Penn State: Cross Another Off The List For Defensive Coordinator

The search for Penn State football’s next defensive coordinator has one less name on the list.

James Madison defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill will be heading to Texas A&M, per a report by FootballScoop.

Hemphill will head to College Station to join Mike Elko’s staff. The former Ursinus College wrestler and football player will reunite with Elko after being a member of his staff while at Duke where he was the co-defensive coordinator from 2022-2023.

Hemphill was a name thrown around as a potential target for the defensive coordinator position James Franklin is currently looking to fill. He helped his Monarchs squad to a 9-4 record and the No. 21 total defense in the country.

Prior to his time with Duke, Hemphill was the safeties at Wake Forest from 2017-2019 before assuming defensive coordinator duties for Dave Clawson’s Demon Deacons.

He is known for having defenses predicated on the takeaway, something that Franklin is assuredly looking for, but will instead be heading to the SEC for his next challenge as a coordinator.

Penn State is currently being linked to current Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles while current safeties coach Anthony Poindexter also remains in play for PSU.

Although it remains to be seen what way Franklin decides to turn, the wheels are certainly in place from a university perspective to get the ball rolling and hire someone.

The Committee on Equity and Human Resources has meetings scheduled for January 23, 24 and 27 as they await the chosen coordinator and vote on a salary.