What an explosive week with Penn State football.

Things went from bad to worse to unsalvageable in the blink of an eye after the Nittany Lions dropped their third-straight game of the season and their second-straight as a 20+ point underdog.

In the wake of its 22-21 loss to Northwestern, Penn State football has hit its lowest point in recent memory. Quarterback Drew Allar is done for the year with a season-ending injury, and with no eligibility left, will never don the blue and white again.

Penn State also decided it was time to part ways with James Franklin after 11 complete seasons with the program. The change has caused a massive ripple effect in the recruiting world as the Nittany Lions lost six recruits within 24 hours of the head coach’s departure.

As you’d imagine, social media was active after the most recent loss. At this point, the negative comments seem to be colder takes than the positive ones.

Ethan Grunkemeyer Is Better Than Drew Allar

Oscar Orellana: Have some respect for Drew Allar, please.

Collin Ward: I am going to miss Allar, man. He doesn’t deserve half of the hate that comes his way. I wish more than anything that his final season with Penn State had gone differently.

This take is terrible; Grunkemeyer would be starting if he were better than Allar.

Cooper Cazares: No.

The way Drew Allar’s Penn State career ended is tragic, and he will certainly be missed. But to say Grunkemeyer is better than him is a ridiculous take.

Penn State Will Regret Firing James Franklin

Oscar Orellana: While the aftermath has me mixed on whether or not it was the right move immediately, I agree that it had to be done sooner or later. Penn State reached its ceiling with Franklin in 2024. Just like Pat Kraft said on Monday, this program has national championship aspirations. With Franklin, it didn’t seem like that was feasible anymore.

Whether or not Penn State reaches the highs it reached with Franklin within the next 10 years, it doesn’t change the fact that a new page had to be turned.

Collin Ward: What I keep thinking about with the Franklin firing is how there really is no right answer. Like, if Penn State swings and misses on a coaching hire after Franklin and struggles for ten years, then it will regret the move. If Penn State hits on a coaching hire, then everyone will say it was a perfect move.

I don’t think there is any way anyone can actually know if this was a good move yet. I will say a shoutout to Pat Kraft for having the courage to make a move in an attempt to win a national championship.

Cooper Cazares: It all depends on who Penn State hires.

If the Nittany Lions land the right guy, it could be the best decision the university has made in quite some time. On the other hand, if it doesn’t go well, Penn State will be ridiculed and second-guessed. There’s no way to tell if it’s a good move yet.

Penn State Will Make A Bowl Game

Oscar Orellana: My answer to this will definitely change based on however Penn State performs against Iowa with Terry Smith and Ethan Grunkemeyer at the helm, but it definitely looks bleak right now.

The Nittany Lions really don’t have any “easy” matchups left. Iowa and Ohio State away, a No. 3 Indiana team that’s on fire right now, Michigan State, Nebraska, and Rutgers. The most favorable on the remaining schedule is easily Michigan State, but as we’ve learned in recent weeks, we can’t count any game as a win until the clock hits triple zeroes.

In my eyes right now, the Nittany Lions will miss out on some postseason fun.

Collin Ward: Hey, look at UCLA. Sometimes, a team can rally around an interim head coach. It often happens in the NFL that a team fires its coach and wins the next week on vibes alone.

While it will be a battle, Penn State can still make it to and win a bowl game. I think Iowa, Nebraska, and Michigan State are all winnable games.

Cooper Cazares: Only time will tell. Right now, I’m comfortable saying no.

The remaining schedule is brutal. Penn State will go on the road in a night game against Iowa, followed by No. 1 Ohio State and No. 3 Indiana. There are still opportunities for wins against Michigan State, Nebraska, and Rutgers, but with losses to UCLA and Northwestern already occurring, there’s no “easy” wins left.

Andy Kotelnicki and Jim Knowles Shouldn’t Be At Penn State After This Season

Oscar Orellana: Kotelnicki can go. The offense was nowhere near the level it was supposed to be. He failed to adjust and continued with the cute gimmicks that weren’t productive in the slightest. There’s also the whole Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton situation that he handled extremely poorly in his game planning. If Penn State’s next coach is offensive-minded, I don’t think Kotelnicki serves much value on the staff anymore.

As for Knowles, I think he should have some more time. While yes, Penn State’s defense has been extremely suspect in recent weeks, Knowles has a proven track record of turning things around after year one. However, the situation is definitely different now with Franklin gone. He doesn’t have the leeway he had with Franklin in the building. Knowles really has to reel it in and speed up his process, but I think he should stick around.

Collin Ward: I think Kotelnicki will be gone at the end of the season. There were rumblings last season that he would move on to a head coaching job in 2024. While that seems unlikely, I do think Penn State will bring in an offensive head coach who most likely will want to do things his way.

Knowles should not be considered for firing. Do people actually think a national champion from 2024 is just not a good coach all of a sudden? Ohio State fans remember its first two seasons with Knowles; they were struggling.

Ohio State believed in the coach, and it worked out. Knowles has a confusing scheme that could take a few years to get set into a program. Give him time to do so.

Cooper Cazares: Kotelnicki is gone, I’m sure. However, Knowles will remain on staff for at least another season.

The offensive performance this year has been horrendous. The way Penn State’s running backs have been mishandled is cause for concern, while the “new and improved” passing attack has been lackluster even with a starting quarterback like Drew Allar.

As for Knowles, there needs to be some more time. Let’s not forget this guy is a national champion. His defense may be complex, but I believe he can turn things around next season.

Nick Singleton Is Officially RB2

Oscar Orellana: A million times yes. Kaytron Allen is so much more dynamic and sets the offensive tone from the get-go. Singleton has lost his spark. There’s no other way around it. He gets the opportunities and doesn’t do anything with them. It pains me to say all of that, but Allen needs the majority of the touches going forward just like he did against Northwestern.

Collin Ward: If Franklin were still at the helm, this would be yes. Allen was given more opportunities against Northwestern and did a lot with them.

With the current state of Penn State, who knows who will run out of that tunnel as a starter against Iowa? There is a new head coach in Happy Valley, and that means a clean slate for the rest of the season. Expect the unexpected.

Cooper Cazares: Kaytron Allen will get the nod for starting reps heading into Iowa.

I’ve gone above and beyond to back Singleton, but something just seems wrong. Allen looks like the more dynamic and effective runner of the two. I’m still holding out hope for the old Singleton to return, but right now there’s no excuse to go away from Allen as the clear-cut RB1.