Some followup notes from the 2024 season while looking ahead at 2025:

This week has proven, once again, James Franklin is better off the field than he is on it.

Fresh from another come-from-ahead loss in a big game, this one to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinal, the Nittany Lions got home Friday, and by Monday, Franklin had convinced his top players with eligibility remaining to return for 2025.

His results were as impressive as the Lions’ late-game execution vs. the Irish was not.

Both 1,000-yard running backs, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, will be back, which is kind of stunning.

It’s no coincidence that Penn State’s NIL efforts (Name, Image, Likeness) have increased its war chest to keep these players from going to the NFL and they’ll likely make as much money staying in college.

Plus they won’t have to pay living expenses.

Unless you’re Saquon Barkley or Derek Henry, rather than be second- or third-day picks, they’ll remain comfortable at Penn State, make a million and save their bodies.

The one retainee whose return was even more surprising was Dani Dennis-Sutton. Edge rushers are highly valued in the NFL, and Dennis-Sutton comes off a great year, highlighted his performance, which included a fantastic interception, against Notre Dame.

But he, too, apparently prefers to be big man on campus.

With Drew Allar and almost the entire offensive line returning, PSU likely will be ranked in the Top 5 next season.

• On the flip side, the Lions have lost almost their entire wide receiving corps as Trey Wallace (46 catches, four touchdowns) and Omari Evans (21 catches, four TDs) have entered the transfer portal.

Some may say this is addition by subtraction since the receivers struggled to gain separation and were not reliable targets all year.

In that regard, whether we like it or not, the new-age college football world (transfer portal, NIL) is such that these commitments, from both sides, seem almost more like one-year arrangements based on finances, performance and projected playing time.

It’s hard to imagine Wallace and Evans met much resistance from the Penn State staff.

Before the season even ended, the Lions went into the portal and fetched two receivers — USC transfer Kyron Hudson and Troy’s Devonte Ross.

Hudson caught 39 catches and three TDs and Ross led the Sun Belt Conference with 11 TDs. He’s also a top punt returner.

Tez Johnson, Oregon’s standout receiver, transferred from Troy in 2023.

• Another aspect of the new college football world that I don’t like is this idea that kids can return for sixth- and seventh seasons. That’s not how the sport was designed, and you would think it would hurt future recruiting of high school prospects who have waited their turn.

• The 1,000-yard running back isn’t such a distinction when you play 16 games.

• Please forgive me if I’m not mourning the departure of defensive coordinator Tom Allen.

Of their biggest games, the Lions’ defense failed in the clutch – squandering a 10-0 lead early and a 24-17 lead late vs. Notre Dame and a complete early collapse against Oregon. Their pass defense was also uneven in other games.

If Clemson wants to pay him $2 million a year, well, good luck to him and them.

• Speaking of coordinators making top dollar, I also didn’t think Andy Kotelnicki measured up when it mattered most (at the goal line vs. Ohio State, late against Oregon when he and Allar panicked and of course is not getting the game to overtime vs. ND).

Kotelnicki exploited Tyler Warren well, which Mike Yurcich did not, but too many key situations were squandered.

• In the days after Notre Dame’s win, it came out that the fun Franklin was seemingly having with Marcus Freeman in the Orange Bowl lead-up backfired.

Franklin asked Freeman how old he was (38 at the time, he’s now 39) and joked about envying his hairline.

It came out later that Freeman didn’t appreciate it and used Franklin’s comments as motivation.

If Franklin was playful with Freeman about his age – and he seemed to be – he wasn’t kidding when he suggested that “everybody should be in a conference.”

Another wrong call by Franklin, who should know Notre Dame values its independence.

“He (Freeman) was angry,” ND safety Xavier Watts said, per Pete Sampson of The Athletic. “He was angry with the press conference thing, whatever was going on between that. He was mad about that. All the anger went toward us and that anger went onto the field.”

N Penn State’s matchup with Notre Dame drew an audience of 17.8 million, well below the Ohio State-Texas CFP semifinal of 20.6 and a major dropoff from last year’s Alabama-Michigan semifinal of 27.7 last year.

This year’s CFP games have averaged 19.2 million.

Part of the issue is oversaturation, evidenced the 12-team field was too large.

Another big factor is the Michigan-Alabama game a year ago was played on Jan. 1, a traditional college football window.

PSU-ND was played on a Thursday night with Ohio State-Texas on a Friday.

N Onto Monday night’s CFP final: It will be surprising if the Irish can hang with the Buckeyes, and if they can’t, it will make Penn State fans even more nauseous.

Rudel can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.