Tag: Andy Kotelnicki

5 takeaways from Penn State’s brutal loss to Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl

5 takeaways from Penn State’s brutal loss to Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl

It was a day to forget for the Nittany Lions, who came to Atlanta looking for a statement win, but it turned into a statement 38-25 loss to the Ole Miss Rebels. It was a struggle in all phases for Penn State, who couldn’t stop the run, the pass, and even had a fourth-quarter field goal attempt blocked.

Despite starting the game with a positive field goal drive and a few good runs, the offense never got into a rhythm. [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] and the passing game struggled mightily, only hitting on a big play on a fluke-tipped pass to Tyler Warren for 75 yards, which ironically ended up being Penn State’s longest play of the season.

The defense, missing its top two corners and best edge defender, was no match for the up-tempo explosive offensive that is the Rebels. Ole Miss had its way running and throwing the football, dicing up the Penn State secondary every which way.

It will be interesting to see how the Nittany Lions rebound from a now 3 loss season. All three losses will have happened against top-11 opponents where the Penn State offense looked absolutely anemic. No matter the fallout, Drew Allar and new offensive coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] will have an enormous amount of pressure on themselves to improve the offense going into next year.

After an all-around pathetic performance, here are five takeaways from Penn State’s Peach Bowl loss to Ole Miss.

Penn State offers All-American returner in transfer portal

Penn State offers Indiana return man Jaylin Lucas in the transfer portal

Once again, James Franklin and the new offensive coordinator, Andy Kotelnicki, have hit the transfer portal hard in search of much-needed difference-makers at the receiver position. After offering one of the top Big Ten receivers in the transfer portal the other day, Donaven McCulley, Penn State, has offered McCulley’s Indiana teammate.

On Wednesday morning, All-American return man Jaylin Lucas announced on social media that he received an offer from the Nittany Lions. Lucas also announced that he received an offer from Arizona State as well.

After only entering the portal early this morning, Lucas should see more offers come his way, considering his versatility and special teams ability. Lucas was 14th in the country in combined kick return yardage and has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns in his two seasons with the Hoosiers, including one against Purdue this season. He could be a possible replacement for redshirt senior return man [autotag]Daequan Hardy[/autotag].

At only 5’9, Lucas is by no means an outside deep-threat wide receiver, but he has played slot receiver and running back throughout his college career. He totaled 67 rushes for 275 yards and two touchdowns while hauling in 34 receptions for 247 yards and two scores. He is the very definition of a versatile playmaker who can create a big gain at any point due to his elusiveness.

Lucas represents what new offensive Andy Kotelnicki wants to do with Penn State’s offense, which is to put players in space to make plays. Not only would he be an outlet for Drew Allar, but he would be a nice complement to the more physical backs Penn State currently has on its roster.

Indiana is seeing plenty of players entering the portal after firing head coach Tom Allen and hiring Curt Cignetti away from James Madison.

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Penn State offers one of the top Big Ten receivers in transfer portal

Penn State offers transfer receiver who burned them for a long touchdown this season.

It is no secret that Penn State is in need of playmakers at wide receiver going into the 2024 season. With the opening of the transfer portal this week, Penn State is certainly not wasting time trying to give new offensive coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] some new weapons to play with. And they are looking to attract some talent from right within the Big Ten with its latest offer.

Indiana wide receiver Donaven McCulley announced on his social media account on Tuesday evening that he has received an offer from Penn State. McCulley also announced he has received an offer from South Carolina, and more will be on the way if they have not already.

McCulley entered the transfer portal last week, and the opening of the transfer period on Monday made him one of the names to watch. McCulley was the Big Ten’s 11th-leading receiver in 2023 with 48 receptions for 644 yards this season. McCulley caught 6 touchdowns for the Hoosiers.

McCulley had  a69-yard touchdown catch against Penn State this season, which was one of two rare long plays given up by the Penn State defense this season. He had three other catches to record 96 yards in the game against the Nittany Lions, which was a win for Penn State in November. But Penn State is also hoping to get receivers who can break big plays like that in the offense, so that play likely stands out to James Franklin and the staff.

Indiana is undergoing a coaching change this offseason. The school parted ways with Tom Allen after a tough few seasons and hired Curt Cignetti from James Madison to take over the program moving forward.

 

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Five stats that show what Andy Kotelnicki’s offense is all about

These numbers suggest Penn State’s offense will be in good hands under the leadership of Andy Kotelnicki.

Penn State’s search for a new offensive coordinator officially came to a close with the hiring of [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag], just a day after reports of the hire began to spread.. The Minnesota native will be tasked with turning one of the country’s least explosive offensives into one that can take the top off the defense. For most, Kotelnicki’s name might not have been at the top of their shortlists, but in the 24 hours since the news broke, everyone seems to agree that the hire is a slam dunk.

