Penn State Defensive Coordinator Search: Names to Know

The Nittany Lions will be hiring their third coordinator in four years after Tom Allen departs for Clemson.
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin reacts in the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium.
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin reacts in the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Penn State football needs a new defensive coordinator again, as Tom Allen officially has left the Nittany Lions after one season for the same position at Clemson. Allen was popular among players and coaches for his temperament and teaching ability, but Franklin has proven more than capable of identifying, hiring and quickly integrating defensive coordinators in his program.

As Franklin said before hiring Allen last year, Penn State's defense is not in rebuild mode. The program is about winning now, which the returns of Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton, Kaytron Allen and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki have foreshadowed. Franklin is chasing hardware next season, and the defensive coordinator hire will reflect that.

Penn State's defense ranked sixth, fourth and fourth the past three seasons, according to ESPN's Football Power Index, and returns the horsepower (led by Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant) to get there again. Who are the candidates to harness the Nittany Lions' 2025 defense into another top-10 unit? Some names to consider for Penn State defensive coordinator.

Jim Knowles, Ohio State defensive coordinator: Swing away. Ohio State's third-year coordinator has the tools in Columbus, sure, but also knows how to deploy them. His system (primarily a 4-2-5) fits with Penn State's personnel. Knowles' defense held Penn State's offense without a touchdown for the first time in a decade, made Tyler Warren its leading rusher (41 yards) and Nicholas Singleton its leading receiver (6). There's no reason to believe Franklin could extract Knowles from Ohio State, unless something drastic changes at Ohio State (Ryan Day to the NFL). Franklin has made the call before. It's worth another.

Anthony Poindexter, Penn State safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator: Poindexter is sending Nittany Lions to the NFL at a rapid rate, helped Jaylen Reed and Zakee Wheatley produce fabulous 2024 seasons and has global respect on the staff. He's in the College Football Hall of Fame, has been a coordinator or co-coordinator before (at UConn and Purdue) and remains on short lists for jobs at other schools. He's ready for the role — if he wants it. Promoting Poindexter to DC further allows Franklin to make analyst Dan Connor a full-time staff member as linebackers coach.

Penn State assistant coach Anthony Poindexter stands with his team on the sideline during the Fiesta Bowl vs. Boise State.
Penn State Nittany Lions safeties coach Anthony Poindexter against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

D'Anton Lynn, USC defensive coordinator: Franklin admitted in October that he doesn't know Lynn, who played at Penn State in the 2000s, very well personally. He's a fan, though. Lynn upgraded USC's defense, particularly early in the season before things went south, and is a future head coach. "[With] the success that he had last year [as UCLA's defensive coordinator], obviously he's a guy that we had on our radar and have on our radar," Franklin said before Penn State played USC. Update: On Jan. 16, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Lynn reached a deal on an extension with USC.

Joe Rossi, Michigan State defensive coordinator: Franklin loves his Pennsylvania born-and-raised stories. Rossi played at Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Allegheny College. Franklin also loves Big Ten experience. Rossi has spent the past 12 years with conference teams, including six as Minnesota's coordinator and linebackers coach. Rossi had some good defenses at Minnesota and made incremental growth during a transition year on a new staff at Michigan State.

Tyler Santucci, Georgia Tech defensive coordinator: Looking for a riser in the profession? Santucci, 36, just completed his first season at Georgia Tech, which ranked fourth in the ACC in total defense. Prior to that he led a Duke defense that allowed 19 ppg in 2023 and has experience at Texas A&M and Wake Forest. Plus, Pennsylvania guy! (He played at Valley High School in New Kensington).

Bryant Haines, Indiana defensive coordinator: A Broyles Award finalist, Haines ran a top-10 defense in his first season at Indiana, which finished second nationally in total defense and sixth in scoring. Haines has something in common with Andy Kotelnicki in that he has been tied to one head coach. Kotelnicki spent a long time on Lance Leipold's staffs, and Haines has been with Curt Cignetti dating to his time at James Madison and IUP (bonus Pennsylvania points!). On3's Pete Nakos reported Haines as a candidate.

Wink Martindale, Michigan defensive coordinator: Swing for the fences, part 2. Martindale is the second-highest paid coordinator in the country, according to USA Today Sports, and would be a statement hire for Franklin and Penn State. How could the Nittany Lions possibly pry him from Michigan? Well, others are trying. According to FootballScoop, Martindale has lined up NFL interviews. Certainly Franklin has sent an interest-gauging text.

Al Golden, Notre Dame defen...: Nah, probably not.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is Editor and Publisher of AllPennState, the site for Penn State news on SI's FanNation Network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs and three Rose Bowls.