Tag: Andy Kotelnicki

Andy Kotlenicki states he is looking forward to 2025 at Penn State

One of Penn State’s newest additions to the football staff isn’t looking to move on in 2025.

Penn State offensive coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] has been highly regarded for his offensive mind, and it is no wonder why he has seen his name floating around the college football coaching rumor mill once again during this round of the coaching carousel. But Kotelnicki seems ready to shift his focus entirely on the 2025 season in Happy Valley after this current run to the College Football Playoff.

With his name being floating as a potential head coaching candidate at West Virginia, Kotelnicki took to social media on Monday to say he is looking forward to what comes next for the Nittany Lions. The brief statement resonated well with fans, players, and recruits as it looks as though Penn State will get another year with Kotelnicki cooking with the offense.

“Beyond lucky to be a part of the Penn State Football Family,” Kotelnicki said on his X, formerly known as Twitter, account on Monday evening. “Still a lot to accomplish this season and I am looking forward to what 2025 has in store for our program!”

Penn State’s offense ranked 15th in the nation with an average of 448.6 yards per game this season. In 2023, Penn State ranked 55th in total offense with an average of 399.8 yards per game. Penn State saw an uptick in the number of explosive plays this season under Kotelnicki, although the red zone touchdown percentage and average scoring numbers went down slightly this season. But the overall impact of Kotelnicki as offensive coordinator saw a resurgence in the running game and improved play from [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag].

There are some questions about whether Drew Allar will return next season or not. Allar is an interesting NFL draft prospect who has the tools for the next level, and he shined in some big moments this season to draw the attention of NFL draft scouts. But there could also be some room to improve if he returns for another season and gets to work with Kotelnicki for another year.

For now, Kotelnicki and Allar are working to prepare for Penn State’s first College Football Playoff game in program history. Penn State is scheduled to host SMU in the first round of the playoff, which expanded to 12 teams this year. Kickoff in Beaver Stadium between the Nittany Lions and Mustangs is set for 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 21.

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Coaching rumor mill: Penn State coordinator mentioned as potential candidate for West Virginia opening

Will West Virginia come looking for one of Penn State’s coordinators to be the next head coach in Morgantown?

West Virginia was among the schools that opted to make a head coaching change in the days following the conclusion of the 2024 college football season. Neal Brown was fired by the school after leading the Mountaineers for the past six seasons to a record of 37-35. Two of those losses came against Penn State in the past two seasons, including this year’s season opener. West Virginia wrapped up a 6-6 regular season with a 52-15 dubbing on the road at Texas Tech, leaving the school ready to make a change rather than allow Brown a chance to coach in the upcoming bowl season.

Naturally, that has led to a number of college football writers coming up with a list of potential ideal candidates for the vacancy in Morgantown. Among the names mentioned by CBS Sports writer Tom Fornelli was Penn State offensive coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag]. Kotelnicki is certainly no stranger to having his name floated for potential head coaching opportunities this round on the coaching carousel, and we will likely see his name pop up again before this year’s coaching carousel comes to a full and complete stop.

“Kotelnicki has been coordinating exciting and explosive offenses for years, first under Lance Leipold at Buffalo and Kansas and now not too far down the road from Morgantown at Penn State,” Fornelli wrote on CBSSports.com. “It feels like it’s only a matter of time before he gets a head coaching job. Could West Virginia lure him away from Happy Valley?”

It does feel as though Kotelnicki is on track to become a head coach, and that certainly should not be surprising given the recent trend of Penn State coordinators under James Franklin. A number of coordinators for Franklin have gone on to become head coaches including Joe Moorhead, Ricky Rahne, Brent Pry, Manny Diaz.

Kotelnicki is likely to leave Penn State at some point for a head coaching opportunity, especially if Penn State continues to have success with him calling the plays. Kotelnicki will be locked in on preparing the Penn State offense for a massive test against Oregon in this week’s Big Ten championship game, and the College Football Playoff is on the horizon.

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Best photos from Penn State’s regular season finale victory over Maryland

Check out the best photos from Penn State’s 44-7 victory over Maryland to close out the regular season.

The temperatures were frigid and Beaver Stadium was far from packed, but Penn State managed to close out the regular season in style with a 44-7 victory over Maryland. The win capped an 11-1 regular season and ultimately sends Penn State off to the Big Ten championship game for the second time in program history.

[autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] set a couple of records in the win as he polished off his awards profile for consideration, and [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] overcame a fumble on the first play of the game to score two touchdowns and return a long kickoff to spark the offense to the rout of the Terrapins.

Here are some of the best photos from Saturday’s regular-season finale victory over the Terrapins.

Penn State will play for the Big Ten championship next week. The Nittany Lions will face Oregon in Indianapolis, Indiana on Saturday, Dec. 7. Kcikoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET on CBS.

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Former Penn State coordinator Joe Moorhead addresses uncertain head coaching future

Former Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead is just 8-28 in three seasons at Akron. Could he be looking for work in 2025?

Former Penn State offensive coordinator [autotag]Joe Moorhead[/autotag] could be in some interesting waters as the college football coaching carousel swings into full motion. With Akron’s season in the books following a 4-8 season, head coach Moorhead faces questions he may not be able to answer about his future with the program.

Moorhead has said he is focusing on preparing for the offseason as if he will be back in charge of the Akron program in 2025, but leadership changes and a disappointing overall coaching record in three years could take the decision out of his hands. Moorhead has commented on the state of the resources available to his program as he addressed his future.

“What I’ve learned enough in this business is you never say never,” Moorhead said following Akron’s regular-season finale earlier this week, per Football Scoop. “I don’t have a crystal ball, I’m just excited about what we’ve been able to do, and come in here despite the resources – or lack thereof – that we are provided, that we have been able to fight, and scratch, and claw and first become incredibly competitive, and now find a way to win.”

Moorhead spent two seasons coaching the Penn State offense after being named offensive coordinator in 2016. He left behind his role as head coach at Fordham and quickly helped elevate the Penn State offense to help win a Big Ten championship with players like Saquon Barkley, Trace McSorely, Chris Godwin, and Mike Gesicki at his disposal.

After two seasons as offensive coordinator at Penn State, Moorhead returned to head coaching when Mississippi State made an offer. Moorhead spent two seasons as head coach at Mississippi State but was fired at the end of the 2019 season. He then went to Oregon to be the offensive coordinator of the Ducks for two seasons before getting a chance to be the head coach at Akron in 2022.

Moorhead won two games in each of his first two seasons with the Zips and doubled the win total this season to sit at just 8-28 as head coach at Akron.

Penn State could be in a spot where it could potentially need a new offensive coordinator. [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] is a name being thrown around for some possible head coaching opportunities, and co-offensive coordinator [autotag]Ja’Juan Seider[/autotag] could be getting a head coaching opportunity soon too. If both happen to leave, would Franklin work to bring Moorhead back to Happy Valley?

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Penn State coordinator named potential candidate for North Carolina job

The UNC head coaching vacancy will be worth watching as one Penn State assistant has been mentioned as a potential candidate.

North Carolina is making a significant head coaching change this season, and Penn State could be a program that loses a coordinator out of the change. North Carolina is moving on from the legendary Mack Brown after a disappointing season. He will get one final curtain call with the program this weekend against in-state rival NC State, but the UNC job is effectively vacant, and this is currently one of the most attractive jobs on the coaching carousel.

And as has become a regular thing for Penn State, the football staff has at least one name being thrown around as a potential candidate to fill the vacancy in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki was mentioned as a potential coaching candidate for the North Carolina job by CBSSports.com.

“Kotelnicki is a turnaround specialist and was part of Lance Leipold’s staff as he turned both Buffalo and Kansas into winners,” CBSSports.com said. “His misdirection offense is one of the most innovative in the game and helped the Nittany Lions move from No. 55 to 21 in total offense.”

Kotelnicki has certainly delivered on the hope of injecting some much-needed life into the Penn State offense, although there is still some room for improvement with the overall wide receiver production. Whether he is an actual candidate for the UNC brass is unknown, but it stands to reason that Kotelnicki will be a name thrown around for possible head coaching vacancies with his current track record.

The lack of head coaching experience shouldn’t necessarily be a disqualifier for Kotelnicki, but the UNC job may end up being more likely to go to an experienced head coach. Among the names thrown around in the coaching rumor mill and media have included Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell, former Florida and Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen, and UNLV head coach Barry Odom. The CBS list also included Colorado head coach Dein Sanders and Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall.

Unlike every other coach on this list, Kotelnicki does not have head coaching experience and he has only been at the power conference level for four years. Still, Kotelnicki is an obvious rising star that could be worth a swing.

Our friends at Tarheels Wire have an updated coaching big board. At this time, Kotelnicki is not included on their radar, but we’ll see if that changes at any time.

