***Official portal tracker thread***

[cyIclSoneU]

I actually prefer it this way. I like the coaching staff keeping things close to their vest until things are signed.

It makes sense from the staff side. There is no upside for them to leak who they're targeting. Ideally it's all quiet until it's done.

But as a fan I would like to have access to some more info right now.

I know it will be all resolved in like two weeks. Still doesn't change that I would love to see a list of a couple dozen guys with "this is who Jimmy is going after right now and don't expect to get them all but we are pushing to get most of them."

 

[cyIclSoneU]

As others have said 20.5 is for the whole Athletic Department.

Also 20.5 was for 2025, it increases 4% every year, so 21.33 next year.

I thought I've heard the ISU FB budget for revenue share is going to be roughly 14 million this coming year.

I believe Blum said $13M FB, $5M MBB, $1M WBB. That leaves $2-3M left over though so maybe not quite right.

 

[Erik4Cy]

Don't want to be too critical but it is really disappointing that a paid service for Cyclone fanatics has nothing to offer on the biggest two weeks of roster churn in school history. Not just CF either, but any of the paid services like 247. Nada, zilch about targets other than maybe Jaylen Raynor because of his OC coming here (which anyone paying attention can see publicly)

I feel you too, a lot of us really want some good insider info, but StPaul below is 100% correct.

Coaching change means no one has insider relationships yet.

CF is going to have to work diligently to build the relationships of trust again with CJR and his staff like they did with CMC. And it doesn't happen overnight.

Coaches and people all throughout the football program have things they want getting out and things they definitely don't want getting out...

Until they get to know and trust CW, Brend, Blum, etc. (They absolutely should because CF staff is full of people of integrity.) I don't expect to hear a lot of "leaks".

 

[Die4Cy]

Thanks, so $30MM combined. Lots of discussions on QB payments here. Same thing, the amounts being floated around likely aren’t just from re share, but also NIL. The latter is likely providing more the majority, so trying to calculate % of rev share for FB isn’t accounting for NIL deals.

How I think in-department NIL working in conjunction with donors to bypass the clearing house is typically going to work: PSU athletics has an office working to "match" players to NIL in the community. Because they aren't the player, they can establish a rate for an appearance from Rocco. "Starting QB appearances are $100,000 each." Then get a sponsor to agree to have Rocco come and make these appearances. The department does the contracts, along with K-1 and tax paperwork (holding back a small percentage to cover the work) and the deal is laundered for clearing house purposes, because the department set the rate and someone outside the department agrees to pay for the "service." Rocco probably doesn't even need to do the appearances because the clearing house has no follow up staff to do anything other than review agreements. Now some endorsements will be real, but this is an example of how an in-house NIL team can use donors to provide support even though by the rules they can't pay to play.

 

[jkbuff98]

I believe Blum said $13M FB, $5M MBB, $1M WBB. That leaves $2-3M left over though so maybe not quite right.

1M wrestling

 

[NATEizKING]

 

[Stevetasker]

I believe Blum said $13M FB, $5M MBB, $1M WBB. That leaves $2-3M left over though so maybe not quite right.

Wrestling is $1M, WBB is $750k I believe.

 

[Dandy]

He really saw that Fickel offense and thought, yeah I want in that?

Fickel saw Sama run the ball and thought, yeah I want to base my job security in that?

 

[Cydewayz]

I feel you too, a lot of us really want some good insider info, but StPaul below is 100% correct.

CF is going to have to work diligently to build the relationships of trust again with CJR and his staff like they did with CMC. And it doesn't happen overnight.

Coaches and people all throughout the football program have things they want getting out and things they definitely don't want getting out...

Until they get to know and trust CW, Brend, Blum, etc. (They absolutely should because CF staff is full of people of integrity.) I don't expect to hear a lot of "leaks".

Coaches are finicky, competitive, and a lot have egos.

I'm sure new staff has been knee deep in transition and recruiting, but make you wonder if the flurry of Campbell leaving, CWs on air sadness, some of the "rumors" that Blum had to clear the air on a few days later about JPs management....could that delay that trust building?

