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Penn State announced Friday that Kansas assistant coach Andy Kotelnicki has been hired as the Nittany Lions’ new offensive coordinator.
The hiring was first reported Thursday by Bruce Feldman of The Athletic.
The 41-year-old Kotelnicki has been offensive coordinator at Kansas under Lance Leopold since 2021. He has not been assigned a position to coach at Penn State. He replaces Mike Yurcich, who also coached quarterbacks before he was fired last month.
“Our search process for an offensive coordinator was extensive and throughout it, Andy’s name kept rising to the top of the list,” Penn State coach James Franklin said in a statement released by the university. “Not only were we impressed with Andy’s history of successful offensive production, but he has proven ability to win at all levels and play to the strength of his personnel.
“In his 18 years as a play-caller, he has a track record of coming into a program and improving offenses, especially through explosive plays, third-down conversions and red-zone success. We are thrilled to have Andy and his family join us in Happy Valley.”
Kotelnicki helped Kansas win 16 games in three seasons since his arrival, which matches the 16 wins the Jayhawks had in the previous nine seasons.
With him on the staff, the Kansas offense ranks 12th in the country in plays of 20 yards or longer, 15th in plays of 30 yards or longer and 11th in plays of 40 yards or longer. The Jayhawks have scored at least 40 points nine times in the last three years.
Kotelnicki thanked Franklin and director of athletics Pat Kraft in a statement.
“It is a tremendous honor for me and my wife, Lindsey, to become part of a program with such a rich history of success,” he said, “and a tremendous family environment with an elite leader in Coach Franklin. I am excited to get to work with the tremendous staff and student-athletes we have at Penn State.
“I would also like to thank Coach Leipold, the coaching staff and the student-athletes who I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work with at Kansas and wish them nothing but the best.”
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