The State CollegeThe Penn State off-season hasn’t even begun yet. On Saturday, the Nittany Lions take on SMU in the College Football Playoffs’ opening round. Transfer portal targets are now being hosted by their employees. Despite this, James Franklin has already won two of his most significant offseason victories.
The roster ceiling for the following season was instantly raised when starting quarterback Drew Allaran declared his intention to rejoin the squad in 2025. In a similar vein, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki declared last week that he would return the next season, even though he was still interviewing for the head coaching position at West Virginia.
For the first time since the OC’s decision was made public, Franklin and Kotelnicki both addressed reporters on Monday. After taking a deep breath, Kotelnicki, a Minnesota native who moved from Kansas this winter, succinctly explained his reasoning for staying in Happy Valley.
Just what’s happening. First and foremost, I love the athletes I get to teach every day, Kotelnicki stated. The offensive staff I work with is top-notch, and working with Coach Franklin has been fantastic. To be honest, it was a really simple choice.
With the same vivacious demeanor he displayed during his initial press conference last offseason, when he talked about how he grew up hitting his skull against trees while wearing a Penn State helmet as his only form of protection, the first-year Penn State play caller entered the Beaver Stadium media room on Monday. He teasingly remarked, “It’s only the Playoff!” to a larger-than-usual group of media on Monday.
But in just one season, Penn State supporters have come to appreciate Kotelnicki because of that intensity. His play calls, which have made star tight end Tyler Warren a football unicorn, reflect his personality on the field.He helped Allar get closer to his five-star potential and greatly increased the explosiveness of Penn State’s offense this season.
Given all of those factors, Kotelnicki might end up being a head coach sooner rather than later. However, as Franklin stated on Monday, he may wait for the ideal moment, much as Brent Pry, Franklin’s longtime defensive coordinator, did when he chose to accept the top Virginia Tech position. Franklin made the case that Penn configuration, in its current configuration, is among the top five programs in the nation.
That has power attached to it. And are you content at the end of the day? Can you succeed and are you doing it in a good environment with decent people? “Franklin said.” Andy and his family, in my opinion, believe that we’re in a great position and that he can wait and accept the perfect opportunity.
In the middle of the 2023 season, Franklin sacked offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, while defensive coordinator Manny Diaz took over as head coach of Duke and special teams coordinator Stacy Collins rejoined his old role at Boise State. According to Franklin, it is both a blessing and a problem that Lions employees continue to attract outside attention.
To ensure that Kotelnicki, DC Tom Allen, and STC Justin Lustig caught up as soon as possible and that the integration process had no impact on this season, a great deal of preparation and effort were required. With an 11-1 regular season finale and the program’s first CFP berth, Penn State accomplished just that.
Although Kotelnicki may not be with Franklin indefinitely, his decision to remain in the area for the time being is a significant and exciting step toward the program’s future.
“The administration, [athletic director] Pat Kraft, and I will do everything we can to retain the staff and keep expanding and growing,” Franklin stated. For many reasons, [Kotelnicki’s] choice was significant. It’s significant because you don’t want to have to deal with this while trying to make the playoffs. When players are making decisions about their futures, you don’t want to be dealing with this. It goes without saying that these men and women also affect that. So, it’s been fantastic for many reasons.
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Max Ralph
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