Here’s where Penn State’s 2025 assistant coaches ended up after the coaching carousel
Nearly all of Penn State’s football staff has turned over from the 2025 season, with most of the team’s position coaches off to new destinations after head coach James Franklin was fired and is now the head coach of Virginia Tech.
Cornerbacks coach Terry Smith and special teams coordinator Justin Lustig will remain at Penn State in their current roles, while linebackers coach Dan Connor is now an assistant linebackers coach with the Nittany Lions. But what about everyone else?
Here’s where all of the former Nittany Lion coaches who left the program are headed.
Offensive staff
Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki — Kansas
Kotelnicki returns to Kansas as associate head coach after spending three seasons with the Jayhawks as offensive coordinator prior to joining Penn State. He was always unlikely to return to the Nittany Lions after the program’s offense underperformed this season and helped contribute to the team’s struggles.
Quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien — Virginia Tech
O’Brien is one of two coaches to follow Franklin to Virginia Tech but is the only one who did so without getting a promotion. He will be the quarterbacks coach with the Hokies and will help Ethan Grunkemeyer develop after he did the same at Penn State, with Grunkemeyer joining the Hokies as well.
Running backs coach Stan Drayton — South Carolina
Drayton only spent one season as the running backs coach at Penn State and helped Kaytron Allen have a career year and become the program’s all-time leading rusher. He’s one of two assistants headed to South Carolina, and will be the program’s running backs coach.
Wide receivers coach Marques Hagans — Michigan
Hagans’ position group struggled at Penn State during his tenure and was unlikely to be retained even if Franklin hadn’t been fired. He will be the assistant wide receivers coach with the Wolverines after they brought in Micah Simon from Utah to lead the position.
Tight ends coach Ty Howle — Virginia Tech
Howle is the second assistant to follow Franklin, but did so while receiving a promotion. He will be the Hokies’ offensive coordinator and will be the full-time primary play-caller for the first time at the FBS level. Howle is a Penn State letterwinner who may have remained on staff had he not been promoted.
Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein — Florida
Trautwein is returning to his alma mater, where he played offensive tackle in college and will do so as the program’s offensive line coach. He had success at Penn State but his group took a step back this season. Trautwein spent six seasons as Penn State’s offensive line coach.
Defensive staff
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles — Tennessee
Knowles became the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football when he joined Penn State in early 2025, but his first year with the program was tumultuous. His status with the new staff was up in the air, and a departure for another defensive coordinator job was always likely, with the Volunteers being his landing spot.
Defensive line coach Deion Barnes — South Carolina
Barnes was expected back with the program but ultimately chose to join the Gamecocks. He will take on a different role than he had at Penn State, coaching the defensive ends and outside linebackers with South Carolina. Barnes is a former Penn State letterwinner who rose up through the ranks with the Nittany Lions before becoming the defensive line coach in 2023.
Safeties coach Anthony Poindexter — Tennessee
Poindexter spent the last five seasons with the Nittany Lions as one of the best safeties coaches in the country. He was also the program’s co-defensive coordinator during those five seasons, and will retain both of those roles under Knowles with the Volunteers.