 

[NATEizKING]

 

[Darius Bieber]

Sure. And Cam Ward.

Obviously there are late bloomers or kids who somehow managed to stay off the radar for other reasons.

But also obviously the talent level across the board is much lower at D-II on average.

I’d say the gap between the Big 12 and the Mountain West is much, much smaller than the gap between the Mountain West and D-II.

It isn’t some wild idea that someone with his background could potentially have a chip on his shoulder over.

Rogers said in his initial press conference he only had D-II scholarship offers out of high school. He earned a scholarship to a FBS FCS school as a walk on.

He is also guy who was so driven to get a P4 job that when an AD told him he needed time at the next level he left the school he’d been at for 15 years to do that, and then left that job after a year. That strongly implies he is competitive as **** to me.

Those are two key ingredients to creating someone with something to prove.

As I said, it is early. But a P4 school grabbing two D-II kids from the portal raises eyebrows, particularly when they’re the only two commits.

Cam Ward never played D2. UIW is D1.

 

[bosco]

Intriguing if at a low price.

 

[Die4Cy]

Lot of info out there but it’s scattered because nobody has great sources right now plus all the info threads turn to discussions with everything going on. OL currently visiting from Auburn (Deandre Carpenter) and Akron (Maasai King) along with a big group of WSU kids. Guessing we’ll see committs trickle in as they end their visits tomorrow but who knows.

If you care, there are also around 20 former clones visiting Penn state right now.

Did they take a ******* charter bus there? Gross.

 

[12191987]

Cam Ward never played D2. UIW is D1.

I’m dumb. Should have remembered that from basketball.

 

[Darius Bieber]

I’m dumb. Should have remembered that from basketball.

FCS can feel D2 at times, so no worries

 

[isufbcurt]

Did they take a ******* charter bus there? Gross.

Rented a cargo van for a road trip

 

[12191987]

Rented a cargo van for a road trip

A loyal coach would have given them a few of his private jet hours.

 

[isucy86]

That the only two commits from the portal are D-II kids doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy feeling.

Is the long snapper on scholarship?

Obviously this is too early to know anything, but I hope Rogers doesn’t turn out to have a chip on his shoulder about small schools having kids talented enough to play P4.

Think we need to look big picture. CJR is going to add over 80 kids to this roster between now and August. So he is going to takes some risks on kids he thinks have the P4 tools (size, speed, strength) to contribute.

I wouldn't be too concerned about a lower level snapper. He's got good size and I'm sure the staff has vetted his snap speed, accuracy. Heck, there have been quite a few D2 kickers starting at P4 programs. Ole Miss' starting QB was a D2 player in 2024. Tre Bell the ISU CB this season came from D2 Lindonwood & he was one of the fastest players on the team

 

[5Cy]

Minnesota.

Great point!

I agree with that. I think much of the old guard SEC is just not transitioning well. Definitely the case at Alabama (going through an already tough coaching change) and probably Georgia and Clemson from ACC too.

The Power Programs have the means, but they are just stuck in the old ways (Kirby and Dabo) and / or have a clueless man (DeBoer) at the helm. Once they figure it out, they will be cooking with gas again. Money is not the issue.

From ISU's point of view, I hope JFR has a good grasp on all of this. Personally, I think he will be better at it than Matt. If JFR does, ISU should be as okay as they can be within budget. If not, could be a catastrophe.

Time will tell on that.

Agree with all of this as well. I think this is where the relatively new GM roll comes into play. Gonna be a lot like the NFL. Let the coach coach and find a good GM to handle the financials….. you know, like the business that it is.

 

[BCClone]

P4 schools?

Obviously you don’t want to spend 7% of your budget on 1 player, but don’t starting NFL QBs command way more than 7% of the salary cap?

A school paying $5M for a QB would need to have an NIL budget of $72M+ to keep it under 7%.

PSU would need to be at $43M if Rocco is getting $3M.

P4 rosters are twice The size of NFL rosters.