Historically, James Franklin has been ultra-careful with the transfer portal. He prefers homegrown talent, especially at the quarterback position, and has usually only brought in guys from other programs he has past ties with.

Before the spring portal opened this year, Franklin reinforced his ideology. He said Penn State’s transfer portal success has come from guys it recruited out of high school when speaking to On3 in early April, and emphasized his preference to “promote from within” two weeks later.

“We’re a developmental program across the board. We believe in that,” Franklin said on April 15. “But I’m a big believer, when you can promote from within, you know what you have, you know what you’re getting. And although the portal sometimes seems sexy, you don’t always know what you’re getting until they show up on campus.”

Fast forward two months, and Franklin said it’s no longer about high school projection — it’s about production.

“We’ve tried a few times where you get a guy who is maybe highly regarded, but hasn’t proven it yet at the college level, I’m kind of out of that business,” Franklin said last week.

Franklin was always hesitant using the portal and did so intelligently. But, he and the Nittany Lions weren’t without their misses when using this formula.

The most recent edition is Julian Fleming, who was a 5-star and the No. 1 player in Pennsylvania out of high school. Franklin and Co. recruited him heavily, but Fleming opted for Ohio State before Penn State brought him in out of the transfer portal in 2024.

Fleming was supposed to be a much-needed reinforcement at the wide receiver position, but he didn’t live up to that expectation with 176 receiving yards and one touchdown in his lone season as a Nittany Lion. It’s misses like these that have forced Penn State to switch up its transfer portal strategy.

And the Nittany Lions’ transfer portal acquisitions this offseason have shown that, especially those in the spring. Franklin only brought in two new players from the spring window, but they had one thing in common — production at the college level.

Wide receiver Trebor Peña nearly eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark last season, and linebacker Amare Campbell had 6.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 2024. Both were 3-stars with little interest in Penn State out of high school.

Although Franklin may have changed some of his previous ideologies, most of them have stayed the same. He’s said multiple times he wants being a Nittany Lion to be a transformational experience, and the best way to do that is by bringing in guys that fit well into the locker room.

“(Kyron) Hudson has come here and has really been a good fit, and the guys really like him, you know? I think it’s also very interesting, right? A lot of the guys that we got were captains,” Franklin said. “Hudson was a captain. Peña was a captain at their previous schools. I think that’s very telling, right? Of how they viewed them teammates and coaches. So that’s been really good.”

Franklin has also continued to lean on people he trusts to provide recommendations for transfer portal targets. With Campbell, linebacker Tony Rojas advocated for his fellow Virginia native along with former UNC head coach Mack Brown and current Tar Heels defensive coordinator Geoff Collins.

“People that I trusted pounded the table for him,” Franklin said. “Guys that we trust vouched for him. So all those things kind of helped, and so far so good.”

Regardless, it seems like Franklin has moved to a new direction with his transfer portal approach, and with the new revenue sharing agreement and an abundance of resources, Penn State will likely continue landing guys with production that speaks for itself.

“I think at the end of the day, if you’re going to go into the transfer portal, you need to be going to the transfer portal for production, not projection,” Franklin said. “High school is always going to be a little bit of projection.”

MORE FOOTBALL COVERAGE

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — University of Michigan men’s soccer head coach Chaka Daley announced Friday (June 13), the addition of eight freshmen and four transfers to the roster for the upcoming 2025 season.

“We are very excited to welcome these young men to the University of Michigan men’s soccer program,” said Daley. “They all have the potential to succeed academically, be significant contributors on the field in their own time, and they will be great ambassadors of our program in the Ann Arbor community. Our staff has done a tremendous job of finding the right combination of character, competitor, and student-athlete that will complement our returning group, who remain very hungry to compete at the highest level of college soccer.”

