Kansas Offensive Coordinator Andy Kotelnicki Leaves to become OC for Penn State

'White Out' Photo Credit: Michael via Flickr

Kansas offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki has accepted an offer to join Penn State in the same position, per Bruce Feldman of the Athletic and Fox Sports. Kotelnicki served as Kansas's offensive coordinator from May 2021 to November 2023 and led a Jayhawk offense that specialized in trickeration, variety, and balanced attack. The Jayhawks have the 28th Team Offense in the FBS right now, along with the 8th Rushing Offense and 29th Scoring Offense. Kotelnicki was part architect of the turnaround of Kansas football, helping Lance Leipold and others in the comeback of the football program in Lawrence.

What this means for Penn State

One of the more advanced and versatile offensive play callers in the FBS is coming to State College, and Penn State fans couldn't be more abuzz. Penn State's offense struggled throughout the 2023 season, having the 60th Team Offense averaging 391 total yards per game. Penn State fired their previous offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich on November 12th after a brutal performance against Michigan being the straw that broke the camel's back. Yurcich had served as the Nittany Lions' OC since 2020 and was also Quarter Backs coach. James Franklin and the Nittany Lions are hoping that Kotelnicki will bring the trickeration and versatility to a Big Ten conference where explosive offenses are a rarity.

Kotelnicki will have sophomore quarterback Drew Allar, who has only thrown 1 interception this entire season and for 23 touchdowns, along with Kaytron Allen, sophomore running back who has run for 851 yards and 6 touchdowns, to work with. A young offense in need of direction, Kotelnicki is perhaps the best fit the Nittany Lions could have found, given his work at Kansas with Jalon Daniels and Devin Neal. The receiver room will also benefit from Kotelnicki's presence, who has had passing plays and RPOs copied and imitated by offensive coordinators in the NFL. One of the best passing game coordinators there is at the college level.

What this means for Kansas

As for Kansas, they will be promoting Jayhawks quarterbacks coach and associate head coach Jim Zebrowski to the offensive coordinator position. Zebrowski is a close colleague to head coach Lance Leipold, being with him as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at DIII Wisconsin-Whitewater where they both won two DIII National Titles. He would also follow Leipold to Buffalo, and then to Kansas in 2021. There, Zebrowski would oversee the advent of Jalon Daniels and Jason Bean, where they became perhaps the best quarterback duo in the Big 12. Zebrowski would be nominated for the Broyles Award for this, given to the best assistant coach in college football.

Zebrowski led another successful campaign this year. Dealing with the injury to Jalon Daniels, Zebrowski, and backup Jason Bean would keep the ship right, leading Kansas to their best record since 2007 and allowing Jason Bean to be named to an All-Big-12 Honorable Mention. The Jayhawks should continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12 over the coming years, with Zebrowski having experience, merit, and a tight comradeship with the quarterbacks room and Lance Leipold.