Penn State identifies the Mike

James Franklin doesn't love the transfer portal, but he's learning to put up with it

Before today, Penn State had nine linebackers on scholarship. None of them quite fit the mold of starting middle LB, a role that in addition to playing effectively “in the box,’’ usually includes signal-calling and to an extent quarterbacking the defense.

This matters because Kobe King, last year’s starting MLB, turned pro after last season with a year of eligibility left. There was no obvious replacement.

When I asked James Franklin at the beginning of spring practice which of the nine guys in the room had MLB qualities, he diplomatically named all nine.

In late April, sophomore LB Ta’Mere Robinson, whom the staff seemed high on, entered the portal, surprising Franklin. Robinson is now at USC.

After the Blue-White game April 26, Franklin practically did a verbal help-wanted ad:

“If there’s a linebacker out there that wants to come and be part of our program and play for LBU, the most historic linebacker program in the history of college football, there’s an opportunity here.’’

A week and a half later, Franklin has his guy, having won the bidding war for Amare Campbell, a linebacker in the transfer portal from North Carolina.