Beau Barren | GK | 6-0 | Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley North) | Sporting KC Academy

• Competed with Sporting KC Academy from U15 through U19 Age Groups

• Joined SKC II for the 2025 season signing an MLS Next Pro amateur contract (5/16)

• Two-time Generation Adidas Cup participant in 2022 and 2023

• Played in the MLS Next Cup Playoffs in three different seasons (2022-24)/p>

Daley on Barren: “Beau has a very competitive mentality and infectious personality. He is an agile shot-stopper with great instincts and athleticism, which will help him transition well to the collegiate level.”

Drew Diebolt | D | 6-0 | Caledonia, Mich. (Caledonia) | Columbus Crew Academy

• Competed with Columbus Crew Academy in the U17s age group

• Currently with Midwest United FC U19s

• MLS NEXT Flex – Best of Under 19s selection in 2025

• Named MIHSSCA “Dream Team” and MIHSSCA All-State first team

• Earned All-District, All-Region and All-Conference honors at Caledonia

Daley on Diebolt: “Drew is a versatile and technically strong defender, playing as a center-back but more often as a left-back in his club career. His strength, physicality, and aggressiveness will be a great addition to our group.”

Tamer Ibsais | D | 5-8 | Eden Prairie, Minn. (Eden Prairie) | MN United FC Academy

• Competed with Minnesota United FC Academy from 2021-24

• Signed MLS Next Pro amateur contract with MNUFC 2, making 16 appearances (nine starts) in 2024 MLS NEXT Pro regular-season action

• Called up to U20 Palestine National Team in 2024

• Won group at Generation Adidas Cup and qualified for the Round of 16 in 2022

Daley on Ibsais: “We were fortunate to have Tamer join our program during this past spring season. He has transitioned very well playing in every game during our College Spring League. Our staff is very excited to watch Tamer grow, as he has already impressed his teammates and the staff with his tenacity, technical sharpness and tactical awareness.”

Patrick Los | GK | 5-11 | Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield North) | Chicago Fire FC II

• Competed for Chicago Fire FC for nine seasons (2017-25)

• Topdrawer Soccer 4-Star recruit — No. 46 Nationally, No. 3 Goalkeeper and No. 1 Midwest

• Started in 19 games for Chicago Fire FC II in 2024 and 11 games in the 2025 season

• Two-time MLS Next Pro Goalkeeper of the Month honoree in 2024

• Called up to U.S. Youth National Team four times since 2023 in the U16s, U17s, and U18s

Daley on Los: “Patrick brings a wealth of experience with a very impressive resume, competing in the academy, MLS Next Pro and youth national team levels. One of the top goalkeepers in the country in his class, he plays with a maturity and IQ beyond his years. Patrick will have an immediate impact on an already strong goalkeeping corps.”

Guy Michaeli | F | 6-2 | Dallas, Texas (Akiba Yavneh Academy) | Hapoel Tel Aviv

• Played for Sporting KC Academy and Dallas Texans Academy

• Top scorer at Sporting KC Academy and second-youngest goal scorer at Sporting KC II

• Represented the U.S. at the 2022 Maccabiah Games in Israel and helped its U-18 boys’ soccer team earn a silver medal

• Signed an Amateur contract with Hapoel Tel Aviv in his gap year

• Started for U19’s and made multiple appearances with Hapoel Tel Aviv first team

Daley on Michaeli: “Guy has an excellent profile of a traditional center forward (No. 9) in the best way. He is strong, athletic, has very good hold-up-link-up play, and is always a threat to score in the box. He has succeeded at every level thus far, and we are excited to add his hunger, threat, and scoring abilities to our attack.”

Nicholas Nobles | D | 5-10 | Montgomery, Ill. (Salt Lake Academy High School) | Real Salt Lake Academy

• Competed for Real Salt Lake Academy from 2022-24

• Topdrawer Soccer 3-Star recruit — Top 100 Nationally, No. 11 Rocky Mountains and Southwest

• Started and played for Real Monarchs MLS NEXT Pro at age 15

• Named MLS NEXT Rising Star of the Matchday in 2023

• Called up to United States U15 National Team

Daley on Nobles: “We were excited to welcome Nick to our program during this past spring season as well. His passing abilities, combined with his defensive qualities, competitiveness and IQ offer us tremendous flexibility in midfield, and in the back when needed. We are eager to see his impact and growth on the field and as a leader during his career.”

