Tag: Tom Allen

Penn State set to host elite former Michigan commit this summer

Could Michigan’s loss be Penn State’s gain? Nittany Lions prepare to host former Wolverines commit.

Penn State is going to have a busy spring and summer as they attempt to keep adding elite recruits to their class of 2025.

As it stands right now, they have 11 commitments that puts them at No. 5 in rankings according to 247Sports.

It’s a good start for the Nittany Lions, but with the Big Ten expanding and welcoming in four new top schools from the Pac-12 conference heading into the 2024-25 season, they’ll be looking for as many good, young players as possible.

Penn State was able to get themselves back into the running for an elite 2025 cornerback following a decommitment from Michigan after Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL.

According to Sean Fitz of On3, consensus four-star [autotag]Chris Ewald[/autotag] has locked in an official visit for the weekend of June 21.

This is a great sign for the Nittany Lions.

Ewald, a Florida native, initially decommitted from the Wolverines back in January to re-open his recruitment. Since then, he’s been visiting a number of schools across the country in the SEC and Big Ten.

Penn State has maintained contact with the 5’11”, 165-pounder even after his commitment, getting themselves back in the picture to land the four-star.

“I have to find the place where I feel most comfortable. It will come down to the environment, coaching and things like that,” Ewald told On3.

On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine has the Miami Hurricanes as huge favorites to earn a commitment from the four-star, giving them a 86.7% chance.

Based on proximity, this makes sense, but Penn State has also shown an ability to recruit the state of Florida well in the past and the addition of new defensive coordinator [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag] and his Florida connections could help tremendously going forward.

This will be an interesting process to follow as Ewald is set to visit multiple elite schools in the coming months before making his decision.

New Penn State coordinator on CBS Sports’ list of most consequential offseason hires

Penn State’s new OC seen as one of the most consequential hires ahead of next season

Penn State is going into the next football season with two new coordinators. [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag], the former Indiana head coach on the defensive side, and former Kansas offensive coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] to run the offense.

The latter has been tied to Kansas head coach Lance Leipold throughout his career and is now tasked with resurrecting an offense with talent but one that underperformed mightily a season ago.

CBS Sports’ David Cobb listed Kotelnicki seventh in his ten most consequential coordinator hires ahead of the 2024 college football season made during the offseason. Six out of the ten coaches on Cobb’s list are Big Ten coaches, making many teams in the reconfigured Big Ten on the short list of teams to watch this upcoming season.

Cobb notes that Kotelnicki has a tall task ahead of him and a significant amount of pressure to improve a unit that was not dynamic enough last year.

After more than a decade of working exclusively with Lance Leipold, Kotelnicki will be asked to mesh with 11th-year Penn State coach James Franklin and unlock the Nittany Lions’ offensive potential. Penn State is replacing both coordinators — Tom Allen is also stepping in for DC Manny Diaz, who accepted the Duke job — but the offense will be more closely scrutinized after a lack of explosiveness kept it from reaching its full potential in 2023. The Nittany Lions tied for 116th in plays of 25-plus yards last season with just 26. Kotelnicki’s offense at Kansas ranked No. 23 nationally with 50 plays of 25-plus yards, even while running the football far more often than throwing it. In theory, hiring Kotelnicki will allow Penn State to get more offensively dynamic while keeping its defensive identity and run-first ethos.

The word “unlock” strikes a chord with many Penn State fans. It seemed like the talent was there last year, but the production and consistency were severely lacking. Kotelnicki now has the pieces to run a high-powered offense, and his calling card of explosive plays while committing himself to running the ball seems to line up with what [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] is looking for in his offense.

Without a doubt, Kotelnicki has his work cut out for him despite the talent, and all eyes will be on him to bring Penn State’s offense to a similar level as its defense.

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Abdul Carter switching positions in Penn State’s defense in 2024

Penn State’s best defensive player switching positions ahead of the 2024 season.

Spring practices are underway in Happy Valley, so a new football season is approaching. Earlier today, Penn State fans got wind that the school updated its 2024 roster, which included position changes for a few players.

