Andy Kotelnicki’s new offense is paying off on the field and in recruiting

In Week 1 of the 2024 season, Penn State finally unveiled offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s new offense to great success. The Nittany Lions cruised in a 34-12 win over the West Virginia Mountaineers and with his newfound big-play mindset, junior quarterback Drew Allar threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 completions. 

Then, on Monday, the 2025 Nittany Lions got some help, landing four-star wide receiver Matthew Outten, who flipped his commitment from Virginia Tech after the Hokies fell to Vanderbilt 34-27 in Week 1. He had been committed to former Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry’s program since July 1, 2024. 

The 6-foot 200-pound playmaker versatile playmaker from Portsmouth, Virginia will be a perfect fit in Kotelnicki’s system flashing big-time ability as both a downfield target and a ball carrier. Outten has dominated for I.C. Norcom High School on screen passes and jet sweeps, his compact frame and elite agility making him impossible to tackle in the open field. 

Penn State fans got a look at Kotelnicki’s creativity on Saturday, and so did big-time recruits like Outten, who 247Sports ranks as the 139th-best player in the 2025 class and Penn State second best commit behind four-star cornerback Daryus Dixson. James Franklin’s class ranks 14th in the country. 

The Nittany Lions have been desperate for talent at the wide receiver position. For the present, Harrison Wallace III’s health is the No. 1 priority to sustain a dynamic passing game with Allar, but for the future, Franklin and his offensive staff needed an influx of talent in 2025. 2024 three-star Tyseer Denmark has impressed in his short time on campus but isn’t a reliable solution, however, the 2025 class might be. 

Against the Mountaineers, eight different Penn State receivers saw offensive snaps, but only two were targeted. Wallace led the way with eight and Omari Evans saw four. Tight end Tyler Warren and running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen combined for five targets, and despite playing the same number of snaps as Wallace, Allar did not look Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming’s way. 

Even if Wallace can bear the weight of WR1 targets this season Penn State lacks the personnel to fully capitalize on Kotelnicki’s creative motions and formations. Outten is the type of player who could line up in the backfield, the slot, and outside receiver and he could be the skeleton key for Kotelnicki’s system, especially once it's operating without a former five-star quarterback.

Outten joins Jeff Exinor Jr. the oversized hybrid four-star pass-catcher, three-star Lyrick Samuel, and recent commit Koby Howard, who joined the program on August 4. With a group of four quality receivers, Franklin and wide receivers coach Marques Hagans are beginning to stock the shelves for Kotelnicki to keep cooking beyond his first year in Happy Valley.