Penn State’s Board of Trustees’ Committee on Equity and Human Resources has scheduled a pair of meetings that could signal the conclusion to a quick search for its football program’s vacant defensive coordinator position.
Tom Allen, who served in the role this past season, was announced as Clemson’s defensive coordinator on Tuesday.
The first meeting is scheduled to begin with an executive session at 10 a.m. ET followed by a public session at 10:45 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 17, and the second is scheduled for an executive session at 9 a.m. ET and public session at 9:45 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 20.
It’s the duty of Penn State’s HR committee to approve the compensation of any hire or promotion that exceeds that of the university president at any point in the contract. Two meetings, rather than one, could suggest a fluid timeline, and a coaching hire would likely fit that bill.
Such meetings have been the standard operating procedure ahead of recent high-profile hires, including offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and Allen both in December 2023, as well as pay raises and contract changes, such as James Franklin’s contract amendment on Nov. 29 to reflect updated bonuses and athletic director Pat Kraft’s contract extension on Aug. 26.
Contract terms requiring board approval were previously handled by the former Subcommittee on Compensation, but those duties were assumed by the Committee on Equity and Human Resources with a revision to committee structures in mid-2024.
Allen departed the Nittany Lions after just one season. His unit ranked eighth nationally in points per game allowed, and was instrumental in carving out a path for the program to reach the College Football Playoff semifinal.