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What are the biggest midseason surprises for Penn State football?

What has been the biggest surprise for Penn State football at the midseason point?

Penn State has completed the first half of the regular season and finds itself sitting in a great spot on its quest to compete in this year expanded College Football Playoff. The Nittany Lions sit at no. 3 in the major polls during their bye week as they prepare for a road game at Wisconsin and a home game against Ohio State in the next couple of weeks.

With Penn State sitting on a bye week, we decided to get together as a staff and share some of our options on the Nittany Lions before the second half gets started. We shared our midseason assessments but continue with a look at the biggest surprise for Penn State so far this season.

Brad: There was a lot of hype coming into the year regarding how the offense would look under new offensive coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] as they tried to get the most out of five-star quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] who underwhelmed last season, and so far, I think everything has lived up to the hype. When the running backs are healthy, this rushing attack has been dominant.

Despite wide receivers still not jumping off the screen, Allar has been able to push the ball down the field as a result of the scheme. [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag], their best offensive weapon, is being used in ways that makes it hard for defenses to limit his damage. And there are explosive plays back in Happy Valley once again. It’s strange to say that the offense is the best unit on a Penn State team based on what has occurred the past few years, but that’s certainly the case with this group under Kotelnicki and Allar.

Charlie: The biggest surprise for me has been the offense. There were times last season where Penn State just struggled to find a rhythm and put together drives to win against high level opponents. The explosiveness and creativity is much more than what I ever imagined before the season started. Andy Kotelnicki’s has turned Tyler Warren into a the ultimate gadget player with some people even saying he is worth a look for the Heisman Trophy.

Anyone that tells you they expected this type of Tyler Warren in 2024 is lying. Penn State’s offense, unlike in past years, can carry this team. That alone makes their play the most surprising because Penn State has relied so heavily on its defense to bail them out and halfway through this year it seems to be the opposite.

Shayne: The offensive line has not been great through six games, despite so much success recruiting in that area. Losing three NFL-caliber players from last years group doesn’t help, but it’s still something they need to improve. Maybe we see more snaps for some of the reserves throughout the rest of the season.

Kevin: I was not sure the hiring of Andy Kotelnicki was going to have quite the impact it has seemed to have so far this season, or at least as quickly as it did. Yes, there have been some slow starts by the offense, which is equally puzzling and frustrating as it is disappointing. But it does seem this offense has improved in a big way with a more productive running game and big explosive plays happening far more frequently than they did all of last year.

Check out more of our midseason roundtable discussions: 

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Social media reacts to Penn State’s thrilling OT victory over USC

Here is how social media reacted to Penn State’s thriller against USC in Los Angeles.

It looked bleak at halftime, but Penn State managed to pick up a huge 33-30 overtime victory against the USC Trojans in Week 7. The game was full of big plays, turnovers, clutch fourth-down conversions, you name it. In a game that had everything, there were even some things you may not see anywhere else in college football this season.

USC kicked off the highlights with a 75-yard touchdown on a reverse by running back Quinten Joyner, the longest play allowed by Penn State all season. USC added to their lead by driving down the field for another touchdown to go up 14-3. The teams traded field goals before USC added another last-second field goal to go up 20-6 at the half.

Penn State rode Tyler Warren offensively all game, but he really took over in the third quarter. This trick play touchdown where he snapped the ball was the most spectacular, but he racked up 17 receptions for 224 yards overall on the day. Penn State would add another touchdown to their total on their next drive to tie the game at 20, and the teams once again traded field goals on their next scoring drives.

USC would drive the length of the field again to go up 30-23, only for Drew Allar to convert two fourth downs on the way to a tying touchdown of their own. After failed drives by each team, it went to overtime where USC missed their field goal attempt. After picking up a few yards for kicker Ryan Barker, he banged it home for the win. Let’s take a look at how social media reacted to the thriller in Los Angeles.

Safe to say Ryan Barker wasn’t too nervous for his game-winning kick

Someone clearly spoke to soon

Have a day, Tyler!

Coach Franklin didn’t seem too happy…

Kansas fans wishing Andy Kotelnicki was still around…

Plenty of love for Ryan Barker

Penn State’s newest offensive wrinkle is receiving national attention

Penn State’s hottest new offensive plays is turning heads around the Big Ten.

