Early in the fourth quarter against Oregon, Penn State fans voiced their frustration with loud “Fire James Franklin!” chants. The mystery is clear: how could a veteran offense that ran for at least 189 yards in seven of its last eight games last season suddenly struggle to gain push this year? Against Oregon, they managed only 109 rushing yards through three quarters. In football, everything begins with the line of scrimmage and the center’s signal calling, and right now, both are falling short.

For Joel Klatt, the FOX analyst who has watched this Penn State team spin its wheels, the issues aren’t just about raw yardage. It’s about adjusting the offensive system to better capitalize on QB1 Drew Allar‘s strengths. Klatt laid out his concern on CFB on FOX:  “Penn State has all of these experienced players back, including Drew Allar, their quarterback, and they can’t win the football game. And that’s the alarming part for Penn State. And so, this is what I would say for Penn State is that you’ve got to have a clear-eyed evaluation. You’ve got to have some competitive integrity and evaluate yourself honestly. What is going wrong in these moments?”

His answer pointed straight at the system. “I think that you’ve got to come down to two conclusions. Number one is this offensive system that they’re trying to run is not a fit for Drew Allar. And unless you’re going to change the quarterback, you better change the offensive system or at least how you go about it philosophically. He is not an RPO quarterback that wants to be a point guard, fast hands, fast feet type of guy. And yet that’s the offense that they try to run.”

Klatt then pointed to Ohio State’s 2024 loss at Oregon as the blueprint. The Buckeyes reshaped their defense midseason to fit their players’ strengths, giving star safety Caleb Downs more responsibility. “Well, they need to change the structure of the offense at Penn State to better suit their quarterback,” Klatt argued. Basically, just stop forcing Allar into an RPO box and start letting him do what he does best.

The numbers tell the story. Drew Allar went 14-of-25 for 137 yards and two touchdowns against Oregon, but his interception in double overtime sealed Penn State’s fate. Ironically, it wasn’t until Oregon took the lead in the fourth quarter that the Lions let him air it out, connecting with Devonte Ross on a 35-yard strike that hinted at the offense’s untapped potential.

Joel Klatt has long argued the solution is simple: sit Allar in the pocket and let him unleash deep shots that fit his arm talent. The proof is there—he has three touchdowns on passes traveling 20-plus yards, yet has only attempted nine such throws all season, per PFF.

Of course, none of this is helped by Penn State’s line. “The O-line has, like a lot of things on offense, just not been consistent,” Franklin admitted. “And that’s really been all year so far.” The result? A unit that ranks 66th nationally in total offense, 53rd in rushing, and 79th in passing, not exactly what you expect from a team returning Allar, RB duo Kaytron Allen, Nick Singleton, TE Khalil Dinkins, and five linemen.

Learn from your mistakes else actually fire James Franklin!

The Penn State debate has officially gone national. Colin Cowherd didn’t hold back on his show either, admitting, “I defended James Franklin for years. I was like, listen, he’s losing to Ohio State and Michigan. You know, he’s losing to the right people. I thought you were a favorite. You’ve got a lot of high-end first-round draft guys. You’ve got to win that game.”

Cowherd even confessed to diving into PSU fan boards after the Oregon loss, where he found the mood sour and blunt: James Franklin is “a bum”, Franklin has to go. Yet Cowherd still offered perspective. JF isn’t elite like Kirby Smart, Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, or Dabo Swinney, but he’s firmly in that next tier. A coach who’s very good, just not one of the few who dominate the sport. “If you gave James Franklin Dante Moore and Dan Lanning, Drew Allar, they would have won the game,” Cowherd argued.

Josh Pate largely agreed, calling Franklin “very, very good” but never “elite.” He likened him to “an eighth runner on a 10-run ladder,” steady but not transcendent. The larger frustration is that over nine years and 15 losses to top-10 opponents, Penn State fans haven’t seen growth. Mistakes repeat. Lessons don’t stick.