RHOADES NOT GETTING WHAT HE NEEDS TO WIN AT PENN STATE

 In no particular order … one more time …

Boy, did coach MIKE RHOADES’ Penn State basketball 

team look terrible for a half Monday night at Ohio State. 

Hardly resembling his previous entries at Randolph-Macon, 

Rice and VCU, the Nittany Lions didn’t show much interest 

in playing defense. With the ball, they weren’t much better, 

if at all.

Midway the middle-of-the-pack Buckeyes led 50-32, hitting 

6 of 11 three-point attempts and 67.1 percent overall. It had 

been too easy for the home team … which allowed Penn 

State back in the game, cutting the deficit to one (60-59) 

with 10:38 to go.

But OSU point guard JOHN MOBLEY JR., who had 13 

points in the first half, finally scratched in the second with a 

pair of free throws then hit a long three followed by a layup. 

He finished with a game-high 25 points … and Penn State 

remained winless (now 0-9) in the Big 10 (9-11 overall).

The final was 84-79, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say 

Rhoades, 53, is in trouble in the third year of a seven-year 

contract. In his first season he was paid $4,229,999 … that 

included base salary of $2,249,999 plus bonuses, retirement 

and non-taxable benefits … and finished 16-17 (9-11 Big 

10). Shooting guard ACE BALDWIN, who came with 

Rhoades from VCU, was his best player. Last year PSU 

finished 16-15, 6-14.

Believe it or not, money (lack of it) has been a problem. 

State remains football first, and hoops doesn’t get the big 

bucks from NIL that most other members of the conference 

do.

As a result, Rhoades is hampered in recruiting and must rely 

on guile … which has enabled the Lions to be competitive 

(they’ve lost six games by single figures to Top 25 

opponents this season) … but not in the tell-tale won-lost 

column.

He began last year with a top 10 upset of Purdue but, for the 

second straight season, failed to qualify for the conference 

tournament … then lost 10 scholarship players to 

graduation, the transfer portal or NBA draft.

What’s more, it didn’t help when a search of comparative 

salaries at Penn State in 2023-24 turned up Rhoades was 

was second only to then-football coach JAMES 

FRANKLIN, who was making $8.6M

The popular wrestling coach, winner of four straight national 

championships and 12 of the last 14, was making just north 

of $1M while the school president came in at just south of 

$1.5M.

According to a long-time observer of Penn State athletics, 

“Rhoades is under turmoil with an under-achieving 

program.”

COLLEGE FOOTBALL playoff  runnerup Miami 

(U. of) will be just about everyone’s choice to win it all in 

2026 … and that was before the Hurricanes landed QB

 DARREN MENSAH from Duke and LB MOHAMED 

TOURE was granted an eighth year of eligibility. That is 

correct … EIGHTH.

You might recall Duke sued Mensah, who came from Tulane 

in 2025 to lead the Blue Devils to their first outright ACC 

championship since 1962, for breaking a two-year deal that 

would have paid him $4 million annually. Well, that 

reportedly was settled out of court (details to come), and he 

will replace CARSON BECK at Miami after all.

From Pleasantville, N.J., Toure began his college football 

career at Rutgers in 2019 when he was redshirted. He missed 

2022 and 2024 with injuries. And the NCAA granted 

everyone an extra year of eligibility for 2020 which was cut 

short because of COVID.

Otherwise, he played two years at Rutgers before joining 

Miami in 2025 … leading the team in tackles with 84.

WHETHER YOU like him or not (and a lot of people don’t),

 BILL BELICHICK should have been a shoo-in first-round 

choice for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Eight Super Bowl 

championships (six as head coach, two as assistant)? Come 

on!

Well, he fell short of the 40 required. By how many we’ll 

find out later.

BRIEFLY TOLD: Once again Richmond’s ZAC JONES

 was a healthy scratch for NHL Buffalo Wednesday night in 

Toronto. Sabres won 7-4 … Add NHL … New York 

Rangers dumped mediocre defenseman CARSON SOUCY

 on Islanders for third-round draft selection in 2026 … How 

long before the Rangers fire GM CHRIS DRURY? In case 

you haven’t noticed, they’re last in the Eastern Conference 

… by five points over Columbus and Ottawa.

Big mouth CHARLES BARKLEY now is complaining 

about his treatment by ESPN and its scheduling of “Inside 

the NBA,” which moved to The World Wide Leader this 

year from TNT. The contract calls for the four-man show of

 SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, ERNIE JOHNSON, KENNY 

SMITH and the Round Mound of Rebound to appear 

exclusively on ABC and ESPN for 11 years.

“In three months we’ve only been on ESPN ... four times …

and I don’t like that at all,” Barkley said.

Until next time ...