***Official portal tracker thread***

The one overriding sentiment that has yet to be refuted is MC is a compulsive loyalist.

You don’t think that guy is using $30m to pay off the loyalty? It appears the money isn’t going to their former players.
I don't. I think the loyalty allowed ISU to underpay some of these guys, and now they're getting a more reasonable market value.
 
One thing I've wondered about, with 20ish guys going from ISU to Penn State, is if there will be any favoritism from Campbell. Obviously he and Mouser know these guys better, but it's not like Penn State doesn't have dudes on their team. So, (for example) would Bacon, Ebel and Brezina be the starting LB's because there's familiarity there, or would those 3 really be the best 3 LB's on their roster? I just think bringing in half a team from a team you were just coaching, might cause some "us" vs "them" type dynamics. I dont know, maybe not
I'm most interested in seeing how good a Campbell defense without Heacock is.

ISU spent a decade essentially as a top 2 defense in the Big 12, even with UT and OU with the following NFL draftees:
Ewazurike (4)
McDonald (1)
Johnson (7)
Tampa (4)
Porter (3)

That's roughly every other year having one mid-round pick. That's amazing production vs. the talent.

Over that same period of time, we've had double the offensive guys get drafted, including a guy that might be a top 5 NFL QB and a top 5 NFL RB.
 
One thing I've wondered about, with 20ish guys going from ISU to Penn State, is if there will be any favoritism from Campbell. Obviously he and Mouser know these guys better, but it's not like Penn State doesn't have dudes on their team. So, (for example) would Bacon, Ebel and Brezina be the starting LB's because there's familiarity there, or would those 3 really be the best 3 LB's on their roster? I just think bringing in half a team from a team you were just coaching, might cause some "us" vs "them" type dynamics. I dont know, maybe not
I don't think Matt bringing players over is going to cause any riff in and of itself. It's going to take some time for these guys to get to know each other and trust each other, but - by all accounts - the kids he's bringing with him are pretty high character guys that aren't going to set off a locker room.

What this is ultimately going to come down to is who Matt is playing. Using your LB example, if he's willing to sit some combination of Bacon, Ebel, and Brezina but current/other incoming PSU guys because they're just not the best players at that position I don't think this spirals into anything that negative. However, if he's playing them over guys that are clearly better than it's going to reek of nepotism and create resentment in the locker room.

It's like the coach's kid on your sports team growing up. If he/she was really an outstanding player and the coach was as hard (or even harder) on their kid than the rest of the team it's usually not a problem. It's when the coach's kid doesn't deserve the playing time they're getting and/or there is double standards from the coach where things get messy.
 
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Fair enough on “many” but Brahmer, Neal, and Hansen were. With another year of development you don’t think some of these guys could be on an All-B10 team?

I think it’s just cope to say all these guys are scrubs
What’s fair to say is, we need to see what Matt can assemble for a roster outside of ISU guys. They graduated a good chunk of their roster (25-30 seniors), have 37 in the portal and only have ~12 in their HS class. So far he’s added 20 from Iowa State. He still needs to add like 25-30 more guys. There are a handful of high end talents like you said, but he’s really going to have to show he can upgrade the supporting cast for those former ISU stars
 
I'm most interested in seeing how good a Campbell defense without Heacock is.

ISU spent a decade essentially as a top 2 defense in the Big 12, even with UT and OU with the following NFL draftees:
Ewazurike (4)
McDonald (1)
Johnson (7)
Tampa (4)
Porter (3)

That's roughly every other year having one mid-round pick. That's amazing production vs. the talent.

Over that same period of time, we've had double the offensive guys get drafted, including a guy that might be a top 5 NFL QB and a top 5 NFL RB.
Not going to be the same defensive philosophy...the DC that MC hired doesn't run the same system so it is basically apples to oranges. MC isn't dictating what type of defense to run...but he is responsible for hiring the guy who will make those decisions. No doubt Heacock was awesome here...but there are other very good DCs out there in college football. Why is it hard to think MC couldn't hire a 2nd guy who is solid?
 
I think this is reasonable and realistic, but it appears PSU fans are well aware of their hot garbage schedule. Also keep in mind 11 months ago they lost by a FG in the national semifinal.

I don't think PSU fans are as impatient as a lot of fanbases, but they also aren't going to be super excited about wasting as easy a schedule as they are ever going to see on a 8-4 or even 9-3 season.

