Despite being just a few plays away for playing for a national title to end the 2024 season, Penn State decided to part ways with James Franklin following a disappointing 3-3 start to the 2025 season
With national title aspirations to begin the season, Penn State dropped an overtime game to Oregon in double overtime in late September, followed by two additional losses to UCLA and Northwestern.
Franklin would end up taking the head coaching job at Virginia Tech.
Penn State's search led to a number of coaches receiving extensions and raises that included names like Curt Cignetti (Indiana), Kalani Sitake (BYU), Eli Drinkwitz (Missouri) and former Nittany Lion linebacker Matt Rhule (Nebraska).
While the process took them longer than most would have liked, athletic director Pat Kraft landed a high quality hire in luring Iowa State's Matt Campbell to be the new leader in Happy Valley.
Campbell inked an eight-year deal worth up to $78.5 million, with over $70 million guaranteed.
OFFENSE
ROLE | COACH | PREVIOUS STOP |
| OC | Taylor Mouser | Iowa State OC / TEs |
| OL | Ryan Clanton | Iowa State OL |
DEFENSE
ROLE | COACH | PREVIOUS STOP |
| DC | ||
| Secondary | Deon Broomfield | Iowa State |
| Associate HC | Terry Smith | Iowa State CBs / Interim HC |
SPECIAL TEAMS
SUPPORT STAFF
ROLE | PERSON (PREVIOUS ROLE) |
| HEAD S&C | Reid Kagy (Iowa State head S&C) |
| GENERAL MANAGER | Derek Hoodjer (Iowa State Assistant AD for player personnel) |
| Chief of Staff | Skip Brabenec (Iowa State assistant athletic director for football / chief of staff) |
| Sports Performance Manager | Aaron Hillman (Iowa State director of football performance operations) |
| TBA | Trent Slattenow (Iowa State director of player personnel) |
2024 STAFF
| HEAD COACH | James Franklin |
| OFFENSIVECOORDINATOR / QUARTERBACKS | Andy Kotelnecki |
| DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR / LINEBACKERS | Jim Knowles |
| SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR / OLBs / NICKELS | Justin Lustig |
| ASSOCIATE HC / CORNERS | Terry Smith |
| CO-DEFENSIVE COORDIANTOR / SAFETIES | Anthony Poindexter |
| CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR / TIGHT ENDS | Ty Howle |
| WIDE RECEIVERS | Marques Hagans |
| OFFENSIVE LINE | Phil Trautwein |
| RUNNING BACKS | Stan Drayton |
| DEFENSIVE LINE | Deion Barnes |
| LINEBACKERS | Dan Connor |
QUARTERBACKS | Danny O'Brien |
| Offensive GA | Ken Ceh |
| Special teams analyst | Matt Colangelo |
| Assistant WRs | Mark Dupuis |
| Defensive analyst | Shane Eachus |
| Senior defensive analyst | Greg Gattuso |
| Assistant DL | Andrew Jackson |
| Assistant CBs | Jordan Lucs |
| Assistant QBs | Trace McSorley |
| Defensive analyst | David Parker |
| Assistant OL | Bill Queisert |
| Assistant TEs | David Rocco |
| Special teams analyst | Allen Tucker |
| Senior offensive analyst | James Urban |
| Defensive analyst | Brent Zdebski |
| Assistant RBs | Charles Walker |
| GM of personnel and recruitment | Andy Frank |
| Director of player personnel | Kenny Sanders |
| Director of recruiting content | Caleb Tyler |
| Director of high school relations | Bob Palko |
| Associate director of player advancement and rev share strategy | Brett Arnold |
| Associate director of player advancement and rev share strategy | Rashad Elby |
| Assistant director of player advancement and rev share strategy | Aeneas Hawkins |
| Recruiting coordinator for personnel and recruitment | DJ Bryant |
| Recruiting coordinator for operations and visits | Catherine Kennedy |
| Recruiting coordinator for personnel and recruitment | Chris Mahon |
| Recruiting coordinator for personnel and recruitment | Naz Oliver |
| Recruiting coordinator for personnel and recruitment | Alan Zemaitis |
| Assistant recruiting coordinator for operations and visits | Karsyn Kehler |
| Assistant recruiting coordinator for personnel and recruitment | Rashad Rich |
| Associate director of performance enhancement | Alvin Futrell |
| Assistant director of performance enhancement | Jeff Earls |
| Assistant director of performance enhancement | Jon Fleury |
| Assistant director of performance enhancement | Tyrone Smith |
| Director of performance science | Andrew Nelson |
| Assistant director of high performance | Dan Vasey |
| Director of player relations | Dann Kabala |
| Director of player engagement | Lauren Geppert |
| Director of player development | Jordan Hill |
| Director of coaching technology | Jevin Stone |
| Assistant video director | Blake Yunker |
| Assistant AD equipment operations | Ben Herman |
| Director of football equipment | Austin Cruz |
| Assistant director of football equipment | Juan Perez |