Penn State head coach James Franklin has had his fair share of staff turnover to deal with this offseason, but defensive coordinator Brent Pry will not be the next out the door before the 2020 season. Pry is reportedly confirmed to be staying put in Happy Valley this season after his name has started popping on the radar for Michigan State.
Adam Rittenberg of ESPN reported the Pry development via Twitter on Monday.
Update: Now hearing Brent Pry will continue as #PSU defensive coordinator in the 2020 season. Good news for James Franklin and staff. https://t.co/RsCDIbL5Iv
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) February 10, 2020
Pry came to Penn State from Vanderbilt with Franklin when Franklin was hired by Penn State in 2014. Pry has been an assistant with Franklin since 2011. After five years of splitting defensive coordinatior duties, Pry took on the full defensive coordinator tag in 2016 after Bob Shoop left Penn State for Tennessee.
Michigan State has been searching for a new head coach for the past week following the resignation of Mark Dantonio. The Spartans have seen plenty of potential options decide not to pursue the opportunity to lead the Spartans. Among the coaches who have taken themselves out of consideration int he past week have included Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi (HERE), Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell (HERE), Colorado head coach Mel Tucker (HERE), and Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell (HERE). As the search has been dragging on, Pry has become a perceived target of the Spartans, but that will no longer be the case.
Penn State has already lost one coordinator this offseason to a head coaching job. Former offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne accepted an offer from Old Dominion to be its new head coach. Penn State has also replaced its offensive line coach, defensive line coach, and wide receiver coach amid a flurry of coaching changes on the staff this offseason. Penn State just filled its vacancy at defensive line coach with the addition of John Scott Jr., at which time the university outlined confirmed coaching duties for the assistant staff for the 2020 season.
As for the Spartans, the search continues.