Marshall, Temple, and Buffalo in the non-con
Maryland, NW, Purdue, Minnesota, Rutgers, Wisconsin, Washington, Michigan and USC in conference.
Penn State hasn’t won a national title since 1986. Imo, the vast majority of the fan base isn’t expecting a national championship next year or even a CFP berth. I think the fan base would be generally satisfied with 8-4/9-3, which the ISU players can deliver. Year 2 and beyond is a different story, but he’ll have more opportunity to bring in additional talent at that point.

Now if Campbell went to Alabama and was bringing 20 ISU guys with him, he’d have hell to pay from day one. For sure.
 
I think this is reasonable and realistic, but it appears PSU fans are well aware of their hot garbage schedule. Also keep in mind 11 months ago they lost by a FG in the national semifinal.

I don't think PSU fans are as impatient as a lot of fanbases, but they also aren't going to be super excited about wasting as easy a schedule as they are ever going to see on a 8-4 or even 9-3 season.

Marshall, Temple, and Buffalo in the non-con
Maryland, NW, Purdue, Minnesota, Rutgers, Wisconsin, Washington, Michigan and USC in conference.

That's about as easy of a P4 schedule as you could ever get. Nothing in the noncon, probable lame duck coaches at Maryland, Wisconsin, Purdue. Brand new coaches at NW, Michigan. I guess Michigan and USC and Washington COULD be tough, but it's not like they are playoff contenders.
 
I think it’s going to be hard to have the bubble he did at ISU with a bunch of high 4s and 5s.

Telling them they have to work hard and climb the rough side of the mountain is t going to work ad well with a guy who can go to any team he wants and get the star treatment.

Not going to be the same defensive philosophy...the DC that MC hired doesn't run the same system so it is basically apples to oranges. MC isn't dictating what type of defense to run...but he is responsible for hiring the guy who will make those decisions. No doubt Heacock was awesome here...but there are other very good DCs out there in college football. Why is it hard to think MC couldn't hire a 2nd guy who is solid?
Maybe he already did. I think D'Anton Lynn was a really good hire who will help bring in high level D talent.
 
Penn State hasn’t won a national title since 1986. Imo, the vast majority of the fan base isn’t expecting a national championship next year or even a CFP berth. I think the fan base would be generally satisfied with 8-4/9-3, which the ISU players can deliver. Year 2 and beyond is a different story, but he’ll have more opportunity to bring in additional talent at that point.

Now if Campbell went to Alabama and was bringing 20 ISU guys with him, he’d have hell to pay from day one. For sure.
Nebraska hasn’t won a natty since the mid 90s but they still think of themselves as Championship contenders. Penn ST has made the CFP just last year. A game away from the championship. 8-4 means they lost to a Rutgers or temple level team. That will not be accepted there.
 
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Many of the ISU to PSU transfers had agreed to follow Campbell the night of his exit. No way they had money and everything completed figured out. Good chance he said it would be more but the players probably wanted to follow their coach.

Jimmy has way less Wazzu players coming so it’s hard to say that his team is going to basically be Wazzu from this last year but just paid more.
You're just splitting hairs to fit your opinion, oh they left early so it was different, our guys waited so it's different. We're going to end up with a bunch of WSU players, Campbell has a bunch of ISU players, either way they're both assembling new teams.
 
Nebraska hasn’t won a natty since the mid 90s but they still think of themselves as Championship contenders. Penn ST has made the CFP just last year. A game away from the championship. 8-4 means they lost to a Rutgers or temple level team. That will not be accepted there.
It will be ok in year one. Nebraska fans and Penn State fans are not the same, as someone knows several of both. And tbh, most Nebraska fans don’t think of themselves as championship contenders anymore
 
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Just popped on to get a quick update on ISU portal news. And it appears Matt Campbell and Penn State have bought Cyclone Fanatic. Thanks a lot CW!!!

Did a quick count of the 31 most recent posts:
  1. 26 are about Penn State or Matt Campbell
  2. 1 is about Crystal, Balls & Meth
  3. 1 is about being young and stupid
  4. 1 is about ASU debt forgiveness
  5. 2 MENTION ISU'S NEWEST PORTAL COMMIT CARTER PABST. Awesome news, we need more WR's
PEOPLE, PEOPLE LET IT GO!!

If you can't let it go, go to a PSU message board or start up an EVERYTHING PSU thread on this message board to vicariously drown your sorrows. Heck maybe the folks who NOW run Penn State Fanatic can come up with a catchy NIL T-Shirt. And maybe ISU AD can get some of the proceeds