I read threw this thread and wanted to post many times.
Just a few things to share ...
Being an alumnus of PS and in my 35 season as a season ticket holder. I have made friends in several depts thru the years. I have spoken to them and we beat writers that have regular interactions with James. They all believe that while his agent might have spoken with representatives from USC. James honestly has no interest in leaving State College.
His daughters are truly happy with their school and are close to James family. He talks all the time how being from PA, that PS was/is his dream job (being he is a PA native) Some call it an act, but I have spoke to him every year he’s been at PS. Perks of donating money for renovations I guess. I have never left those conversations things anything other than he open and genuine.
Our Board Of Trustees is well to be honest is full of self serving bureaucrats. They became a custom to Joe and his way of doing things. Joe was not only the head coach but was the Big Man on Campus. He was also the main fundraiser for the school. He could raise $10-20M by just making a few calls. The football team supported athletics as a whole. They had very little turnover on the staff. So they didn’t have to pay competitive prices for people. Joe never took more than $1M dollars in salary so why should they. Joe was old school, he would say where you practice didn’t make you better hard work did. It’s was true but it also put Penn state waaay behind other schools in the facilities department.
Fast forward to James being hired. He came from the $ec. Fancy facilities stadiums with bells & whistles that all help recruiting. We don’t have any of that. Threw hard work he’s has done great things to compete in the B1G. The staff turnover rate is high, because he just can’t pay the competitive price for coordinators most others can. So he hires young up & coming guys that keep leaving for better position
If I had to venture a guess on why his name keeps coming up in coaching vacancies I can think of a few.
1) He uses these potential jobs to squeeze the BOT for money.
Our budget for staff salaries has increased by several million dollars since 2014
2) The Lasch foot complex is under going a 3 stage complete renovation. It’s in the final stages of it currently but has cost some $98M
3) The stadium is 83 years old. While it has been expanded over the years. It’s very antiquated compared to most. (Memorial stadium is so much better in every way. Our west side suite is NFL caliber)
He been promised a major upgrade to it but honestly it just needs to be replaced.
We need professional suites, and comfort, working bathrooms & a press area that is modern.
It’s the consensus of us State fans/ alumni he has his agent keep his name out there.
To keep the pressure on our walking dead BOT to keep their promises and get the stadium addressed ASAP. We have zero doubts that James could do better at schools like Southern Cal, Texas, Florida St. All of which he has been mentioned as in the running for.
Does want to leave, No, but that doesn’t mean that he won’t get frustrated enough to go.