Source: Penn St. to hire Kansas’ Kotelnicki as OC

Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior WriterNov 30, 2023, 04:46 PM ET
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- College football reporter.
- Joined ESPN.com in 2008.
- Graduate of Northwestern University.

Penn State is set to hire Kansas offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki for the same role, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Kotelnicki has played a key role in Kansas’ turnaround under coach Lance Leipold, who he also worked for at Buffalo and Wisconsin-Whitewater. He will replace Mike Yurcich, fired by Penn State on Nov. 12 following the team’s 24-15 home loss to Ohio State.

The Athletic first reported Penn State’s expected hire of Kotelnicki, who also generated interest for head-coaching jobs this season, sources said.

Kansas on Thursday promoted quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski to co-offensive coordinator, although the team is still expected to hire a new playcaller, according to a source. Leipold also promoted defensive backs coach Jordan Peterson to co-defensive coordinator on Thursday.

A Minnesota native, Kotelnicki oversees a Kansas offense that ranks 29th nationally in both scoring and yards per game despite playing without starting quarterback Jalon Daniels for most of the season. Since the start of the 2022 season, Kansas ranks No. 6 nationally in yards per play (6.99) and 22nd in points per game (34.6 ppg).

Two of Penn State’s offensive coordinators under coach James Franklin, Ricky Rahne and Joe Moorhead, went on to land head-coaching positions at Old Dominion and Mississippi State, respectively.

Quarterback Drew Allar said after last week’s win over Michigan State that he intended to remain at Penn State for the 2024 season. Allar had 2,336 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and only one interception, but rarely attacked defenses downfield and struggled in losses to both Michigan and Ohio State.