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(11-02-2014 11:30 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  I really worry that this kid could get poached like Paul was.

It's a big risk for him, because he has to sit out a year, a kid that's ahead of him while he's setting out could become intern he'd at the position, or he could simply get beat out. It's a lot less risky in hoops. None the less I could see it happening.

Heck, if Fleck were offered a new job, I assure you he'd try to take Franklin with him.

I don't see Franklin leaving a place where he is having this kind of success. Heck, almost the whole line is returning next season, and Fleck is still going to be here.

Am I the only one that thinks that Fleck is going to be here for four years for sure?

(11-02-2014 11:36 PM)Stampede your face!! Wrote:  

(11-02-2014 11:30 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  I really worry that this kid could get poached like Paul was.

It's a big risk for him, because he has to sit out a year, a kid that's ahead of him while he's setting out could become intern he'd at the position, or he could simply get beat out. It's a lot less risky in hoops. None the less I could see it happening.

Heck, if Fleck were offered a new job, I assure you he'd try to take Franklin with him.

I don't see Franklin leaving a place where he is having this kind of success. Heck, almost the whole line is returning next season, and Fleck is still going to be here.

Am I the only one that thinks that Fleck is going to be here for four years for sure?

Yes, I would be surprised if Fleck as still here. with amount of Success Franklin is having, he'll be gone after his Sophomore Season. He is to talented and barring a serious injury will be a 1st Round pick. Franklin is the best RB in the country, and he is only 18!!

He won't go that early nor would he go in the first round. Look at this past draft Carlos Hyde went in the 2nd or 3rd

(11-03-2014 12:49 AM)WMU83 Wrote:  with amount of Success Franklin is having, he'll be gone after his Sophomore Season. He is to talented and barring a serious injury will be a 1st Round pick. Franklin is the best RB in the country, and he is only 18!!

Keep in mind that Franklin is doing this by arguably carrying the heaviest workload in the country. Chance has gotten some carries here and there, but other that that, it's been all Franklin (with a small dose of Terrell here and there) running the ball. He's been so good for us that we'll be able to redshirt two other excellent RBs - with a couple others coming in next year's recruiting class.

My point is that Franklin probably won't be asked to (and shouldn't have to) carry as much of the load next season and beyond. His numbers will likely diminish, but he will continue to improve and will become an even better player. From all accounts, Franklin is extremely humble and hard-working. I like the fact that P.J. has high expectations of him and isn't afraid to let him know publicly. He strikes me as the type of player who will take that coaching to heart.

As good as Franklin has been, the offensive line deserves a ton of credit. They have been fantastic all season. With most of the line coming back next year, all of our skill players will benefit.

As for the NFL: I'd love to see him get drafted one day, but that is so far down the road. College football players stay in school at least three years - that's why Manziel and Winston were still at A+M and FSU, respectively, after winning the Heisman as underclassmen. So much can happen between now and then that we can only hope he stays healthy and continues to get better.

I think we can all agree that Franklin is the best back we've seen in some time, and we're really glad he's a Bronco! It will be a lot of fun to watch him grow as a player over the next couple of seasons.

Quote:Am I the only one that thinks that Fleck is going to be here for four years for sure?

I would say 3-5, yeah. Fleck's young and ambitious -- he won't jump to take a Wake Forrest-like team next year if we're 8-4 for a boost in pay but a big, tough uphill climb for getting to the "bigs" in his career. He's from the MAC, he respects it -- he doesn't look at a Mac West team as D1AA in which ANY P5 conference team at ANY point would be a good move. Plus, after last year w/ no (real) coaching experience previously after going 1-11, he needs to build a resume. Look at Zook -- he got great recruits, went to a Rose Bowl with Illinois, but in the grand scheme of things, he wasn't a great HC. They want to see Fleck build something with concrete since he's new & young and started off 1-11. Those who aren't fans, don't get excited -- he's here for a bit, especially with our tough schedule next year.

Quote:Yes, I would be surprised if Fleck as still here.

So you think he's that awesome of a coach, huh WMU83? I think if he was an older coach who established himself at a D1AA with a great record, and instead went 3-9 last year -- I'd agree with your position expressed before that he'd leave after next year. Won't happen unless we're getting to or are roughly tied to get to the Access Bowl being an Elite mid-major at that point (MSU, @OSU, @Ga-South, @NIU, @Toledo; won't happen). And regardless of "I don't like his style/attitude/swagger/tie-under-coat", who wouldn't want to keep any flavor of HC indefinitely who could do that, right? I dislike the old Texas Tech coach who coaches Wash State, but heck, if he was dealing with us now and could get us to Boise-level? Heck, cheers to him, keep 'em coming!

