Penn State football safeties coach Anthony Poindexter will no longer be with the program starting in 2026. Poindexter made his announcement on Jan. 2 that his time in Happy Valley comes to an end.
"I want to take the time to say thank you for an unforgettable experience in Happy Valley," Poindexter addressed Nittany Nation in his statement. "To the players, it was an honor to coach each and every young man who came through this program. I am eternally grateful to every player and parent you trusted me and gave everything they had day in and day out."
Poindexter served as the interim defensive coordinator in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Nittany Lions beat Clemson 22-10 in the non-playoff bowl game, and their defense held the Tigers to 236 net yards and 3.6 yards per play.
In 2024, Penn State's safeties were part of a fourth-ranked FBS defensive unit in interceptions with 20. The Nittany Lions also had the seventh-ranked total defense in the country, eighth-ranked in scoring defense, 10th-ranked in takeaways, and 13th-ranked in passes defended.
Anthony Poindexter hired by Tennessee, joining Jim Knowles as his co-defensive coordinator
On that same day, he was announced as Tennessee's newest co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. He follows defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to the Volunteers, who reportedly made his move early in December.
Safeties coach Anthony Poindexter will follow ex-Penn State DC Jim Knowles to Tennessee, according to On3's Austin Price.
— Basic Blues Nation (@BasicBlues) January 2, 2026
Poindexter has been a key member of the Nittany Lions staff since 2021, coaching standouts like KJ Winston, Jaylen Reed, Ji'Ayir Brown, and Jaquan Brisker.… pic.twitter.com/BBWKpHDwLY
Linebacker Tony Rojas announced his return to Penn State one day before the announcement of Poindexter's departure. He made his decision on Jan. 1, allowing the Nittany Lions to ring in the New Year with hope for the future on the defensive side of the ball.
As Poindexter expressed his gratitude for the players, it's clear he made a significant impact on them as well. Rojas replied to his statement on social media, expressing the rarity it is to come across a coach like Poindexter.
"this one hurt," Rojas posted to Twitter/X. "one of the rarest coaches Ive seen actually care for us and build a genuine relationship with every player. appreciate you and love you coach."
In place of Poindexter, safeties coach Deon Broomfield will take the reins. He will also serve as Penn stat's pass game coordinator. Broomfield was the safeties coach at Iowa State from 2021-25 and added the pass game coordinator duties in 2023. He was also a defensive assistant for the Houston Texans. The Cyclones' defense finished the 2025 season in the top half of the Big 12, allowing 138 rushing yards per game. They also allowed 20.2 points per game in the season.