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What has Penn State letterman Greg Gattuso said about leaving the top job at Albany for the Lions?

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•02/06/25•

GregPickel

Greg Gattuso (Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images)
Greg Gattuso (Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images)

Penn State letterman and Pennsylvania native Greg Gattuso is leaving FCS program Albany after 11 seasons as the Great Danes head coach to join the support staff at his alma mater. The 62-year-old Pittsburgh native will help with the Nittany Lions’ defensive line and also bring his background as a program alum and former head coach to town. He spoke with reporters in New York’s capital city on Wednesday about his decision. And, it was clear choosing to change jobs was both emotional and exciting.

“It’s two alma maters I’ve got to play at and coach at,” Gattuso said, per CBS6Albany. He also coached at his high school, Seton-LaSalle. “I can’t wait to get there. At the end of the day, it’s always been about the kids.”

Gattuso told The Times-Union that leaving his head coaching job had nothing to do with the realities of NIL and the transfer portal, which have both caused many in his position to find other jobs in recent years. Instead, the chance to work at Penn State, where he played along the defensive line from 1981-1983, was an opportunity he could not pass up.

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“It was a tough day, but can’t wait to get there,” Gattuso told WNYT.com. “I’ve got friends on the staff. Coach Franklin has been really great to me over the last 12 years. And get to go back and repay some of the good things. They’re pretty good. I’m excited to get to know the kids. The transfer portal has taken off some of that away from us, where we get to really know kids. And I’m excited.

“I mean, I feel like I’m at the tip of the spear, at the highest point you can get in college football now, to be part of a staff like that, the talent that’s there; it’s a learning experience for me. I’m just excited about getting there. And, you know, my job is different than it was here. My job is to be supportive and to help and work with the kids, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

What will Gattuso’s role be at Penn State?

“[Franklin] was looking for a veteran defensive line guy to come in and work with their defensive line,” Gattuso said. Besides playing the position, he coached it for a decade before becoming a head coach. “They have a great young [defensive line] coach in Deion Barnes, and I actually recruited Deion back when he was in high school. So, it just kind of happened out of the blue.”

He went on to add that one of his assistant coaches reminded him that, in the past, he said he’d never leave Albany unless it was to go to Penn State. That opportunity has now presented itself. His first day back at ‘home’ is Monday.

“This is about going to Penn State, nothing more,” Gattuso said, per The Times-Union. “I mean, I love it here.”

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