Penn State fires offensive coordinator John Donovan

Donovan had been offensive coordinator in Franklin’s five seasons as a head coach – three at Vanderbilt and two at Penn State. The Nittany Lions will begin their search for a new Offensive Coordinator on Monday. He also worked on the Maryland coaching staff from 2008 through 2010 with Franklin, who was offensive coordinator in those three seasons. “I wish him and his family nothing but the best”, said head coach James Franklin in a press statement that was released on Sunday. Despite having a potential first-round draft pick at quarterback in Christian Hackenberg, Penn State had the least-effective total offense in the league and it had the No. 10-ranked passing offense (199.7 yards per game). Penn State’s 45 bowl appearances are the ninth-most among FBS schools at the start of the season. Offensive limitations frequently erased advantages created by the Nittany Lions’ lights-out defense and played a big part in the team’s 7-5 finish this year, including the 55-16 loss to Michigan State in the regular season finale.

Penn State’s offense struggled mightily at times under John Donovan who’s play-calling was often critiqued by fans, analysts, and writers alike.

Freshman running back Saquon Barkley brought home the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award after rushing for 1,007 yards and seven touchdowns on 165 carries over eight and a half games. The Lions were held under 20 points in 10 conference games over the past two years.

“We have got to be more physical up front at tight end and offensive line for any offensive system [to work]”, Franklin said. At the top of that list is Hackenberg, who is largely expected to leave along with Austin Johnson to the NFL. But I want to make sure that you and your fans and everybody are aware, I can identify and I can see the problems and the challenges that we have just like everybody else can, and we’re addressing them every single day.

“I stay in my bubble here”, he said from his office.

Penn State’s offense has been a two-year work-in-progress that showed little improvement, as the national rankings show. “We have got to close the gap on them, there’s no doubt about it”.