If you have watched Kansas football this year, you would know that the creativity jumps off the tape, and that trait was sorely missed in Happy Valley this season. James Franklin said he wanted a head coach of the offense, and Kotelnicki’s track record at Kansas and before that Buffalo shows that he can and will make the offense his own. While we won’t have any visuals on the new look Nittany Lion offense until the 2024 Blue-White game in the spring, that won’t stop us from diving into some numbers that should give Penn State fans some hope that better offensive production is on the way.

Penn State officially announces hiring of offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki

James Franklin impressed by tracker record of new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki

Penn State has officially filled its offensive coordinator vacancy on the coaching staff by formally announcing the hiring of Andy Kotelnicki. Kotelnicki comes to Penn State from Kansas, where he helped turn the Jayhawks offense around over the past three seasons.

“Our search process for an offensive coordinator was extensive and throughout it, Andy’s name kept rising to the top of the list,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said in a released statement. “Not only were we impressed with Andy’s history of successful offensive production, but he has proven ability to win at all levels and play to the strength of his personnel.”

In addition to his success as the offensive coordinator at Kansas, Kotelnicki had a notable run at Buffalo and, before that, with Wisconsin-Whitewater at the Division 3 level. Kotelnicki has been a key assistant for Kansas head coach Lance Leipold at all three schools.

“In his 18 years as a play caller, he has a track record of coming into a program and improving offenses, especially through explosive plays, third down conversions and red zone success,” Franklin said. “We are thrilled to have Andy and his family join us in Happy Valley.”

“It is a tremendous honor for me and my wife, Lindsey, to become part of a program with such a rich history of success and a tremendous family environment with an elite leader in Coach Franklin,” Kotelnicki said in a released statement. “I am excited to get to work with the tremendous staff and student-athletes we have at Penn State. I would also like to thank Coach Leipold, the coaching staff and the student-athletes who I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work with at Kansas and wish them nothing but the best.”

Kotelnicki has been a key member of the coaching staff led by Kansas head coach Lance Leipold since Leipold’s time with Division 3 powerhouse Wisconsin-Whitewater. Leipold hired Kotelnicki to be his offensive coordinator at Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2013, after Kotelnicki spent two seasons with Division 2 University of Mary. Kotelnicki followed Leipold to Buffalo in 2015 and continued to serve in the role of offensive coordinator for six seasons with the Bulls. When Leipold left Buffalo to take the Kansas coaching job, Kotelnicki followed him to Lawrence.

Kotelnicki has helped transform the entire offensive identity at Kansas. Kansas had the nation’s 126th-ranked total offense out of 127 in the FBS during the 2020 season and the 90th-ranked total offense in 2019, the last season before the pandemic impacted the 2020 season. With Kotelnicki running the offense, Kansas has seen its total offensive rank jump from 114th in 2021 up to 29th this season.

For the sake of comparison, Penn State’s total offensive ranks were 82nd in 2020, 34th in 2021 (2 behind Kansas), and 62nd this season.

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Social media reacts to Penn State’s offensive coordinator hire

How Twitter reacted to the reported hiring of Andy Kotelnicki as offensive coordinator at Penn State.

Penn State has filled its vacancy at offensive coordinator with the reported hire of Andy Kotelnicki. Kotelnicki is leaving Kansas after three years with the Big 12 program and his hire seems to have been received quite well on social media.

Kotelnicki has been a key coordinator for Kansas head coach Lance Leipold for a long time dating back to Leipold’s time as a dominant Division 3 coach with Wisconsin-Whitewater. Each time Leipold has moved on to a new job (at Buffalo and then Kansas), Kotelnicki has been one of the key staff members making the move as well. Now, Kotelnicki will take on a new position with high expectations to get the most out of Penn State’s offense.

And as some have pointed out on social media, a look at the track record of an offense coached by [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] is definitely something to get excited about for an offense that has [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag], [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag], and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] coming back in 2024.

Here is a look at what some of the reactions from social media have had to say about Penn State’s new offensive coordinator hire.

Penn State has hired Kansas offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, per reports

The search for Penn State’s next offensive coordinator is reportedly over!

It seems as though the search for Penn State’s next offensive coordinator has come to an end. While no official statement has come from Penn State just yet, it is being widely reported that Penn State has hired Kansas offensive coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] to fill the vacancy on Penn State’s coaching staff for the same position.

