Big 12 coach Andy Kotelnicki joins Big Ten school as new OC after Mike Yurcich's firing

Andy Kotelnicki is the new offensive coordinator for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He was hired from the Kansas Jayhawks, where he worked in the Big 12. The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported the news of his move to the Big Ten school.

Mike Yurcich left Penn State after losing to Michigan (24-15) on November 12. He was their offensive coordinator for three seasons. Kotelnicki, his replacement, has worked with Penn State’s head coach Lance Leipold for 11 years, including the last three at Kansas.

As per reports, Kotelnicki earned $1 million at Kansas and is anticipated to get a substantial salary increase in his upcoming role at Penn State.

Dan Orlovsky, a former NFL quarterback and current sports analyst at ESPN, praised Kotelnicki as a:

"Super creative" and "Open box mindset play designer and play caller."

During his time at Kansas, Kotelnicki's offense ranked 29th in the country for both total yards and points scored. The Nittany Lions, who ranked 81st in yards per play last season, have struggled in their biggest conference games. They are also looking to the transfer portal for more options at wide receiver.

At this moment, Kotelnicki will be working with a set of highly talented players at Penn State, including former five-star recruits Drew Allar and Nick Singleton.

The hype of Big 12 coach Andy Kotelnicki

Penn St Michigan St Football

In 2023, Kotelnicki's former team Kansas achieved its first winning season (8-4) since 2008. Kansas excelled at making long plays, with 67 of them being over 20 yards. This performance placed them 23rd in the nation.

Penn State, on the other hand, lagged behind with only 40 long plays and a dismal rank of 117th.

The Jayhawks did great last year, averaging 34 points and 434 yards per game. They kept up their high-scoring streak for two seasons, landing in the top 10 nationwide for points per play. They also made impressive gains of over seven yards per play on average.

The Nittany Lions ended their season with a remarkable 10-2 record, but their fate now lies in the hands of the New York Six committee.

Mike Yurcich left the Nittany Lions after their loss to Michigan. Andy Kotelnicki is now the sixth offensive coordinator under James Franklin.