Ex-Penn State football coach will return to Happy Valley in this weekend

While Penn State football doesn’t have a deep history with Kent State, there will be one familiar face when the Golden Flashes roll into Beaver Stadium this week. On Saturday, former Nittany Lions assistant Matt Limegrover will return to Happy Valley for the first time since he and James Franklin parted ways five years ago.

Limegrover arrived in State College from Minnesota before the 2016 season. He spent four seasons as the Nittany Lions offensive line coach, during which Penn State football went 42-11, won the 2016 Big Ten Championship, 2017 Fiesta Bowl, and 2019 Cotton Bowl.

Matt Limegrover was on the Penn State staff the last time these two programs faced off, a game which the Nittany Lions won 63-10 in 2018.

After his contract was not renewed following the 2019 season, Matt Limegrover went to Michigan, where he spent a season as an analyst on Jim Harbaugh’s staff. Limegrover then spent two years at Arkansas State, coaching offensive line in 2021 and tight ends and coordinating the run game in 2022.

Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Kent State head coach Kenni Burns hired Limegrover as the Golden Flashes’ co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in January 2023. Last year, Kent State ranked No. 128 in total offense.

The Golden Flashes are not off to a better start in 2024. Out of 133 FBS programs, Kent State ranks 123rd in passing (147 YPG), 131st in rushing (54.3 YPG), 127th in scoring (13.7 PPG), and last in total offense (201.3 YPG). Now 0-3, Kent State lost 71-0 to Tennessee on Saturday night.

Penn State football is 5-0 against Kent State since 2003, with the Golden Flashes scoring 33 total points across those five matchups. Saturday’s kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

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