Penn State offseason staff updates include added role for Ja'Juan Seider, new title for Andy Frank, more
Every college football program experiences staff changes after each season. Some come in the form of additions and departures. Others feature updated titles or a reshuffling of roles. Penn State has experienced both so far this offseason.
In December, the Lions lost one-time analyst Charlie Frye to the offensive coordinator job at Florida Atlantic. Last week, however, it filled that opening by bringing its former first-team All-Big Ten safety, Calvin Lowry, on board as an offensive analyst. He was most recently the receivers coach at Tulsa.
No other staff members have left the program yet. As we learned a year ago with the departure of Joe Lorig to Oregon, which brought Stacy Collins to town as the special teams coordinator in January, though, changes can sometimes happen later than expected. That said, things appear to be status quo for now.
However, Penn State revealed some updates to its existing staff directory this week. And, it features some notable nuggets.
Seider adds another title for the second straight offseason
We start with the 10-member on-field staff.
Last offseason, vaunted recruiter and top talent development Ja’Juan Seider added the title of co-offensive coordinator to his ledger alongside the running back coaches role he’s held at Penn State since 2019. He still has both of those titles.
Now, however, he is also listed as the assistant head coach.
While most titles generally relate more to an increase in pay rather than added responsibility, Seider will surely take some things off James Franklin’s plate as he continues building a resume that could one day earn him a job as a play caller or head coach. Corners coach Terry Smith does the same as the associate head coach.
“We’ve had a very loyal staff, but you also have to be loyal to where you want to go in this profession,” Seider told Statecollege.com in 2022 when asked about his career aspirations. “There are parameters that make sense where I feel like I can grow, where it makes sense for me to uproot my family. I have a son on the team who is going to be a senior. I got a daughter who is going to be in high school as a senior. For me to take them into an environment that I don’t think is the right situation, I won’t do it.
“But if I think it was a situation that’s going to help me get a next step, the next step to have a better chance to be head coach or call plays, then I’ll do it. I’m not just going to leave here for a lateral move; I don’t think that will benefit me down the road. And then I got a great situation here. I got a head coach with stability. He has a 10-year contract; that’s rare in college football. And as an assistant coach, the most important thing you have is stability.”
Seider was listed as a possible candidate in media reports for the FAU job that ultimately went to Tom Herman back in December. He enters his sixth season on Franklin’s staff.
Off-field staffers get updated titles, too
Andy Frank is the brain behind the plan for recruiting and roster management at Penn State. He has been with Franklin for years. He is now the General Manager of Personnel and Recruitment. It’s unlikely his role has changed in any enormous way. But, a pay bump seems like a certainty.
Ace off-field recruiter Kenny Sanders is now the Director of Player Personnel, which was Frank’s old title.
A few returning recruiting staffers also have new titles.
Caleb Tyler is now the Director of Recruiting Content. He was the recruiting coordinator for marketing and creative content and plays a big role in the graphics you see recruits post to social media, among many other things.
Hunter Carson is now the recruiitng coordinator for communication strategy, while Chris Mahon (offense) and Alan Zemaitis (defense) are now recruiting coordinators for personnel. All three carried assistant coordinator titles a year ago.
Penn State opens the 2023 season against West Virginia on Sept. 2. A kickoff time for the matchup at Beaver Stadium has not yet been announced.
