After days of speculation, Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki decided to channel Jordan Belfort Monday evening: he’s not leaving.
“Beyond lucky to be a part of the Penn State Football Family,” Kotelnicki posted to X (formerly Twitter). Still a lot to accomplish this season and I am looking forward to what 2025 has in store for our program! #WeAre
Beyond lucky to be a part of the Penn State Football Family. Still a lot to accomplish this season and I am looking forward to what 2025 has in store for our program! #WeAre
— Coach Andy Kotelnicki (@Kotelnicki) December 9, 2024
This is huge news for Penn State because, for a while, it looked like he might not be with Penn State past the 2024 season.
West Virginia fired head coach Neal Brown on the first day of December, and not long after that, Kotelnicki emerged as a leading candidate.
Now, he’s next head coach, he’s out of the running all together.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.In addition to that, sources told both Nittany Sports Now and its sister outlet, West Virginia Sports Now, earlier in the day that “a major sticking point” for Kotelnicki was not wanting to leave Penn State before the true end of their season, so not until they were eliminated in the College Football Playoff or crowned national champions.
A national title game appearance would’ve pushed things all the way to end of January and create a significant disadvantage for West Virginia in trying to retool their roster, most notably through the transfer portal.
Even a first round exit would still delay West Virginia’s search well over another week. WVSN, heard from a separate source that they believed Kotelnicki was simply using the CFP as a way to play hardball.
Penn State is 11-2, and the offense, for the most part, has performed well, averaging 33.6 points per game. Under Kotelnicki’s watch, Penn State’s offense has become known for its excitement,something most feel the unit lacked from 2021-23 under Mike Yurcich.
Kotelnicki is familiar with the Big 12 based on his experience at Kansas, where he led the Jayhawk offense for three seasons. However, he would be a different type of choice for WVU AD Wren Baker since he doesn’t have head coach experience.
