Penn State football offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is wrapped into CBS Sports' list for coordinators that can potentially take a head coaching position in 2026-27.
David Cobb named Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks, and Oregon co-defensive coordinator Chris Hampton as other candidates for future head coaching openings alongside Kotelnicki.
CBS Sports David Cobb says Penn State OC Andy Kotelnicki is a potential future head coach candidate
Cobb recognized that the 2025-26 season ahead has a few coaches on the hot seat at big-name schools.
At the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Bleacher Report provided seven head coaches whose job is on the line, including USC's Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma's Brent Venables, and Florida State's Mike Norvell. Auburn and Maryland are other potential openings after the season. It's a much more appealing job market than this offseason was, however, Kotelnicki is still only entering his second year with the Nittany Lions. Whether he wants to wait an additional year to build his resume beyond Drew Allar, Kaytron Allen, Tyler Warren, and Nicholas Singleton or not is the question.
"Penn State jumped from 53rd to 26th in total offense during Kotelnicki's first season as coordinator and could be even better in 2025," Cobb said as to why Kotelnicki is a good candidate. "With his quarterback and top two running backs returning and a receiver room that's been reinforced with veteran transfers, Kotelnicki has plenty to work with."
There's potential for him to stay that extra year to prove that even without these players, he can succeed. Cobb continued:
"The 44-year old Minnesota native picked up plenty of insight on how to run a program during his decade of working for Lance Leipold at Wisconsin-Whitewater, Buffalo and Kansas. Now that he's showing he can handle himself on the sport's biggest stage and apart from Leipold's watchful eye, Kotelnicki is starting to look like an attractive head coaching candidate."
Realistically, there may not be enough openings in those positions for Kotelnicki to put his name out there. USC and Oklahoma may be the most appealing openings, and there's always a chance that Riley and Venables aren't fired if they turn it around this coming season. There's a lot that factors into whether or not Kotelnicki leaves Penn State after the 2025-26 season, but if he does, he'll be a prime candidate and have more intriguing options to consider than in this past offseason.