No position change was more notable than All-Big Ten linebacker [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] switching to defensive end. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound junior had a solid finish last season, tallying 4.5 sacks, including 3.5 in November. Carter owns 11.5 sacks through his two college seasons, and ever since he dawned the No. 11 Penn State jersey, he has been compared to [autotag]Micah Parsons[/autotag].

A similar plan was often discussed before Parsons’ last season at Penn State to get him more pass-rushing opportunities, but that never fully materialized.

This time around, it looks as though [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag] are looking to maximize their best defensive player’s ability to disrupt opposing offensives. With the switch to defensive end, Carter can form a potentially potent pairing with former five-star recruit [autotag]Dani Dennis-Sutton[/autotag] and help replace the productivity lost from [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag] and [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag].

Penn State will now have to replace Carter’s spot at linebacker, but that might be taken care of with another position change. Former safety Tyrece Mills is now listed as a linebacker on the team’s roster and could replace the roles of either NFL draft-bound [autotag]Curtis Jacobs[/autotag] or Carter.

Former All-Big Ten linebacker Abdul Carter switched to defensive end ahead of the 2024 season, just like a Penn State great did before him.

Like with Micah Parsons a few years ago, no matter Abdul Carter’s position, he will be a disrupter. Watching an entire season of Carter at the defensive end and how this change can make the Penn State defense more dynamic will be exciting.

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Georgia linebacker Mantrez Walker places Penn State among top five schools

Penn State makes the latest top schools cut for a former Michigan commit.

Penn State already has three linebackers in its 2025 recruiting class, but that doesn’t stop the defacto “LBU” from trying to add talent to its notoriously talented position.

With three-star Georgia linebacker Mantrez Walker announcing his top five schools yesterday morning, Penn State is now a finalist for another top linebacker in the class of 2025. Walker’s other finalists are Colorado, Miami, Ole Miss, and LSU.

Walker was initially committed to Michigan but de-committed in September. 247Sports lists Walker as the no. 43 best linebacker in his class.

When discussing his top five with 247’s recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong, Walker had this to say about Penn State’s program and the lure of being “LBU”:

“Them being LBU and consistently putting linebackers into the league. They’ve recruited me since my sophomore year and although Manny Diaz left I still feel some love from
them. Coach Franklin has great stability in Happy Valley and that’s something that is very important especially in these days of the portal and stuff. I feel like they just need the right pieces to get over that hump and I feel like I could help with that.”

It does seem that Manny Diaz’s departure was a pretty big deal for Walker, but [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] certainly has done a great job stabilizing his defensive coaching staff with the hiring of [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag].

Walker would be a cherry on top for a 2025 class that already holds commitments from three linebackers, including two four-stars. Penn State has some stiff competition, with four big programs also in the fold, but Walker would add more depth to an already talented class.

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2025 Four-star in-state linebacker Alex Tatsch commits to Penn State

Dominate the state! Four star in-state linebacker commits to Penn State

On Sunday evening, Penn State received its ninth commitment from the Class of 2025, which currently ranks as the sixth-best class in the nation according to 247Sports, when inside linebacker [autotag]Alex Tatsch[/autotag] pledged his commitment to [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and the Nittany Lions.

Tatsch, a Latrobe, PA native, is a four-star and top-10 Pennsylvania recruit. His quickness and elite ball skills make him a prototypical middle linebacker who can cover.

Tatsch had this to say to Rivals.com on his commitment and new Penn State defensive coordinator [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag]:

“I feel like the best fit for me,” Tatsch said. “Everything about it – the fit, high level football, teammates, the campus, all the coaches there – I feel like it’s the best fit for me. I think we can do some special things there.”

“It was good talking to coach Allen,” he said. “I got to know him better and see his mind behind football and how he teaches the game. I enjoyed it and I think he does it the right way. He thinks I can do a little bit of everything. As far as the position, I’m definitely an inside guy for him. He thinks I could be on the field for the 4-3 or 4-2-5.”

Tatsch’s ranking has a great chance of increasing as the Class of 2025 gets more flushed out after National Signing Day takes place this Wednesday for the 2024 class.

Tatsch joins New Jersey native [autotag]DJ McClary[/autotag] as the two linebackers in the Class of 2025. Both are considered inside linebackers and should be a noteworthy duo during their time at State College.

