Penn State to hire Kansas' Andy Kotelnicki as offensive coordinator, AP source says

No. 10 Penn State is hiring Kansas’ Andy Kotelnicki as its offensive coordinator, a person with direct knowledge of the decision told the Associated Press on Thursday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details were being finalized, and the hire still needed university approval. However, Kansas announced it was promoting Jim Zebrowski from quarterbacks coach to co-offensive coordinator, while making no mention of Kotelnicki.

Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold also elevated Jordan Peterson to co-defensive coordinator from defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator.

At Penn State, Kotelnicki will replace Mike Yurcich, who was fired by coach James Franklin with two games left in the regular season after the Nittany Lions lost 24-15 to No. 2 Michigan.

Penn State (10-2) ranked 81st in the country in yards per play and especially struggled in its two biggest Big Ten games. The Nittany Lions lost to No. 6 Ohio State and Michigan, scoring a combined 27 points as first-year starting quarterback Drew Allar struggled.

At Kansas, Kotelnicki has been part of a staff that has directed a huge turnaround of what had been the worst football program in Power 5 for more than a decade.

The Jayhawks (8-4) are bowl eligible in consecutive seasons for just the second time in program history. This season, they ranked eighth in the nation in offense at 7.01 yards per play. Last year, they ranked sixth at 6.97 yards per play.