Quote:with amount of Success Franklin is having, he'll be gone after his Sophomore Season.

I do not concur with that... as the Kolonel pointed out, players stay until their Junior year as pretty much something to solidly count on in football. In the MAC, it's even less frequent to leave so soon, especially when you're establishing yourself as a bruiser in a lighter conference. I'd see it as 33%/67% for junior-senior year if he doesn't have any notable injuries holding him back or keeping him out of a number of games, while still lighting things up -- even doing well against MSU & Ohio State next year. A good amount of that depends on how decent our team does though, too -- and how injury prone he seems to be from the observing scouts.

Quote:As good as Franklin has been, the offensive line deserves a ton of credit. They have been fantastic all season.

Oh, I agree. They deserve more outward respect. I remember when I went to the WMU/Florida game down in the swamp (and made a poster board saying something about Steve Spurrier's mom being as murky as the swamp but twice as -- well, won't get into it) -- our O-line protected Lester very well. It helped Stanford establish himself. I haven't seen our O being this Solid since the peak of the Darnell days or WMU's peak season under Cubit.

Quote:Franklin is the best RB in the country, and he is only 18!!

I wouldn't say the best, but I would say arguably the best Frosh RB in the country, and in the top tier in the country as a whole, at only 18. He and Fleck aren't leaving around the corner, and it's great most our O-line will be back next season. With Fleck recruiting guys and telling them that he will Always fight to recruit people better to aim to take their starting spot -- we can be rest-assured that any near-future dip in the talent/strength of the O-line wouldn't last very long.

Franklin TD Update:

You can't turn pro until 3 yrs after HS. People who turn pro after sophomore year are Redshirt Sophomores. So for Franklin barring an injury redshirt next year it would be after his Jr year.

Best running back in the country? I don't know about that.

Will Fleck stay 4 years?

If he's going through a divorce his 400k salary just got cut in half. So yes, he'd leave in a heartbeat for more money.

(11-03-2014 09:41 AM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  Best running back in the country? I don't know about that.

Will Fleck stay 4 years?

If he's going through a divorce his 400k salary just got cut in half. So yes, he'd leave in a heartbeat for more money.

#76 in the country in Yards Per Carry.

(11-03-2014 01:03 AM)New School Bronco Wrote:  He won't go that early nor would he go in the first round. Look at this past draft Carlos Hyde went in the 2nd or 3rd

For the NFL, it's more about the combine measurables than level of competition I think.

I have no idea how he'd stack up against other RBs in 40, bench, shuttle, etc. That data would better help determine if he goes early or where he goes.

Side note, I'd love to do the combine against all other BSers and post the results.

Franklin is a TRUE freshman... He's been given the role of "workhorse" for an offense that uses its deception well with a well trained OL, and schemes that make it difficult on defensive fronts. Not to mention we actually have a QB that is getting better and better at making teams that stack the box pay by finding his quick slant routes to guys like Corey Davis. All of this is a perfect storm for a running back.

Maybe I am in the minority here... but where you guys see stats like touchdowns and yards... I see much room for improvement. We are using Franklin like a battering ram out there for nearly 40 carries a game... That kind of workload is going to eventually find you pay dirt.. I see Franklin getting tripped up way too easy by one arm tackles on occasion and stubbornly just ramming into obvious closed holes.. Sure, this offense is likely predicated on... "if it aint there, just dont lose yards" ... but if you are going to stack him up against Heisman type RB's, you have to understand that THOSE running backs make room where there seems to be none... Franklin takes the room he's given and makes the most of it... Nothing wrong with that... and its something that Franklin will likely improve on over his time here at WMU.. But to say he's good enough to go pro after next year (which isn't even possible)... is quite short sighted.

Kid is a beast... and i think we can all agree, aside from un-foreseen circumstances... we are going to be happy to have him for the next three years. Let's have this same conversation at the end of next year... Given a full year in a Div1 football weight training program... and another year of coaching, and film analysis... and this kid could EXPLODE nationally next year. He's gonna need to do it at home against MSU... I am one of those who thinks he will.

Look for him to crack Kiper's big board in two years... as a Junior. There... I said it.