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Report: Boise State hires special teams coordinator Stacy Collins away from Penn State

Boise State hires special teams coordinator Stacy Collins away from Penn State

[autotag]James Franklin’s[/autotag] offseason will now include replacing all three coordinators on his staff. He already hired [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] to replace Mike Yurcich and [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag] to replace Manny Diaz last month.

It was reported Friday morning by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg that Penn State’s special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach [autotag]Stacy Collins[/autotag] will be returning to Boise State. Collins coached at Boise State during the 2021 season before being hired by Franklin.

Based on Rittenberg’s report, it looks as if Collins will receive a promotion once returning to Boise, gaining the title of assistant head coach. The special teams unit stood out this year and seemed to never miss a beat on gameday. His work with the linebackers and recruiting prowess will definitely be missed in Happy Valley. Collins was also a major factor in handing over punter returning duties to nickel cornerback [autotag]Daequan Hardy[/autotag] partway through last season. Hardy flourished in his new role and even returned two punts for touchdowns against UMass.

It is now a full-blown turnover for Penn State’s coaching staff under Franklin, with three new hires all in the matter of one offseason. Whoever takes the reigns of Collins’ room has plenty of talent to work with, including star running back and returner [autotag]Nicholas Singleton[/autotag], along with punter [autotag]Riley Thompson[/autotag] and Tulsa transfer [autotag]Chase Meyer[/autotag] at kicker.

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Penn State gets another addition with Florida transfer cornerback

Penn State adds defensive back from SEC school out of transfer portal.

Penn State has things absolutely rolling in the transfer portal during the early cycle.

Wide receiver was the biggest need they had to address and they were able to land [autotag]Julian Fleming[/autotag]. Then two players from Wisconsin decided to come to Happy Valley with offensive tackle [autotag]Nolan Rucci[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Jordan Mayer[/autotag] transferring to Penn State.

The good news continued to come when former five-star cornerback and Georgia Bulldog, [autotag]A.J. Harris[/autotag], committed to the Nittany Lions.

Now, [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] has landed another defensive piece by getting Florida cornerback transfer [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] to flip his commitment from Louisville to Penn State on Thursday.

The 6’0″ 185-pound corner initially enrolled at Georgia coming out of high school as a four-star rated prospect and the No. 105 player in the 2020 class.

He then transferred to Florida in 2022 and spent two seasons there, playing in 25 games and recording 36 tackles with one interception.

Kimber will spend his final year of eligibility with Penn State and could become an immediate starter with only one upperclassman in the cornerback room.

Initially, it looked like he was headed to Louisville after he committed to them early on in his process without ever visiting their campus.

Kimber still decided to see Penn State and that’s where his thought process started to change after meeting with the coaching staff and developing a relationship with cornerbacks coach [autotag]Terry Smith[/autotag].

The next steps will move quickly for the Nittany Lions.

Greg Pickel of BlueWhiteIlustrated reports, “Kimber is likely to enroll for the spring semester and start classes next week. That, of course, will allow him to participate in spring practice.”

Getting him involved in spring practices will be an important step to ensuring he can be a starter on this team heading into next season as he’ll get a full offseason of work with new defensive coordinator [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag].

It’s been a great transfer season so far for Penn State and it doesn’t seem like they are done adding yet.

Michael Penix Jr. raves about Penn State’s new DC at CFP National Championship media day

Michael Penix Jr. raves about Tom Allen at CFP National Championship Media Day.

The College Football Playoff National Championship game kicks off Monday night from Houston’s NRG Stadium, but before then, we had media day throughout the day on Saturday.

Both head coaches Jim Harbaugh and Kalen DeBoer spoke to the media and players from both Michigan and Washington, respectively. When Huskies’ star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. took the podium, he was asked about his path to the title game, and one man in particular stood out: [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag].

The newly hired Penn State defensive coordinator and ex-Indiana Hoosiers head coach recruited Penix to Bloomington. He believed in the future Heisman runner-up after Tennessee’s new staff under Jeremy Pruitt didn’t see a future with Penix. Although Penix’s career in Indiana was riddled with several season-ending injuries, there was no love lost between Penix and his former head coach.

