Penn State Coordinators Kotelnicki, Knowles Get 'Best in the Nation' Honor From CFB Insider

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Meyer | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 8:55 PM ET

The Penn State Nittany Lions proved many doubters wrong this past season during their run to the unofficial Final Four of the College Football Playoffs under coach James Franklin as they defeated SEC power Georgia before falling to Riley Leonard and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Coach Franklin made a key change this offseason as he snatched former Ohio State coordinator Jim Knowles away from the Buckeyes to coach his defense, while also deciding to keep Andy Kotelnicki aboard as offensive coordinator.

On Monday, the Nittany Lions' impressive duo of coordinators was given high praise by a College Football insider, who gave them an unofficial honor that is sure to inspire PSU fans this season and beyond.

"Penn State has the best coordinator pairing in the country," Pro Football Focus College Football Show analyst Max Chadwick said on X Monday as preseason coverage began heating up.

Knowles led the Buckeyes to one of the greatest four-game runs in college football history on their way to the 2024-25 National Championship as the Buckeyes beat Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame in consecutive games.

Kotelnicki led the Lions to the 2024 Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, a close back-and-forth contest that saw the Lions put up 37 points in a 45-37 loss to coach Dan Lanning's Big Ten Championship winning Ducks squad.

Coach Franklin's crew now has a chance to repeat and perhaps even surpass their success this coming season with a strong mix of continuity and fresh new ideas on board along with star players like Drew Allar and Nicholas Singleton ready to explode.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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