When interim head coach Terry Smith started Penn State’s three-game win streak to end the 2025 season, a season that I may need to remind you began with national championship aspirations as the No. 2 team in the country, pundits, fans, and boosters alike made the argument that athletic director Pat Kraft needed to hire Smith full-time because he had the best chance of retaining the players and staff for 2026.
What those arguments missed is the fact that Kraft’s decision to fire James Franklin was not just a referendum on Franklin himself, but on the staff and players that he assembled to follow up his 2024 run to the College Football Playoff semifinal. If it’s time for change, why would you make the head coaching hire that necessitates the least amount of it?
Instead, Kraft hired Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell to replace Franklin, while still managing to retain Smith on Campbell’s staff as the highest-paid non-coordinator in college football. Other than Smith, much of Franklin’s staff has since departed the program.
Ty Howle and Danny O’Brien are joining James Franklin at Virginia Tech
Many of those coaches have followed Franklin to Virginia Tech, where he was hired as head coach. The latest batch came this week when Penn State tight ends coach Ty Howle left Happy Valley to become the offensive coordinator in Blacksburg, and longtime QB coach Danny O’Brien made a lateral move to join Franklin’s new staff.
DC Jim Knowles leaves for Tennessee
The biggest departure of the week came on Wednesday when it was reported by Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports that Jim Knowles would be leaving to become the defensive coordinator at Tennessee. Franklin hired Knowles away from Ohio State last offseason, making him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the country with a three-year deal worth at least $3.1 million annually. He was at Penn State for just one season. Campbell has his longtime DC, Jon Heacock, set to replace him.
OC Andy Kotelnicki expected to be out
On the offensive side of the ball, a similar move is expected as Campbell is bringing Iowa State offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser to Happy Valley. That will likely push out Andy Kotelnicki, who was brought in to revamp Penn State’s offense ahead of the 2024 season. Kotenlicki, along with O’Brien, aided in the development of Drew Allar from 2023 to 2024, but he and the Nittany Lions offense largely stagnated before his season-ending injury in 2025.
RB coach Stan Drayton heading to South Carolina
Kotelnicki is expected to be out, but another position coach has already left town. Stan Drayton, former Temple head coach, will be the next running backs coach at South Carolina. Drayton was hired last offseason to replace Ja’Juan Seider, Franklin’s ace recruiter and running backs coach, who left for Notre Dame.
Departures making room for Matt Campbell's Iowa State staff
With so many coaches heading out the door, Campbell is bringing much of his Iowa State staff with him to Happy Valley. Beyond Heacock and Mouser he has also added secondary defensive coordinator Deon Broomfield and offensive line coach Ryan Clanton.
Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein has yet to find his next destination, but is interviewing with Jon Sumrall at Florida.