Charlie Weis Sr. Criticizes Penn State’s James Franklin Following Peach Bowl Loss to Ole Miss
Charlie Weis Sr. has been quick to back up his son’s team around this New Year’s holiday. Weis, the father of Ole Miss Rebels offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., is the former head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2005-09) and the Kansas Jayhawks (2012-14) along with having served on staffs in the NFL. In short, he knows ball, and he didn’t take kindly with some comments made by Penn State head coach James Franklin following the 2023 Peach Bowl.
Following his team’s loss to Ole Miss in the New Year’s Six bowl game on Saturday, Franklin seemed to blame the loss on “moving parts” within his own staff instead of giving much credit to the Rebels. “Specifically to the game, just too many moving parts with the staff and with the players against a good team,” Franklin said. “Too many moving parts, staff and players, to have the type of success that was wanted to have today.”
Franklin also criticized the officials following the game, calling their performance “less than desirable.” “I thought the officiating was less than desirable,” Franklin said. “That first drive, we have the field goal, we run a slant, (a receiver gets) turned around, but I’ll move on. “I could list out a number of examples. That’s a big play in that game at a critical moment, starting out with a touchdown rather than a field goal is significant. But I’ll move on.”
That’s where the elder Weis comes in. He shared his thoughts on Franklin’s quotes from his X account over the weekend, and he didn’t pull many punches. “Congrats to the Ole Miss Rebels for their dominant [win] over Penn State,” Weis said. “Surprised that Coach [James] Franklin chose not to give Ole Miss credit, but chose to blame the loss on ‘too many moving parts!’ Hotty Toddy! On to 2024.” That’s not where he stopped, either. Weis posted some further thoughts about an hour later on the same subject. “Congratulating a team that defeats you means nothing if it is followed by excuses for losing like moving parts and/or officiating!” Weis said. “Any coach who is a decision maker is best to first point the finger at themselves!”
Weis has seen a thing or two on the gridiron, and he is now the co-host of “Airing It Out” on SiriusXM NFL radio. His son, Weis Jr., has been the offensive coordinator at Ole Miss for the last two seasons.
The Early Signing Period for the 2024 college football recruiting class is complete, and while next season’s freshmen are in the final stages of their recruitments, the 2025 cycle is already in full swing, as well. Multiple high-profile commitments are on the horizon with No. 1 overall prospect Bryce Underwood set to announce his decision during the first week of the new year and highly sought-after cornerback Jett White poised to commit Jan. 6 at the All-American Bowl.
247Sports national college football analyst Smoke Dixon highlighted on The College Football Recruiting Show six prospects to watch in the early stages of the 2025 cycle, pointing to Underwood, White and others as potential instant-impact players.
While there is still ample time for programs to land top talent, the early team rankings for 2025 have already begun to take shape with Notre Dame standing in pole position one year out from National Signing Day. The vast majority of blue-chip prospects remain uncommitted, though, and much movement atop the rankings is to be expected.
Top Schools: LSU, Michigan, Alabama, Colorado, Penn State, Florida State, Oregon
The top-ranked player in the 2025 class is fresh off another monster season. Bryce Underwood — who earned the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year honor in 2021 and National Sophomore of the Year award in 2022 — posted career-best marks in nearly every statistical category this fall. He racked up 3,165 passing yards and 40 touchdowns to just two interceptions during a deep run into the Michigan state playoffs. Underwood will announce his commitment Jan. 6.
Dixon: “This is a game-changing quarterback. What makes him special is he’s an athletic quarterback that can play in the pocket and have great pocket presence. A young guy that’s an anticipatory thrower but athletic enough when the play breaks down to be a game-changer and create monster plays, explosive plays for touchdowns, not just first downs… You see how strong he is in the pocket when you see defenders just grab on him, and he just sits there and shakes them off. Even when he runs, he’s a guy that can run through contact. But when he throws the ball, you can see a guy throwing from power from his toes to his fingertips and drive balls on 20-yard digs and 70-yard bombs.”
Top Schools: Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State, South Carolina, Tennessee
David Sanders Jr. entered the rankings at No. 1 overall for the 2025 class but slipped behind Underwood in November to secure the No. 2 spot in the national pecking order. The elite tackle could finish the cycle as the top-ranked player and is high on nearly every national championship contender’s recruiting boards. His 6-foot-6, 270-pound frame sets him up to contribute early at one of those top schools so long as he continues to fill out.
Dixon: “He’s an athletic phenom in terms of ability with feet, athleticism, twitch, bend. From a contact position, that means from the hip through his hands. He’s knocking guys back. When you see a young man that has the ability to make the game look easy for him, because when he’s pass blocking, he makes those defenders look like they’re not even moving, and he’s just having his way with them. But his ability to displace other people across from him, defensive linemen that are 200 and 300 pounds, and make it look that easy, this guy — I don’t know if it’s a can’t-miss prospect, but he’s one of the better prospects.”
