Less than 10 days before the Pinstripe Bowl, interim head coach Terry Smith described the environment around the Penn State football program as different and unorthodox.
“We have new staff members coming in,” Smith said Thursday, “current staff members who will stay and current staff members who will go. The same with the players. It’s my job to bring it all together.”
The Nittany Lions are in transition after the hiring of Matt Campbell as head coach earlier this month. Smith, the longest-tenured member of former Penn State coach James Franklin’s staff, will be a part of Campbell’s staff in an unspecified role.
Eight other Franklin full-time assistants also will coach the Lions against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl at noon Dec. 27 (TV-ABC) at Yankee Stadium.
Andy Kotelnicki (offensive coordinator), Justin Lustig (special teams coordinator), Phil Trautwein (offensive line), Marques Hagans (wide receivers), Stan Drayton (running backs), Deion Barnes (defensive line), Dan Connor (linebackers) and Anthony Poindexter (safeties) are still with the team.
Poindexter will serve as defensive coordinator after Jim Knowles resigned to take the same position at Tennessee. Former Penn State star Trace McSorley will coach the quarterbacks, and assistant offensive line coach Bill Queisert will oversee the tight ends.
Trautwein has accepted a position at Florida, his alma mater, and Drayton at South Carolina.
“I had meetings last week with the players and the staff,” Smith said. “I told them, ‘You’re either in or you’re out.’ The people who are going to show up in New York for the Pinstripe Bowl, we’re going to be ready to win the game. The entire building is locked in and focused.”
How many players will be available to play in the Pinstripe Bowl remains uncertain. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said earlier this week that the Tigers will be without 27 players because of opt-outs and injuries.
Running back Nick Singleton, guard Vega Ioane, safety Zakee Wheatley and defensive tackle Zane Durant have opted out for Penn State. Singleton, Ioane and Wheatley are still working out with the team and plan to travel to New York with the Lions.
Smith said younger running backs Corey Smith, Cam Wallace, Quinton Martin, Tikey Hayes and Jabree Coleman will get chances without Singleton playing.
“I anticipate all of those guys getting a shot to carry the ball,” Smith said, “and having an opportunity to make a claim for themselves to who’s going to be the lead back going into 2026.”
Several other seniors could opt out before next week, including running back Kaytron Allen, tight end Khalil Dinkins, wide receivers Trebor Pena, Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross, offensive linemen Drew Shelton, Nick Dawkins and Nolan Rucci, and defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton, Zuriah Fisher and Alonzo Ford Jr.
“As these players make their decisions, we will notify (the media),” Smith said. “Right now it’s just the four.”
Some of the seniors and perhaps some draft-eligible juniors might see limited playing time against Clemson in order to avoid injuries a few months before the NFL scouting combine.
“Each kid is a case-by-case basis,” Smith said. “You want to play your veteran guys and give them the snaps they need, but you do not want to put them in jeopardy.
“You want to see your young guys participate. Ultimately we want to win the football game. It’s a hard balance of doing right by those guys and doing right by the team. I have to manage that.”
Smith wouldn’t say what his specific role will be on Campbell’s staff.
“The focus right now is on the Pinstripe Bowl,” he said. “Matt’s focus obviously is trying to put the staff together. Once the staff is all together, then titles will come out and specific responsibilities will come out.”