Joah Reyna | M | 5-10 | Austin, Texas (Laurel Springs) | Austin FC Academy

• Competed with Austin FC Academy from 2021-25

• Co-Captain of Austin FC U18 Academy Team

• Played in MLS Next Playoffs and Generation Adidas Cup with Austin FC

• Trained with Austin FC II (MLS NEXT Pro), Dortmund Academy (Germany) and Koln Academy (Germany)

Daley on Reyna: “Joah is a very crafty attacking midfielder who can play centrally or on the wing. He has a very high soccer IQ, providing both a threat in the attack and controlling tempo in possession. His spatial awareness, creativity and versatility in the front of the team will have an impact in our group very early in his college career.”

Jake Tatch | F | 5-7 | Aliso Viejo, Calif. (JSerra Catholic) | Pateadores SC

• Competed with Jserra Catholic High and Pateadores SC (ECNL)

• Named 2024-25 Gatorade California Boys Soccer Player of the Year

• Named Orange County Player of the Year in 2024

• Served as co-captain for JSerra High, United Soccer Coaches No. 1 prep team in the nation

• Topdrawer Soccer 3-Star recruit — Top 125 Nationally, No. 17 Southern California

Daley on Tatch: “Jake is a very aggressive attacking winger. He often creates goal-scoring opportunities with his 1v1 abilities, whether it’s beating his defender to serve dangerous crosses in the box or finishing himself. We are very excited to add his quality and dynamism to our program.”

Raymundo Mendez | M | 5-9 | Yakima, Wash. (Seattle Pacific) | Yakima Sharks

• 2024 GNAC Player of the Year, two-time first team All-GNAC, D2CAA first team All-West Region

• Played two seasons at Seattle Pacific and two seasons at Columbia Basin (JC)

• NWAC East Region’s Most Valuable Player, two-time NWAC All-Star Midfielder honoree

• Tallied 26 goals and five assists in two seasons at SPU; 117 career points (48 goals, 21 assists) in four college seasons

Daley on Mendez: “Ray is an electrifying attacking midfield player that is a proven goal scorer at the college level. Ray is an excellent finisher and is a player that adds quality and unpredictability to our attack. We are looking forward to welcoming Ray to the team and believe he will make an impact and complement our attacking group.”

Mitar Mitrovic | M | 6-2 | Belgrade, Serbia (Marquette) | Indiana Fire Academy

• Played three seasons at Marquette from 2022-24, appearing in 45 games

• Scored eight goals and tallied five assists with the Golden Eagles

• Named to Big East All-Academic team in 2023-24

• Member of Serbian Youth National Team

Daley on Mitrovic: “Mitar arrives in Ann Arbor with a tremendous amount of college experience. He is a midfielder who has a high level of game understanding, complemented with real quality to provide goals and assists. His passion and mentality are second to none, and we can’t wait to watch him compete for Michigan in the Big Ten.”

Michael Ramirez | F | 5-10 | Chicago, Ill. (Northwestern) | Chicago Fire Academy

• Played one season at Northwestern, appearing in 15 games as a freshman

• Topdrawer Soccer 3-Star recruit — Top 150 Nationally in 2024

• Made appearances for Chicago Fire FC U-17 and U-19 squads

• Trained with Chicago Fire FC II

Daley on Ramirez: “Michael is a left-footed forward who can play anywhere across the front line. Michael has the ability to beat players in 1v1 situations and is an excellent finisher. We are looking forward to watching Michael grow in our environment — his previous experiences in the Big Ten will pay major dividends.”