Some things he needs to work on....

He runs way too upright. Against tougher competition he is going to have to get lower in order to move piles.

He doesn't show enough patience at times.

Ball security

Blocking

Passing game

When to know a play is done and get down, taking less physical punishment.

(11-03-2014 10:18 AM)thegeneral Wrote:  

(11-03-2014 01:03 AM)New School Bronco Wrote:  He won't go that early nor would he go in the first round. Look at this past draft Carlos Hyde went in the 2nd or 3rd

For the NFL, it's more about the combine measurables than level of competition I think.

I have no idea how he'd stack up against other RBs in 40, bench, shuttle, etc. That data would better help determine if he goes early or where he goes.

Side note, I'd love to do the combine against all other BSers and post the results.

Only if I can use my results from 1995. I think I would win.

(11-03-2014 10:35 AM)flushtheherd Wrote:  I see Franklin getting tripped up way too easy by one arm tackles on occasion and stubbornly just ramming into obvious closed holes..

DUDE! JF makes me GIGGLE (in a straight way) the way he runs over people and disregards defenders! Some of those runs are CRAZY!

(11-03-2014 12:32 PM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  

(11-03-2014 10:35 AM)flushtheherd Wrote:  I see Franklin getting tripped up way too easy by one arm tackles on occasion and stubbornly just ramming into obvious closed holes..

DUDE! JF makes me GIGGLE (in a straight way) the way he runs over people and disregards defenders! Some of those runs are CRAZY!

Oh... he definitely has his moments... but he's still a year or so away from needing a sliver to take a mile... right now he needs a bit more space to get that train moving... when he does, he runs people over. I am talking about his issues at the line of scrimmage about 80% of the time. A great Franklin benefit I see this year... is he rarely if ever, loses yardage.

(11-03-2014 12:45 PM)flushtheherd Wrote:  

(11-03-2014 12:32 PM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  

(11-03-2014 10:35 AM)flushtheherd Wrote:  I see Franklin getting tripped up way too easy by one arm tackles on occasion and stubbornly just ramming into obvious closed holes..

DUDE! JF makes me GIGGLE (in a straight way) the way he runs over people and disregards defenders! Some of those runs are CRAZY!

Oh... he definitely has his moments... but he's still a year or so away from needing a sliver to take a mile... right now he needs a bit more space to get that train moving... when he does, he runs people over. I am talking about his issues at the line of scrimmage about 80% of the time. A great Franklin benefit I see this year... is he rarely if ever, loses yardage.

Only on the misread read options basically.

(11-03-2014 12:32 PM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  

(11-03-2014 10:35 AM)flushtheherd Wrote:  I see Franklin getting tripped up way too easy by one arm tackles on occasion and stubbornly just ramming into obvious closed holes..

DUDE! JF makes me GIGGLE (in a straight way) the way he runs over people and disregards defenders! Some of those runs are CRAZY!

I agree, Hiller. One of the things I like most about Franklin is that he seems to almost always gain positive yards - even if there are only a couple of yards to be gained - unless he is being tackled by multiple players.

(11-03-2014 10:55 AM)Stampede your face!! Wrote:  Some things he needs to work on....Ball security

Seriously? Based on one lost fumble?

The biggest improvement I'd like to see Franklin make next season is to become more of a factor/threat in the passing game (as you mentioned, Stampede). We really haven't used the screen pass, and Franklin hasn't had many (if any) big plays when he has gone out as a receiver and Terrell has gotten him the ball.

Let me preface my comments with the fact that I love what Franklin has done over the course of this year. He seems like a class act who has represented the university very well. Franklin certainly is talented.

With that said, I think a lot of his success can be attributed to attributes other than pure talent.

We have experience at OL, downfield blocking by WR has been good, offensive scheme fits his running style and he is getting a lot of carries.

When I watch him run, I question if he has NFL level elusiveness and explosiveness. The holes in the NFL close in the blink of an eye. He is not going to run over too many people at the next level either.

He has room to improve over the next three plus years. Good for WMU and good for him. He seems to be making the most of the opportunity right in front of him. Let's hope that continues.

(11-03-2014 04:15 PM)The Colonel Wrote:  One of the things I like most about Franklin is that he seems to almost always gain positive yards - even if there are only a couple of yards to be gained - unless he is being tackled by multiple players.

I hate to acknowledge scUM, but in that way he does resemble Coach Hart.