Penn State basketball continues to search for consistency as the program works through the most challenging stretch it has ever dealt with, and with that has come conversations about what it truly takes to win at the Big Ten level.
NIL resources, staffing investments, facilities, and recruiting budgets now play a larger role than ever, and programs across the conference are usually at the top across the country. That has led to questions surrounding Penn State and whether the program is being given enough internal support to compete.
Head coach Mike Rhoades spoke about the situation this week, adding that he speaks with Pat Kraft about it. While speaking about the state of the program, Rhoades acknowledged that pushing for resources is part of his responsibility, and something he takes seriously as the Nittany Lions work toward long-term success.
“That's the envelope I got to push all the time, and we're going to fight for that,” Rhoades said, per the Daily Collegian. “That's what's great about working for (Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics) Pat Kraft is I can have those open conversations with him about where we need to go and where we need to push … I could walk into Pat's office at any time and sit down and have a kind of candid conversation with him because we all want the same thing. We want to build this program to make it a winner.”
In college hoops, success isn’t determined solely by development and good coaching. Instead, money wins.
Penn State’s position in the Big Ten presents unique challenges. The conference includes national brands that invest a ton in basketball, so unless the support is similar for Penn State, it shouldn’t expect much to change.
Rhoades’ relationship with Kraft appears to be a big piece of this. We all knew they had a relationship when he was hired, but it doesn’t seem like it’s meaning a whole lot.
For fans, the frustration is understandable. Penn State has shown flashes of potential under Rhoades, but the results haven’t been anywhere near where we need them to be.
We’ll see if anything changes, but I don’t expect Penn State to have a massive basketball budget in the near future.