When Penn State hired Andy Kotelnicki to take over the role of offensive coordinator, it was expected the Nittany Lions would have some new tricks to unveil this season. In an attempt to inject some new juice into the offense after a lack of explosive plays last season, Kotelnicki has delivered with an uptick in big gain plays this season. However, one of the newest wrinkles seen in the Penn State offense is sending a certain player in motion before the snap.

While most teams will send a wide receiver or tight end in motion, Kotelnicki has a completely different idea. Penn State has been sending offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane in motion. The results have been fascinating to watch as Ioane creates an extra blocker no defensive player wants to go up against in that situation. He has been delivering a couple of big blocks that have not gone unnoticed.

One of the latest instances of Penn State sending Ioane in lotion led to some terrific social media reactions during the UCLA game, with the official Fox college football social media account loving every second of it.

The odds feel pretty good we will continue to see this play design in the coming weeks. Until somebody figures out how to combat it, it could become a key play in the playbook.

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Penn State’s Tyler Warren makes incredible one-hand catch against Kent State

Tyler Warren has been the focal point of Penn State’s passing attack this season, and this impressive catch shows exactly why.

Penn State tight end [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] is one of the best players in the country at his position, and he showed it in Penn State’s last game against Bowling Green. He racked up 146 yards in that game and was a big part of the narrow 34-27 victory.

Warren could have taken his talents to the NFL after last season, but luckily for the Nittany Lions, he chose to stick around for his senior season. New offensive coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] didn’t have a weapon at tight end like Warren while at Kansas, but he seems to know how to get him involved early and often.

Warren has made a huge impact in the first half against Kent State, racking up 50 receiving yards and 16 rushing yards. He even threw a touchdown to Nick Singleton from the wildcat. His most impressive play, however, was this beautiful one-handed catch along the sideline.

https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1837593098920042962

[autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] has been electric in his own right in the first half, but Warren helped him out on this play by reeling in his high throw with ease. Ball skills like that are hard to find at the tight end position, especially at the college level.

That combined with his strength and determination after the catch, and it’s no wonder why he is getting the ball so often early in the season. If Warren can continue to produce at the level he has to start the season, he could be a future first-round NFL draft pick and one of the best tight ends to come through Happy Valley.

USA TODAY writer: ‘After one week, Penn State looks like legitimate Big Ten threat’

USA TODAY’s Paul Myerberg included Penn State among his Week 1 winners.

Penn State seemed to turn some heads and open some eyes around the college football world in Week 1. Penn State’s 34-12 road win at West Virginia was an encouraging performance and will hopefully serve as a preview of things to come this season after the offense opened things up and generated some of the big-gain plays that were rare to see a season ago.

Following the results of Week 1 around the nation, with just a couple more games still to officially go in the books, Penn State was among the teams earning high praise in the weekly roundup from USA TODAY college football writer Paul Myerberg. In Myerberg’s first weekly roundup of winners and losers from college football’s weekend action, Penn State was singled out as one of the top performers.

“The No. 9 Nittany Lions’ new-look offense delivered 457 yards on 7.6 yards per play, led by quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag]’s 216 passing yards and three touchdowns on 13.1 yards per throw, in a 34-12 win at West Virginia,” Myereberg highlighted. “This a quick validation of James Franklin’s decision to hire coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag], who previously worked wonders in the same position at Kansas.”

Penn State had just eight plays of 40 yards or more last season. On Saturday against West Virginia, Penn State had four, with two in the air and two on the ground.

“The turning point was a late touchdown drive to end the first half, a 73-yard haul in just three plays to put Penn State in front 20-6 at the break,” Myerberg went on to say. “After an extended weather delay, the Nittany Lions tacked on a pair of touchdowns in the second half for a convincing road win against Power Four opponent.” After one week, the Nittany Lions look like a very legitimate Big Ten threat and one of the top contenders for the playoff.”

The expansion of the College Football Playoff from four teams to 12 was expected to benefit a team like Penn State, but the schedule opens up the possibility for Penn State to make a run for a spot in the Big Ten championship game. This opening road win sets the tone for that objective, but Penn State still has some more challenges to come on the road this season.

Penn State will get Ohio State and Washington at home, but the Nittany Lions will have to make road trips to USC and Wisconsin this season as well. It may have just been one week at West Virginia, but the Nittany Lions sure had the look of a legitimate Big Ten contender in Week 1.

Penn State will play its home opener in Week 2 on Saturday afternoon against Bowling Green. The game will air at noon Eastern on Big Ten Network.

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