The Penn State Nittany Lions finished with a 13-3 record in 2024, capped off with a run through the College Football Playoff that ended in the semifinals. Looking ahead to 2025, have they put themselves in a position to compete again—and this time win—the national title?
We broke down several factors that’ll decide the answer to that question.
Coaching Staff Changes: Evaluating Penn State’s Offseason Sideline Moves
The Nittany Lions made one of the most significant coaching moves of the offseason when they hired defensive coordinator Jim Knowles away from the rival Ohio State Buckeyes. Knowles led the top-ranked scoring defense a season ago and brings over a decade of experience.
Outside of retaining up-and-coming head coaching candidate in offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, head coach James Franklin made moves around the edges of his staff. One of those moves included bringing back former quarterback and fan-favorite Trace McSorley, who will serve as the assistant QBs coach.
Transfer Portal Impact: Key Additions and Losses for Penn State Football
Franklin and his staff were highly efficient in adding players through the portal, as they replaced departed wide receivers Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans with Troy’s Devonte Ross (76 receptions, 1,043 yards, and 11 touchdowns) and USC’s Kyron Hudson (38 receptions, 462 yards, and three touchdowns).
They also landed the commitment of former Syracuse WR Trebor Pena, who entered the portal abruptly. He caught 84 passes for 941 yards and nine touchdowns a season ago and will be the top target for Penn State.
QB Beau Pribula and EDGE Smith Vilbert were among the key losses, yet the former was once again slated to be the backup quarterback, and the latter was essentially replaced by North Carolina transfer Amare Campbell, who had 76 total tackles and 6.5 sacks during his sophomore season.
Penn State brought in the country’s 15th-best recruiting class, per 247 Sports—a relative disappointment after making the CFP semifinals in 2024. However, they filled positions across the board, ensuring talent in the future.
Five-star interior offensive lineman Malachi Goodman was a headliner alongside 19 four-star prospects. They may need to invest more resources into the QB position in 2026, as they could only secure the commitment of three-star passer Bekkem Kritza.
The Nittany Lions have one of the top returning QBs in the nation, Drew Allar, who threw for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He’s projected to be a first-rounder in next year’s NFL Draft and will be the team’s undisputed leader.
There’s a question mark behind him, as redshirt sophomore Jaxon Smolik and freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer have been battling it out for the backup nod. Grunkemeyer, a four-star recruit from the class of 2024, threw two passes last season and is viewed as a potential replacement for Allar in 2026.
The biggest offseason win for Franklin can almost certainly be retaining his offensive big three of QB Allar and running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Both backs rushed for over 1,000 yards and totaled 20 touchdowns a season ago. With Pena in the mix, the Nittany Lions have a quartet of accomplished playmakers to rely on.
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The linebacking core was set up to be a weakness for Penn State until Campbell announced his plans to join the team earlier this week. He’ll likely settle into a starting role next to Tony Rojas, with Dominic DeLuca as a high-level depth player behind them. Otherwise, it’s hard to find an aspect that Franklin missed.
Did Penn State’s Offseason Set the Stage for a Playoff Push in 2025?
Yes, it’d be a significant disappointment and surprise if they were to miss the playoffs. Coming off being named the No. 6 seed in the CFP, the Nittany Lions should have their eyes set on winning the Big Ten title and claiming a coveted bye week before the quarterfinals.
They have the talent, coaching staff, and experience to do so.
Considering success for Franklin’s team would be a national title, they’re certainly in contention as we sit here in May. Their offensive quartet of Allar, Singleton, Allen, and Pena, combined with Knowles’ defensive coordinating prowess, has the Nittany Lions in a good position to achieve success come the fall of 2025 and early 2026.
Penn State Offseason Grade: A-
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