Part 8/15:
Beyond merit and development, some speculate whether loyalty and NIL agreements influence playing time decisions. Franklin’s longstanding loyalty to players like Singleton and Allen—who forwent NFL prospects to stay at Penn State—may come into play. The transfer portal and NIL landscape complicate matters further, possibly incentivizing programs to prioritize established players who have lucrative NIL deals or loyalty agreements.
Some suggest that the team may be hesitant to showcase young talent too prominently, fearing that other programs or scouts might poach them, especially as these players are only elite for a certain window before their eligibility runs out. This “protective” strategy could be masking a desire to keep their best future assets hidden from competing schools.