Meet Penn State football's entire 2024 staff: On-field coaches, analysts, recruiting coordinators, newcomers, and more

For the first time since James Franklin arrived in 2014, Penn State will start a season with three new coordinators. That’s not all that’s new about the staff assembled in 2024 by the 11th-year leader of the Nittany Lions, of course. However, many familiar faces do return for anywhere from their second to 11th season in State College, and some even pre-date the Franklin era in State College.

Below, we introduce you to everyone who has a hand in this year’s Penn State team, from the on-field coaches to support staff and much more.

Meet the Penn State on-field staff

Franklin enter seasons 11 in State College. Only one of his assistant coaches, Terry Smith, remains from his first staff back in 2014. However, aside from the obviously big changes at the coordinator spots, all of the assistants otherwise return.

Head coach – James Franklin (11th season)

Offensive coordinator – Andy Kotelnick (first season)

Defensive coordinator – Tom Allen (first season)

Special teams coordinator/outside linebackers and nickels coach – Justin Lustig (first season)

Associate head coach/defensive recruiting coordinator/cornerbacks coach – Terry Smith (11th season)

Assistant head coach/co-offensive coordinator/running backs coach – Ja’Juan Seider (seventh season)

Co-offensive coordinator/tight ends – Ty Howle (fifth season)

Offensive line coach – Phil Trautwein (fifth season)

Co-defensive coordinator/safeties – Anthony Poindexter (fourth season)

Receivers coach/offensive recruiting coordinator: Marques Hagans (second season)

Defensive line coach: Deion Barnes (second season)

Who are the Nittany Lions’ graduate assistants?

This section looks different than it did a year ago. As BWI reported last week, Danny O’Brien, who switched from an analyst role to a graduate assistant role before the 2023 season, is back in an analyst position and serves as the program’s de-facto quarterbacks coach. So, Penn State enters the 2024 slate with just three GAs, which is not a big deal, considering that analysts can now perform on-field coaching duties. The lone newcomer is former Penn State defensive back Jordan Lucas, who replaces Bryce Jones.

Offense: Kevin Ceh (second year, will have offensive line focus)

Defense: Torrence Brown (second year; Lions letterman will have defensive line focus); Jordan Lucas (first year, will work with the secondary)

Penn State analysts

Penn State will have 15 analysts in 2023. Last year, it had 12. In 2022, it had 10. So, this department continues to grow. The newcomers are defensive analysts Thomas Allen (son of Tom), Vic Hall, Jeff McInerney, and Zach Terrill, special teams analyst Keith Bruno, and offensive analysts Mark Dupis and Bill Queisert. Because analysts can have an on-field role now, we will include below their likely area of work during practices.

Thomas Allen: Defensive analyst/general defense

Keith Bruno: Special teams analyst

Dan Connor: Defensive analyst/linebackers

Mark Dupuis: Offensive analyst/receivers

Vic Hall: Defensive analyst/cornerbacks

Frank Leonard: Offensive analyst/offensive line

Jeff McInerney: Defensive analyst/general defense

Danny O’Brien: Offense analyst/quarterbacks

David Parker: Offensive analyst/receivers

Bill Queisert: Offensive analyst/offensive line

David Rocco: Offensive analyst/general offense

Eric Sachse: Special teams analyst

Robb Smith: Offensive analyst/offense and defense

Zach Terrill: Defensive analyst/general defense

Charles Walker: Offensive analyst/running backs

Meet the Lions’ recruiting staff

Longtime James Franklin staff member Andy Frank leads this group as the General Manager of Personnel and Recruitment. His righthand man is ace recruiter Kenny Sanders. This department looks fairly similar to how it did a year ago. The lone newcomer is Karsyn Kehler.

