Penn State assistant Dan Connor officially leading 'Linebacker U'

Former Penn State All-American Dan Connor has been Penn State’s de facto linebackers coach since NCAA rules loosened the restrictions on countable assistant coaches last summer. Now the Nittany Lions’ all-time leader in tackles has the official title.

After changes in the official Penn State staff directory this week, Connor is officially leading the way at Linebacker U as the team’s properly labeled Linebackers coach. 

“He’s a guy that everyone respects when he talks and it’s great for us,” former Penn State linebacker Kobe King said of Connor. “We learn a lot from him. He learns a lot from us. And he always wants us to get better every day. That’s where we get it from.”

Connor in his 11th year as a football coach

After wrapping up a six-year NFL career, Connor started his coaching journey at West Chester University in 2014. He spent two years at the high school level before moving to Division III Widener for three seasons. His big break came in 2022, when he was added to Manny Diaz’ defensive staff as an analyst. 

The issue at the time, however, was that Analysts like Connor were unable to work hands-on with players on the field. 

“The one limitation is you can’t coach the players on the field when you’re out there,” Connor said at the time. “So you’re sitting in through staff meetings, defensive meetings, the linebacker meetings, the unit meetings, preparing film, making cut-ups for the players, game planning. So pretty much everything that you do as a coach, except when we’re out there on the field, you can’t actively coach the players.”

Connor’s work behind the scenes caught the attention of James Franklin and the Nittany Lions’ staff. As Penn State moved on from Diaz after the 2023 season and Tom Allen just one year later, Connor remained a key retention piece on the staff. He stepped in for Allen early in the 2024 season to handle helmet communication for the Nittany Lions and went on the road recruiting in the fall and again in January, signifying his importance on and off the field.

A key returning piece for Penn State

Now the Nittany Lions will return Connor, defensive line coach Deion Barnes, cornerbacks coach Terry Smith and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter as the core of the defensive staff under Jim Knowles.

“It makes my life a lot easier,” Knowles said upon arriving at Penn State. “Veteran coaches who have been successful, but are also really low-ego guys, and I’ve talked to all of them and it comes through like, ‘Hey, we just want what’s best for Penn State, and we want what’s best for our players.’ And that allows for a free exchange of ideas, where everybody’s free to say what they want and what worked and what they knew and what could make us better.

“But it makes the whole process a lot easier, working with these guys that coach Franklin has here. How much they love the school, they love the program and they just want to do what’s best.”

Connor entering fourth season with the Nittany Lions

Connor played for the Nittany Lions from 2004-2007, racking up 419 tackles and earning back-to-back All-American honors in 2006 and 2007. He won the 2007 Chuck Bednarik Award as the best defensive player in the country and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. 

He’s spent the last three years back in Happy Valley, where he is proud to call home. 

“It’s a great place to live,” Connor said. “My family, they love it. Kids love it. And then giving back to the program. I mentioned this before, but when you’re a player, you’re a taker. You’re taking all the coaching, the support and everything.

“Being able to come back on the other side where, now, I can have an effect on these players lives, on and off the field, and give back to a program that meant so much to me. My career, my development as an adult, it pretty much defined who I am right now. Being able to give back to Penn State, and then have an effect on the players, it’s been unbelievable. The transition was easy, was smooth a couple of years ago, and there are no complaints. It’s really been unbelievable for me.”