Penn State Football to hire Co-DC Anthony Poindexter: What you need to know

Work to do with the safeties

Safety play has been a weak spot in the Nittany Lions defense over the past few seasons and was particularly an issue early in the 2020 season.

With Lamont Wade entering the NFL, Penn State Football has a hole to fill in the back end of the defense next to Jaquan Brisker, who also needs to reach new levels this season if the defense is going to take the next step.

Poindexter served as the safeties coach at Virginia, UConn and Purdue after being an All-American safety in college. He was drafted in the seventh round of the NFL Draft and spent three seasons in the league with the Ravens and Browns.

Last season, Purdue’s safeties finished fourth and fifth on the team in tackles with 33 and 32 respectively. Safety Brennan Thieneman had one pass breakup and a forced fumble, while Cory Trice had two pass breakups.

The Nittany Lions group of safeties is young and rather inexperienced with Ja’Ayir Brown and Enzo Jennings vying for the starting spot, so Poindexter will have to some to do with this group.