider (@PennStateRivals) January 13, 2025
With this new development, the social media verse seems to think Penn State will be back competing for the Natty next season. Experience is a precious commodity at the collegiate level, with most players inadvertently jumping off the carousel for the next thing. Keeping the spine of his offense intact shows players have bought in on James Franklin’s vision.
James Franklin opted to stick rather than twist ahead of a potential make-or-break season
On the one hand, we can preach continuity and experience. Those are two things James Franklin has in heaps. He has been in Happy Valley for over a decade now. After a Big 10 championship relatively early, it has been a subpar tenure lately. This tendency to fall short on the most important downs and drives cannot be a mirage anymore. It’s very real.
As a Penn State fan, would you rather have continuity or a fresh slate?
Drew Allar burnt a lot of bridges with his showing down in Miami. The final lateral he threw out of bounds was all Notre Dame needed to seal the deal. So if James Franklin really wants to get this off his back and win a big game, better QB play is needed.
There is a growing feeling that PSU will always be bridesmaids with Franklin at the helm—never quite the bride.
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Coach Franklin has held his end of the bargain for now, albeit the WR room is still lacking. Let’s be real. Penn State’s receivers were a ghost town in the Orange Bowl. Not a single catch until the very last play, and that was a three-yard loss on a lateral. Sure, with Singleton and Allen running wild, the pressure is off the QB but you can’t win consistently with a receiving corps that’s MIA.
Franklin’s finally getting the message. He’s not just letting the running backs carry the load; he’s actually doing something about those receivers. Adding guys like Devonte Ross from Troy and Kyron Hudson from USC is a good start.
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Now, Drew Allar needs to take a senior year leap, learn from the Orange Bowl adversity, and channel it into positivity. He needs it, his head coach needs it and the Penn State faithful need it too.
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Can James Franklin finally break the curse and lead Penn State to a big win next season?
Top Comment by Nathan
I think history is a big tell in this. James Franklin comes from a small school, and is good but...more
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