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Nearing a Hire?: Penn State Board of Trustees Committee Schedules 2 Meetings

Could Pat Kraft and company be on the verge of bringing a new DC to Penn State?
Penn State's Next Athletic Director, Dr. Patrick Kraft, Speaks with Reporters at His Introductory Press Conference Friday, April 29, 2022 (photo courtesy of Penn State Athletics)

For whatever itโ€™s worth, the Penn State Board of Trustees Committee on Equity and Human Resources has scheduled meetings for Friday, Jan. 24 and Monday, Jan. 27.

Could this mean Penn State is on the verge of hiring a defensive coordinator?

Who knows, and itโ€™s certainly not a guarantee that this is the case.

When word got out that the trustees had scheduled meetings for Friday, Jan. 17, and Monday, Jan. 20, many thought this might be a sign that a hire was near. But that didnโ€™t turn out to be the case, and the search is now going on 10 days. This is the second consecutive winter in which head coach James Franklin and company are searching for a defensive coordinator.

 

HOW PSU GOT HERE

Tom Allen left Penn State for Clemson earlier this week.

Graphic by Clemson Athletics: Tom Allen

Hereโ€™s how Penn State got here. Not many people expected Tom Allenโ€™s stay at Penn State to only last one season. But thatโ€™s what ended up happening. Citing family reasons, Allen left Penn State for the same position at Clemson. So now, PSU is searching, and several names have been linked to the job. If Penn State is to stay in house, it will likely hire Anthony Poindexter, the teamโ€™s current co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach. As far as outside candidates, it feels like anyoneโ€™s guess. Possible candidates range from Ohio State DC Jim Knowles to UMass HC Joe Harasymiak.

Smeltzerโ€™s 7: An Updated Look at Penn State DC Candidates

Getting Knowles right after he helped Ohio State to a national title would be a big coup for Franklin and company. But who knows how realistic it is.

HOW MUCH WOULD THE NEW GUY MAKE?

How much is Penn State AD Pat Kraft willing to pony up for a new defensive coordinator?

Pat Kraft Penn St. Volleyball September 18, 2024 David Hague/NSN

So much will the next defensive coordinator make? For what itโ€™s worth, per a report by Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, Tom Allen is set to make $2 million annually over the next three seasons.

This is slightly more than he made at Penn State, where his salary was reported to be $1.5 million annually (starting salary) over three years.

Was the increased salary a big reason for Allenโ€™s move to Clemson? Maybe. Maybe not. But Allen is making more money, and he specifically cited in his farewell address that family was another reason he decided to make the move to Clemson.

PSU opens the 2025 season Aug. 30 against Nevada at Beaver Stadium.

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