Penn State hiring Kansas coach Andy Kotelnicki as new offensive coordinator

James Franklin and Penn State have their new offensive coordinator.

Andy Kotelnicki, Kansas’ innovative and creative play-caller, is expected to be hired as Penn State’s new offensive coordinator, a source confirmed to PennLive.

The news was first reported by The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.

Kotelnicki will be the sixth offensive coordinator in Franklin’s 11 years in Happy Valley after the Nittany Lions fired Mike Yurcich a day after losing to Michigan on Nov. 11.

SOURCE: Penn State has a new OC, Kansas’ Andy Kotelnicki. Two YRs ago, KU was No. 104 in offense. Last year, in Kotelnicki’s 2nd season at KU, they improved to No. 6. This year, they rank No. 8...with a QB room rocked by injuries. https://t.co/z01WwHdxiohttps://t.co/z01WwHdxio

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) November 30, 2023

Some thought Joe Moorhead might return for a second stint in State College. Moorhead, now the head coach at Akron, became a fan favorite after directing prolific offenses that led Penn State to its first Big Ten title and a 22-5 record in 2016 and 2017. It’s unclear whether or not Moorhead was offered or turned down the opportunity to return to Penn State.

Franklin is bringing in Kotelnicki, a 43-year-old play-caller who has built a strong reputation for not only scoring points but doing so creatively over the last two seasons with Kansas.

Kotelnicki has experienced an unorthodox rise to this high-profile position. The former lineman at Division III Wisconsin-River Falls started his play-calling career at his alma mater followed by two years at Division II University of Mary. Then, he won back-to-back Division III national championships at Wisconsin-Whitewater with head coach Lance Leipold.

Kotelnicki followed Leipold to Buffalo in 2015 and then again to Kansas in 2021. After taking a season to get settled, Kotelnicki’s offense guided Kansas to its first bowl game since 2008.

Kansas averaged 35.6 points per game in 2022, ranking second in the Big 12 and 21st in the FBS. This year, Kansas averaged 33.6 points per game, ranking fourth in the conference and 30th in the FBS. The Jayhawks attained bowl eligibility each of the last two seasons with a 14-11 combined record, far better than they’ve been for the last 15 years.

Kotelnicki’s scheme, which has been described as a “wildly multiple, constantly clever attack,” is a big reason for Kansas’ recent success. Last year, The Athletic’s Max Olson wrote that Kotelnicki’s offense prides itself on, above all else, “creativity that causes confusion.”

The Jayhawks have used pre-snap motions and movement to great effect, putting defenses on their heels. They’ve spread the ball around to multiple running backs and receivers. They’ve generated chunk plays with 85 of 20-plus or more in 2022, eighth-most in the FBS. They’ve even utilized the triple-option at times with mobile quarterback Jalon Daniels.

“I love this offense,” Daniels told The Athletic. “The ability to mess with the defense is beautiful. When they’re confused, we already know what we’re gonna do. And that means we’re making the defense react to us. We go into the game with that mindset. We don’t want to play their game. We want them to play ours.”

In a lot of ways, that’s what Penn State needs. And frankly, that’s what it’s been lacking since Moorhead’s explosive offense took the Big Ten by storm in 2016 and 2017.

After Moorhead’s departure, Franklin struggled to find a perfect replacement. Ricky Rahne was promoted to run the offense in 2018 and 2019 with mixed results. The Nittany Lions averaged 34.8 points per game in that stretch. Then, Rahne left to become Old Dominion’s head coach in what felt like a mutual parting of ways.

Franklin hired Kirk Ciarrocca for the 2020 season and fired him after Penn State went 4-5 and averaged 29.8 points per game in the covid-affected season.

Then, Yurcich, someone Franklin really wanted, was hired. The Nittany Lions averaged 25, 35.8 and 37.7 points per game the past three seasons but posted an 0-6 record against Michigan and Ohio State during that stretch. Penn State’s inept performances this year against Ohio State and Michigan — 27 total points, 3.8 yards per play — led to Yurcich’s dismissal.

Now, the hope is Kotelnicki can reinvigorate Penn State’s offense as it enters a new landscape in 2024 with a 12-team College Football Playoff and without Big Ten divisions.

In the short term, Kotelnicki will have to make the most of Drew Allar, the former five-star quarterback who had an efficient but stop-start first year as the starter. The passing offense struggled mightily to produce big plays this year despite an outburst against Michigan State.

Kotelnicki will also have former Central York star and dual-threat backup Beau Pribula to utilize. The Nittany Lions are expected to bring back both running backs — Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen — with a committed focus on the transfer portal to help out at wide receiver.

Can Kotelnicki be the difference for Penn State? Can he move the offense in a positive direction in a new era of Big Ten and college football? Franklin is banking on it.