Bruce Feldman of The Athletic was among the first to report the news, via X (formerly known as Twitter). His initial report was confirmed by a couple of other reputable reporters, including Adam Rittenberg of ESPN and Brett McMurphy of The Action Network. It was reported earlier this week James Franklin had a meeting with Kotelnicki, who is considered a hot name in the coaching carousel at this moment. It is also reported that Kotelnicki has a desire to one day be a head coach, and it is worth noting Franklin has had three coordinators in recent years go on to become a head coach (Joe Moorhead, Ricky Rahne, and Brent Pry).

Kotelnicki has been a key member of the coaching staff led by Kansas head coach Lance Leipold since Leipold’s time with Division 3 powerhouse Wisconsin-Whitewater. Leipold hired Kotelnick to be his offensive coordinator at Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2013, after Kotelnicki spent two seasons with Division 2 University of Mary. Kotelnicki followed Leipold to Buffalo in 2015 and continued to serve in the role of offensive coordinator for six seasons with the Bulls. When Leipold left Buffalo to take the Kansas coaching job, Kotelnicki followed him to Lawrence.

Kotelnicki has helped transform the entire offensive identity at Kansas. Kansas had the nation’s 126th-ranked total offense out of 127 in the FBS during the 2020 season and the 90th-ranked total offense in 2019, the last season before the pandemic impacted the 2020 season. With Kotelnicki running the offense, Kansas has seen its total offensive rank jump from 114th in 2021 up to 29th this season.

For the sake of comparison, Penn State’s total offensive ranks were 82nd in 2020, 34th in 2021 (2 behind Kansas), and 62nd this season.

Kotelnicki will replace [autotag]Mike Yurcich[/autotag], who was let go a day after Penn State lost at home to Michigan late in the regular season. [autotag]Ja’Juan Seider[/autotag] and [autotag]Ty Howle[/autotag] have split the playcalling duties on offense in the last two games of the season, and it may be safe to expect both to continue calling the offensive plays for Penn State’s upcoming bowl game, with Kotelnicki likely to run the Jayhawks offense for their bowl game. But those details remain unconfirmed and are just speculation at this stage.

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Penn State offensive coordinator search focusing on Kansas OC Andy Kotelnicki

Penn State reportedly showing great interest in Kansas offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.

There appears to be a new rising candidate for Penn State in the search for a new offensive coordinator. Kansas offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki has reportedly started to become one of the top candidates for the job with reports of a meeting between the Jayhawks coordinator and Penn State head coach James Franklin having already taken place.

Kansas has the nation’s 29th-ranked total offense this season (Penn State is 62nd) with an average of 434.0 yards per game. Kansas ranks 9th in the nation in rushing offense and 68th in passing offense, both rankings come ahead of Penn State this year.

It is understandable why Penn State would be enamored with Kotelnicki as a potential offensive coordinator to replace the dismissed Mike Yurcich. But the Nittany Lions are not expected to be the only suitors. Oklahoma is one of the programs who is reportedly showing great interest in the Kansas offensive coordinator as they move from the Big 12 to the SEC next season. Oklahoma is in need of a new offensive coordinator after losing Jeff Lebby as its coordinator to a head coaching job at Mississippi State.

If Penn State wants Kotelnicki badly enough, it will cost them a bit to get him. According to reports and speculation out of Lawrence, Kansas is prepared to invest just about whatever it takes to keep him in the program with head coach Lance Leipold. Of course, if Leipold ends up taking a job elsewhere as a hot name on the coaching rumor mill once again, that could change the entire outlook for the Jayhawks and be an advantage for Penn State.

It is known that Kotelnicki has desires to also be a head coach, so whether or not he is interested in a lateral move remains in question. But it is worth noting how many coordinators have gone on to be a head coach under James Franklin’s watch. Joe Moorhead and Ricky Rahne have each moved on from the offensive coordinator role to become a head coach in a short period of time.

If it all comes down to money, however, Penn State should be in a favorable position to outbid Kansas if it comes down to it. The benefit of a Big Ten revenue share and future outlook of the Big Ten payouts compared to what Kansas gets and will get in the Big 12 moving forward are very much an advantage for Penn State.

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5 offensive coordinators the Oklahoma Sooners should consider to replace Jeff Lebby

5 offensive coordinator the Oklahoma Sooners could target to replace Jeff Lebby.

Mississippi State has hired Jeff Lebby to be their next head coach, leaving Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator position vacant. The Sooners have now begun the task of replacing Lebby, who helped Oklahoma’s offense finish No. 3 in the nation in scoring and No. 4 in total yards.

Offensive coordinator for the Oklahoma Sooners is a position that will be incredibly attractive to a number of coaches across college football.

Here are five names we think the Sooners should consider.