Penn State hiring Andy Kotelnicki as offensive coordinator is a 'big-time' and 'fantastic' move: What they're saying
Penn State is bringing Andy Kotelnicki in as its next offensive coordinator. The former Kansas play-caller, who has long been with current Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold at both Buffalo and Wisconsin-Whitewater before going with him to Lawrence, replaces Mike Yurcich. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic first reported the news.
Yurcich, of course, was fired by Lions coach James Franklin before the regular season ended. Ja’Juan Seider and Ty Howle split the offensive coordinator duties for the final two games of the regular season. Who will call plays during the team’s to-be-announced bowl game is unclear. But, the hiring of Kotelnicki, who will join the Lions on the recruiting trail soon and will be able to evaluate the offensive personnel during the postseason, is being widely praised.
“This is a fantastic hire for @PennStateFball at OC to get Andy Kotelnicki,” former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky wrote on Twitter. “Super creative + open box mindset play designer and play caller.”
Added Penn State letterman and current college football analyst Adam Breneman on Twitter:
“Big time hire by James Franklin! Andy Kotelnicki: – Players love him – Innovative – NFL teams steal his concepts all the time.”
Play Caller Clubs podcast host Dan Casey said on Twitter that Kotelnicki runs “one of my favorite offenses to study.” You can see the film clips Casey uses to showcase Kotelnicki’s creativity and adaptability in the Twitter embed below. Can’t see it? CLICK HERE.
ESPN play-by-play announcer Mike Monaco also gave Kotelnicki high praise. Penn State will mark his first Big Ten job. But, he’s succeeded at multiple levels.
“I am a big believer in Andy Kotelnicki,” Monaco wrote. “Told us that every Sunday, he’d watch every Power 5 explosive play from that weekend to draw inspiration. Creative mind, excellent offense.”
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More on new Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki
Blue-White Illustrated subscribers were first to read about what Kotelnicki will bring to the Penn State offense. They also learned his favorite word, which should excite fans about what it to come on the field.
“My favorite word is distortion,” Koltelnicki told the Coach and Coordinator podcast. “Whatever you can do to distort the defense and create grass and create reads for defenders, you have to be able to do it.
“You always have to keep it in the forefront of your mind: How are we distorting the defense? How do you let your guys execute, my favorite ‘E’ word, execute, and I think distorting things, making defender cover a lot of area and be option sound, allows an offense to go.”
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