WR coach Gerad Parker leaving Penn State Nittany Lions for West Virginia
The Penn State football staff has another opening.
Wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator Gerad Parker is leaving leave the coaching staff to become the new offensive coordinator at West Virginia, both programs confirmed Friday.
Parker spent one season on the coaching staff at Penn State. He oversaw a unit that was led by K.J. Hamler, who announced this month he will forgo his final two years of eligibility to enter the 2020 NFL draft. Hamler had 56 catches for 904 yards and eight touchdowns in his lone season under Parker’s tutelage.
Sophomore wide receiver Jahan Dotson emerged as the team’s second-best wideout under Parker and finished his second season on campus with 27 receptions for 488 yards and five touchdowns, more than doubling all of his freshman season totals.
Parker’s departure means the Nittany Lions will now have four receivers coaches over the past four years. Josh Gattis bolted for Alabama after the 2017 season, David Corley was let go after the 2018 campaign, and Parker is now moving on following 2019.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Gerad to take a promotion as the offensive coordinator at West Virginia,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said in a statement. “We are very appreciative of everything he has contributed to our program. We are excited for Gerad and his family and wish him nothing but success and happiness moving forward.”
There will be plenty of changes on the staff this season, with three new coaches set to make their PSU debuts in 2020, with all three coming on the offensive staff.
Ricky Rahne left his post as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach to take the head coach position at Old Dominion. He was replaced by former Minnesota offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, who will fill the same role.
Penn State and Matt Limegrover, the team’s offensive line coach/run game coordinator, parted ways earlier this month. Former Boston College offensive line coach Phil Trautwein filled the position.
This story was originally published January 10, 2020 at 4:02 PM.
