Since the 2021 season ended, James Franklin has been active in adding offensive and defensive analysts to his staff.
In yesterday’s pre-spring practice press conference, Franklin announced that he’s added former Delaware head coach Danny Rocco— a Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, native who played at Penn State in 1979 and 80 before transferring to Wake Forest— to his staff in an off-field role.
Rocco comes to State College after five seasons at Delaware, where he posted a 31-23 record before his firing at the end of the 2021 season. The Blue Hens finished 2021 with a 5-6 record.
”When you get guys like Danny Rocco to be able to join our program,” Franklin said, “not only his experience in the NFL, his experience as a head coach, experience as a coordinator, he’s also a letterman. I think that’s also been an emphasis that you’ve seen in our staff as well.”
Before taking the Delaware job, Rocco was the head coach at Richmond (2012-2016) and Liberty (2006-2011). His overall record as a head coach is 121-65. Before becoming a head coach, Rocco spent more than two decades assisting at schools such as Wake Forest (1984-86), Colorado (1987), Boston College (1991-93), Texas (1994-97) and Maryland (1998-99), as well as a year in the NFL with the New York Jets.
