I think what bugs a lot of Pitt fans about Penn St fans is the blind optimism coming off a 6-6 year that didn't feature a single quality victory as if that somehow validates Franklin's ability to win big at Penn St. what would've been a quality victory last year? OSU & MSU? who else?
I don't see many on here arguing that Penn St's progam has a higher ceiling than Pitt's or that Pitt will eventually out-recruit Penn St. We'll get our fair share of top WPA guys, but we'll never dominate on the Eastern half of the state.
However, even though I'll give you credit for admitting that Penn St's past success is no guarantee of future success, in the same breath you're also using that as the basis for your optimism. Essentially, "we were great under Paterno for a long time, we'll be great again." I'm not so sure. It really does have zero impact on what Franklin does. It might improve his ceiling, but good luck taking that to the bank. Penn St recruited just as well if not better under Paterno until the sanctions. ehhh, that's not true. outside of 2006, we barely scratched the top 25. Franklin will consistently be within top 15. and we sure as heck weren't getting the hot shot skilled position recruits from Paterno.
It hasn't yielded big results more than once or twice in two decades. One outright Big Ten title in 20+ years, right? well...2 in the last 10 years. you know how many Michigan has had in that time?....0
Penn St has at best the third highest ceiling in their own Division. you might be right...sorta like Alabama, Auburn, LSU?.....they all won championships recently, so i'll take that any day.
They have been nationall relevant from a competing for a National Championship standpoint maybe twice since 1993? Missouri, Boise St, Baylor, TCU, etc, have been more relevant from a BCS standpoint than Penn St in that time. Both Ohio St and Michigan now have proven, successful coaches. A couple of good recruiting classes really won't matter if your new staff can't figure out a way to beat more talented teams like OSU and Michigan. Franklin has never beaten more talented teams unless they had mass injuries during a down year (Georgia, Florida). You'll be playing in the Alamo bowl every year at 9-3 or 8-4. sounds like you have a crystal ball just like said PSU prognosticators....just with a pessimistic view.
Pitt had a 10 year stretch in the 70's/80's where we were basically Pete Carrol's USC team. It had zero impact going foward once we continually made bad coaching decisions. Look at Miami. How about Tennessee for over a decade now? Florida over the last 5 years. Georgia hasn't won sh*t since the 1980s. Clemson was down forever. Basically, being Penn St is no guarantee of anything is you don't really have anything on those schools and their name and history alone have not enabled them to return to greatness. of course not...who's guaranteed greatness? i like our chances to get back to that status, though. Alabama was quite average in the mid-90s...so was USC...and Oklahoma....and Auburn. remember Miami in the 70's & now?....it's cyclical
Please notice I'm not saying Pitt is better right now. I'm just questioning your optimism. Narduzzi hasn't proved anything yet. Maybe he can coach, maybe he can't. I'm not sure what Franklin is either - you seem to be sure. It's one thing to win at a lower level job where there are no expectations, it's another to do it at someplace like Penn St. History is littered with big shot coaches who failed at higher levels. If Frankling gives you a boner with a good recruiting year and 6-6 record, congrats. However, at least in 2016, there is not going to be much of a talent descrepency between Pitt and Penn St when they play. Depending on what Narduzzi can do, there may not be much of a discrepency beyond that as well. based on recent recruting classes alone, I disagree. that being said, it doesn't guarantee us victory
You can thump your chest on recruiting results, but I'd be mucher happier to see progess on the field. yeah right...you guys wouldn't be thumping your chests too?..please. but i don't disagree, you have to win on the field
Penn St took a step back last year from O'Brien's final year. dude...worst year of our sanctions were last year. all PSU fans know this. you think O'Brien would've automatically won more games last year? you must have missed how our defense performed in 2013 under O'Brien....god awful.
How many years in a row now has ND had a top 10 or 15 class? i get your point, and it happens all the time (B Hoke). but they did go to the National Championship game a few years ago (yes, i know you should've beat them....and we should've beat OSU...but both didn't happen)
They can't even beat Pitt unless the refs gift them games.