Shuma Sasaki | M | 5-7 | Kawasaki, Japan (University of the Cumberlands) | New Mexico United

• Played four seasons with the University of the Cumberlands, appearing in 69 games and starting 64 matches, scoring 12 goals and notching 25 assists

• Named MSC first team All-Conference as a senior in 2024 and CSC second team Academic All-American, and Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete

• Logged 1,697 minutes in 2024

• University of Cumberlands ranked No. 4 in the NAIA Post Season Coaches Poll, made NAIA final four

Daley on Sasaki: “Shuma is a dynamic winger who can play on either side of the pitch. He is a direct and lively player that loves to attack defenders. Shuma has a great deal of experience in college, and back home in his country. He will be a tremendous addition to our program.”

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Bet on Clemson to make a return to the College Football Playoff, CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli says.

“It’s not the most exciting bet to make, but it’s a solid one. Clemson is the favorite in the ACC for a reason. It’s been the most successful program in the league for over a decade and still managed to win the ACC last season despite it being a ‘down’ year in Death Valley,” Fornelli said. “In 2025, the Tigers have one of the most experienced rosters in the country, including senior quarterback Cade Klubnik and an assortment of monsters on the defensive line. History suggests that combination works quite well for Clemson.

“Yes, there are games against LSU and South Carolina on the schedule, and they won’t be easy. However, since they’re not conference games, we are getting some insurance if Clemson drops one or even both because it won’t affect their standing in the ACC. Speaking of the ACC, if Clemson plays Miami this season, it won’t be until the ACC Championship Game. They get both Florida State and Duke at home, and Louisville should prove to be their toughest road game, though Georgia Tech would like a word about that.”

Clemson returned to the CFP tier last year after winning the ACC Championship over SMU and earning one of the top-5 ranked conference champion spots in the new 12-team format.

This year’s format will feature the top-5-ranked conference champions again guaranteed to be in the field, but instead of the Top 4 being in the Top 4 seeds, all will be seeded as they are slotted in the final Playoff committee rankings.

Counting the four-team CFP from 2014-23, Clemson has made seven Playoff appearances since 2015. With the ACC champ virtually guaranteed a CFP spot, Dabo Swinney‘s Tigers have captured the league crown nine times since 2011.

Longer shots Texas A&M, Washington and BYU also made the value bets, while Tennessee was one picked to miss the CFP.

Clemson two-way player enters transfer portal, per reports

Podcast: How should we evaluate Bakich’s portal class? (+ Ben Boulware’s instant impact)

WATCH: Clemson’s Woody McCorvey talks storied CFB career, multiple battles with cancer

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Southern Connecticut State University has named Corrinne Tarver as its gymnastics head coach, effective immediately. Tarver is the seventh head coach in program history.

“It is with great joy and excitement that I welcome Corrinne Tarver as our next gymnastics head coach,” director of athletics Terrance Jones said. “Corrinne has extensive experience in coaching and athletic administration, and I hope her success as a student-athlete serves as inspiration to our student-athletes.”

Tarver comes to Southern Connecticut from Fisk University, where she was the first head coach in program history. The program, the first of its kind at a historically Black college, featured five All-Americans and the USA Gymnastics National All-Around Champion under Tarver’s leadership. She also served as Fisk’s athletic director.

A former standout gymnast at the University of Georgia, Tarver was the first African American woman to win the NCAA all-around national championship in 1989. She was a nine-time All-American and helped Georgia win two NCAA national championships.

Tarver graduated from Georgia with a degree in social work and later earned a juris doctor from New York Law School. She worked in athletic administration at the NCAA Division I Northeast Conference and held positions at Stockton University and Syracuse University. Tarver also coached at Star Bound Gymnastics Academy and the University of Pennsylvania.
 

 

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State Athletics announced today that head hockey coach Adam Nightingale has signed a multi-year contract extension, reaffirming the department’s commitment to sustained excellence of the Spartan hockey program.
 
“I’m appreciative of the support the Board of Trustees and President Kevin Guskiewicz have demonstrated with today’s announcement of a new contract for Adam Nightingale, helping to ensure he leads the Spartan hockey program for many years to come,” said J Batt, Michigan State Vice President and Director of Athletics. “Under Coach Nightingale’s guidance, Michigan State has returned to its position as one of the elite programs in college hockey, creating incredible excitement both within the hockey community and throughout all of our loyal supporters. Coming off back-to-back Big Ten Championships, there’s a buzz that even greater things are on the horizon. Personally, I can’t wait to experience the excitement of the sold-out crowds at Munn Ice Arena this winter, in what could be a truly special season.”
 
