Penn State’s new offensive coordinator talks about Beau Pribula’s “elite athleticism”
The Central York University graduate and redshirt sophomore QB is expected to play a larger role in the newly formed offense under new OC Andy Kotelnicki.
Much of Penn State football’s uncoordinated offense from 2023 returns for a cautiously optimistic encore.
How different (more explosive, more productive in big games) can it possibly be?
All eyes will be on new coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s group when it opens at West Virginia on Aug. 31 and then spends the next month at Beaver Stadium. While the Nittany Lions seemingly have the talented offensive players to contend for a Big Ten title, the continuity of the whole needs to be a marked improvement — especially when it comes to passing down low.
Despite some shifts and changes, the defense should be as strong as in previous years.
Below are links to breakdowns and depth charts for each of Penn State’s position groups for 2024:
Breakdown of Penn State football positions
▶ Offensive line
Offensive Line Guide: Position allocation: Penn State’s deep offensive line needs to put pieces in the right places
Under coach James Franklin, this group has more depth than ever before.
The hoped-for revival of the offense under Kotelnicki – which also includes a real unicorn among the rookies – starts here at the line. A good sign: The center is one of the team’s six captains and perhaps its strongest leader.
▶ Quarterbacks
Drew Allar is tasked with turning his careful, cautious decisions into a more explosive passing attack down the field, and his collaboration with his wideouts will play a big role this season.
The same goes for Beau Pribula, his talented dual-threat backup in a more significant role.
▶ Running backs
Penn State can enjoy a rare third year with Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen as alternating tailbacks.
▶ Recipient
Still the biggest question mark behind the entire team.
An impressive No. 1 player will need to emerge and stay healthy from a group led by Tre Wallace, transfer Julian Fleming and Liam Clifford, none of whom have been regular starters for the Lions.
▶ Tight ends
Tyler Warren may be the most underrated tight end in the country given his all-around skills and pro potential.
But Penn State has relied on sets with two or even three tight ends since Bill O’Brien took over over a decade ago. How will the rest of this crowded position group fare?
▶ Defensive line
This is probably one of the top groups in the country.
The Lions will draw on an unusual amount of experience, particularly in tackling, but ultimately they will be judged on their presence and pressure from the outside, which will be further enhanced by Abdul Carter’s positional switch.
▶ Linebackers
Kobe King provides reliable captaincy in the middle.
The outside positions will be interesting to watch, though. How often will Penn State use more than two linebackers at once under new coordinator Tom Allen?
▶ Cornerbacks
Position coach Terry Smith has helped make this room arguably the strongest and most talented on the roster.
Expect a strong rotation, at least to start, led by high-profile transfers AJ Harris and Jalen Kimber.
▶ Fuses
The Lions boast the best trio of safeties in the Big Ten and beyond.
Jaylen Reed, KJ Winston and Zakee Wheatley will likely be on the field together often, with Winston’s play (he’s a preseason All-America candidate) shaping the entire defense.
▶ Specialists
The Lions have their starting punter under contract for the next two seasons (team captain Riley Thompson), but kicking is exciting because it’s a three-way battle.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and the USA Today Network. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