“He’s a great coach. He’s a coach that it’s easy to love him because of the guy he is, the person he is. I feel like he cares about his players. He cares about the person more than the player. I feel like he’s a guy that will definitely do great things at Penn State (as DC). He’s going to bring great leadership. He’s going to bring great energy, intensity each & every day. He was always the same guy every day & always had that same energy, same spark, trying to help the team be better in any way that he could. I feel like they’re definitely getting a good coach” – via @Brett_McMurphy

Now preparing to start his final collegiate game in the National Championship, Penix will get the chance to go out with a bang if he can deliver a title for the Huskies. Allen is a big reason why he is in this position. After all, he is the one who hired Kalen DeBoer, his offensive coordinator, to work with Penix in 2019.

It sure sounds like [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] made a homerun hire with Allen as his new defensive coordinator. Former players raving about their coaches is always a good sign, and Penix’s quote sure makes it seem that Penn State has a tremendous leader to coach its defense.

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Hakeem Beamon announces return for 2024

The Penn State defensive line will get a nice boost with the return of this key player in 2024.

Following in the footsteps of fellow defensive tackle [autotag]Dvon Ellies[/autotag], a simple post on social media was all it took for defensive tackle [autotag]Hakeem Beamon[/autotag] to announce his plans for the 2024 season. Just as Ellies did yesterday, Beamon is committed to another year along Penn State’s defensive front.

Beamon announced his plans on X (formerly known as Twitter) to return for his sixth season in State College. Both Beamon and Ellies were granted a sixth year of eligibility due to the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

Beamon was a mainstay on the interior of Penn State’s defensive line, playing in all 13 games in each of the past two seasons. This year, Beamon contributed 12 tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss. Along with Ellies, Beamon will make the life of new defensive coordinator Tom Allen a lot easier when building his defense next season.

Both of these returning players come as a bit of a surprise for Penn State, but a great surprise nonetheless.

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Tom Allen ‘fired up’ to be Penn State’s defensive coordinator

It sounds like Tom Allen is really looking forward to his role as Penn State’s defensive coordinator.

The past two defensive coordinators that Penn State has employed have gone on to become head coaches at other programs.

That’s the reality for top programs across the country who see a particular side of the ball have success.

Assistants get poached.

Just look at what Alabama’s coach Nick Saban has had to deal with throughout his tenure while continuing to dominate college football.

[autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] has found himself in a similar predicament after Brent Pry left to become the head coach at Virginia Tech in 2021 and [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] just departed to take over the head job at Duke.

Coach Franklin went a similar route that he took when hiring Diaz. He gave the job to a coach who was just fired from his head job at a previous school.

[autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag] immediately will jump into his defensive coordinator role with the Nittany Lions after serving as Indiana’s head coach from 2017-23.

But he’s not looking at this opportunity to springboard to another job in the future. He made that abundantly clear at his introductory press conference after officially being introduced as the next DC of the program.

“I’m not coming here for that purpose, I’ll tell you that. I’m coming here to be defensive coordinator. I’m 53 years old. I’ve had some great opportunities. I am so fired up to be in this position at this place,” he said.

Before getting the head job at Indiana, Allen was the Hoosiers’ defensive coordinator in 2016 after coming from the same position at South Florida in 2015. Prior to that, he was last a DC at Ben Davis High School in Indiana before taking over the head coaching role and then moving to the college ranks.

“I think about that role, I feel like I’ve grown so much since the last time I was a defensive coordinator only and not the head coach and want to use that to really allow me to be a better defensive coordinator, a better, a better assistant,” Allen added.

Franklin stated that he is looking for a leader of the defense, something that Diaz was able to do during his short tenure. He, no doubt, thinks Allen will bring a similar style after landing on him following the interview process.

“I feel like I’m gonna be a much better assistant, a much better leader of the defense, and I’m very excited about that role and can’t wait to be able to have that as my focus and not the 10,000 other things that you have to do when you’re head coach,” Allen said at his press conference.

He’ll be taking over an elite unit and talent that he has not had the opportunity to work with during his coaching career. With his focus solely on running the defense, Allen will look to continue keeping Penn State’s defense one of the best in the country.