Here’s the recruiting department staff list:

Andy Frank – General manager of personnel and recruitment

Kenny Sanders – Director of player personnel

Caleb Tyler – Director of recruiting content

Bob Palko – Director of high school relations

Khalil Ahmad – Recruiting coordinator for personnel and recruitment

D.J. Bryant – Recruiting coordinator for personnel and recruitment

Catherine Kennedy – Recruiting coordinator for operations and visits

Chris Mahon – Recruiting coordinator for personnel and recruitment

Alan Zemaitis – Recruiting coordinator for personnel and recruitment

Rashad Elby – Assistant recruiting coordinator for personnel and recruitment

Karsyn Kehler – Assistant recruiting coordinator for operations and visits

Rashad Rich – Assistant recruiting coordinator for personnel and recruitment

Football administration staff

If you see Penn State coach James Franklin on game day, there’s a good chance Kevin Threlkel and/or Destiny Rodriguez are in the area, too. That duo makes up two of the four key members of this staff.

Kevin Threlkel – Associate athletic director, Chief of Staff

Ben Kerr – Director of Football Administration

Will Reimann – Director of Football Research and Strategy

Destiny Rodriguez – Director of External Operations

Sports performance staff

Chuck Losey is the university’s associate athletic director for performance enhancement for football. The sports performance staff remains the same except for one key change: Lions letterman Andrew Nelson replaces Josh Nelson as the Director of Performance Science. Josh Nelson left for the NFL following the 2023 season.

Alvin Futrell – Associate director of performance enhancement

Jeff Earls – Assistant director of performance enhancement

Jon Fleury – Assistant director of performance enhancement

Tyrone Smith – Assistant director of performance enhancement

Leanne Louden -Director of Football Nutrition

Andrew Nelson – Director of Performance Science

Player development and video staffs

Penn State now has six people across these two departments, up from five a year ago. The first focuses on anything from NIL to community service initiatives, player interactions with fans, schools, and the like, and engagement opportunities. The latter is obvious: It runs the film operation for the program.

Dann Kabala – Director of Football Player Relations

Brett Arnold – Assistant Director of Player Relations

Lauren Geppert – Director of Player Engagement

Jordan Hill – Director of Life Skills

Jevin Stone – Director of Coaching Technology

Blake Yunker – Assistant Video Director

Meet the Penn State sports medicine staff

Penn State has six people in this department, according to its media guide. It is unchanged from a year ago.

Andy Mutnan – Head athletic trainer

Raymond Champagne – Football athletic trainer

Tesa Johns-Bostick – Football athletic trainer

Matt Peragine – Football athletic trainer

Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli – Director of Athletic Medicine

Dr. Gregory Billy – Team physician

Academics staff

This is another department whose name says it all. Penn State football has eight staff members in this area, led by Director of Football Academic Services Todd Kulka. He returns with some new faces. Here’s the list:

Christa Sist-Morris – Assistant director of Football Learning Services

Todd Kulka – Associate Director of Football Academic Services

Martin Solomon – Associate Director of Football Academic Services

Jovahn Fair – Assistant Director of Football Academic Services

Nicole Rao – Assistant Director of Learning Services

Jessica Martin – Learning Specialist

Jacob Reeder – Learning specialist

Bridget Kisslak – Administrative support assistant

Penn State staff for support, equipment, communication, and content

This is the final group listed, but it’s also an extremely important one. This group handles everything from all of the logistics surrounding James Franklin to uniforms and helmets and everything in between, lettermen, and more.

Heidi Erb – Executive assistant to the head football coach

Angie Hummel – Administrative support assistant, business and finance

Wally Richardson – Director of the Football Letterman’s Club

Ben Herman – Senior director of football equipment

Austin Cruz – Director of football equipment

Juan Perez – Assistant Director of Football Equipment

Greg Kincaid – Assistant athletic director, football communications and content

Kristina Petersen – Senior associate athletic director, strategic communications

Paul Marboe – Assistant director, strategic communication

Matt Rudisill – Assistant director, strategic communication

Riley Joslin – Director of football social media

Zhanee Anderson – Football graphic designer

Hunter Neel — Football graphic designer