Penn State announced the hiring of new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki from Kansas on Friday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Kotelnicki will replace Mike Yurcich, who Penn State fired on Nov. 12, a day after a 24-15 loss to Michigan.
- Kotelnicki has been the OC at Kansas since 2021, following Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold from Buffalo and Wisconsin-Whitewater.
- Kansas ranks No. 8 in the FBS in yards per play this season, while Penn State is No. 81.
We got our guy. 🤝
Welcome to Happy Valley, Coach @Kotelnicki! #WeAre | https://t.co/6zLQaBIAWg pic.twitter.com/xAlC2gwbn6
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 1, 2023
“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 news release. “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. He has a track record of coming into a program and improving offenses, especially through explosive plays, third down conversions and red zone success. We are thrilled to have Andy and his family join us in Happy Valley.”
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Kotelnicki’s success at Kansas
In 2021, Kansas finished No 104 in yards per play. Last year, in Kotelnicki’s second season, the Jayhawks improved to No. 6 and played in a bowl game for the first time since 2008. This year, despite injury problems that included losing star QB Jalon Daniels for much of the season due to a back injury, the Jayhawks still ranked No. 8 in the nation, averaging 7.01 yards per play. The Jayhawks are 30th in scoring and have an 8-4 record, guaranteeing their first winning season since 2008. — Bruce Feldman, national college football insider
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Four thoughts on Penn State hiring Kansas OC Andy Kotelnicki: contract, creativity and more
What’s next for Kotelnicki at Penn State
Franklin said he was looking for someone who would be the head coach of the offense. Kotelnicki’s expansive experience as an offensive coordinator — beginning at Division III Wisconsin-River Falls — certainly fits the bill. Kotelnicki will be Franklin’s sixth offensive coordinator since arriving in Happy Valley in 2014. He inherits an offense that is set to return junior quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen but must revamp its receiving corps and presumably replace projected top-10 pick Olu Fashanu at left tackle. Though the Nittany Lions are 10-2 with a chance for a New Year’s Six bid, the offense was inconsistent most of the season and struggled to generate explosive plays.
Last week Franklin outlined what parameters he was looking for when hiring the offensive coordinator. He pointed to success on third downs, success on opening drives and explosive plays as three key areas. How that data aligns against the team’s toughest opponents is ultimately critical. Franklin also spoke of wanting to hire someone who has been doing it long enough to have an identity.
“Where you have to be careful is somebody could have a special quarterback or someone could have a generational wide receiver and it skews all the stats, that’s what makes it hard,” Franklin said. “That’s where the bigger sample size, the bigger body of work allows you to eliminate some of that risk and allows you to feel more confident in the decision. And also somebody that’s going to come and be able to use the personnel based on how it’s already been built, if that makes sense.”
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Kansas has 67 plays of 20-plus yards this season, which ranks 23rd. Penn State has just 40 (117th). Kotelnicki’s experience working with quarterback Jalon Daniels, who completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 2,014 yards and 18 touchdowns to four interceptions in 2022, certainly had to be an important part of Franklin’s search, as the head coach said hiring someone who could maximize Allar’s strengths would be a focal point of the process. — Audrey Snyder, Penn State beat writer
Required reading
(Photo: Missy Minear / Kansas Athletics)
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