In college football, it’s always game on. The coaches are playing chess while we’re just trying to figure out the board. James Franklin and Marcus Freeman? Oh, they’re locked in a full-blown recruiting and coaching war, and the latest chapter is straight-up wild. Penn State thought they were about to boss up after a season where they were one win away from the Natty. Then, boom—Notre Dame pulled up, took them out in the Orange Bowl, and left them heartbroken. Franklin wasted no time, pulling Jim Knowles from Ohio State for a bag—record breaking $3.1 million—to fix up that defense. But guess what? Freeman ain’t letting him cook in peace. He’s out here trying to poach one of Franklin’s top guys.

James Franklin and Penn State’s poaching antics show no sign of pulling the brakes. They went for a big purchase. Franklin’s been in his feels since that Orange Bowl heartbreak, and he ain’t about to let Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame son him twice in the same offseason. So what’s the move? Grab one of the best defensive minds in the Big 12. Enter Andrew Jackson. Yep, the same defensive line coach Andrew Jackson who helped West Virginia’s D-line terrorize quarterbacks, leading the Big 12 in sacks in the 2023 season.

This ain’t Jackson’s first rodeo in State College either. He was a grad assistant at Penn State back in 2015-2016, so this is a full-circle moment for him. In his time at West Virginia, he turned that defensive line into a problem. His squad racked up 33 sacks in 2023, making QBs regret stepping onto the field. He also helped develop Dante Stills into WVU’s all-time sack leader and a sixth-round NFL Draft pick. That’s exactly the type of energy Penn State needs to fix up their defense after coming up slightly short last season in the playoffs. With Knowles now running the show, adding Jackson to the mix? Yeah, Franklin ain’t playing around.

While Franklin was busy upgrading his coaching staff, Freeman was out here plotting his next move. And he just pulled off a straight-up heist. Freeman’s finna snatched Penn State’s beloved running back coach and let’s just say, Nittany Lions’ fans are not okay right now.

Marcus Freeman runs laps on James Franklin by poaching Penn State RB coach: Ja’Juan Seider

See, if y’all watched Penn State play last season, ya’ll know who Ja’Juan Seider is—he’s the guy behind one of the most stacked running back rooms in college football. He’s the reason Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen both went over 1,000 yards last season. And let’s not forget, this man has a serious recruiting resume, bringing in dudes like Miles Sanders and Journey Brown in past seasons. So yeah, losing him? That’s a gut punch.

But for Freeman? It’s a power move. Notre Dame was originally looking at Michigan’s RB coach Tony Alford, but when that didn’t work out, they pivoted and landed an even bigger fish in Seider. This man is running victory laps at this point. So where does that leave Penn State?

Look, Franklin isn’t just gonna sit back and take this L. He’s already moving pieces around, stacking up coaching talent to make sure this doesn’t become a trend. With Jackson stepping in as a defensive analyst and Knowles leading the charge, Penn State’s defense might be about to level up in a big way and actually win big games.

As for Freeman? He’s got Notre Dame prime for another strong season after losing coaching staffs left and right, and with Seider now in his camp, the Irish running backs are about to be a problem. This offseason chess match between Franklin and Freeman ain’t just about coaching—it’s all about getting the right piece for another natty run. Who’s got the juice? Who’s building the better squad? And most importantly, who’s gonna win the next round when these two go head-to-head, potentially in playoffs?