Entering his fourth season at the helm in 2025-26, Nightingale has guided Michigan State hockey to back-to-back Big Ten regular season and conference tournament titles and a 69-35-9 overall record. His .650 career winning percentage ranks second in program history behind legendary head coach Ron Mason’s .687. MSU’s conference titles in 2023-24 and 2024-25 marked the third time in program history that the Spartans won conference championships in consecutive seasons (1984-85/1985-86 and 1988-89/1989-90 in the CCHA). The Spartans became the first school to win back-to-back Big Ten regular season and tournament titles in the same seasons.
 
Last season Michigan State finished 26-7-4, making their second consecutive and 29th overall NCAA Tournament appearance, which ranks seventh all-time among NCAA Division I institutions. Michigan State received a No. 1 seed for the second consecutive season and was the No. 2 seeded team in the tournament overall.
 
“My family and I are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to represent Michigan State University,” said Nightingale. “To coach at an institution like this and be part of the East Lansing community is a privilege and an awesome responsibility. The support our program receives, from President Kevin Guskiewicz, the Board of Trustees, Director of Athletics J Batt and the entire Spartan family, will never be taken for granted, and we make sure our players and staff understand that on a daily basis. We look forward to continuing to make our university, alumni and community proud.”
 
Player development has been a cornerstone of Nightingale’s tenure as the program returns to the “Commitment to Excellence” that was preached by Mason. In three seasons, Nightingale has produced 11 All-Big Ten selections, four All-Americans, a Big Ten Player of the Year, a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, a Big Ten Goaltender of the Year and a Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner. Isaac Howard became the third Spartan all-time to win the Hobey and the fourth to win USA Hockey’s Jim Johannson College Player of the Year award.
 
In three seasons under Nightingale, Michigan State has put together one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college hockey history, and the Spartan faithful have noticed. For the first time since the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons MSU has posted consecutive total home attendance numbers exceeding 100,000. Michigan State’s combined home attendance of 111,434 in 2024-25 was the highest by the program since 2007-08 and ranked seventh nationally. MSU’s average home attendance of 6,555 last season, which included 17 sellouts, ranked sixth nationally and was the highest average attendance since 2001-02 (which included attendance figures from the Cold War game at Spartan Stadium). Under Nightingale, the Spartans have sold out 42 of their last 43 contests at Munn, including 31 straight.
 
In addition to stellar home attendance, Michigan State played in two of the top four highest attended games of the entire collegiate hockey season when it took on Wisconsin at Wrigley Field (24,788) and Michigan at Little Caesars Arena (19,515) where the Spartans won a second consecutive Duel in the D trophy.
 
Success has also come for the Spartans off the ice where this past season student-athletes posted a cumulative 3.425 team GPA, the highest in program history.
 
The 2024 Big Ten Coach of the Year, Nightingale recently served as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2025 IIHF World Championships where the United States brought home gold for the first time in 92 years.
 
Prior to his return to East Lansing, Nightingale was head coach of the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) for two seasons (2020-22) and was an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings (2019-20). Nightingale got his start in the NHL as a video coach for the Buffalo Sabres (2016-17) and Red Wings (2017-19). Before joining the professional ranks, Nightingale served as head coach of the Shattuck-St. Mary’s 14U Team in Faribault, Minnesota, for two seasons (2014-16), leading the team to a national championship in 2016.
 
Nightingale’s collegiate playing career concluded with his two seasons at Michigan State (2003-05) where in 67 games he totaled 37 points (18g-19a) and served as alternate captain. The Spartans took home a Great Lakes Invitational title and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2004. Nightingale first returned to MSU as director of hockey operations (2010-14) where he oversaw all team video and travel.