James Franklin adds ex-Eagles, Ravens coach to Penn State support staff

Penn State football is less than 24 hours away from running out of the tunnel at Beaver Stadium to take on Kent State, but the work week closes with a focus on a valuable personnel pickup down the street in the Lasch Building. James Franklin is adding another analyst to the Nittany Lions’ support staff, bringing in veteran NFL assistant coach James Urban to the program.

The news was first reported on Friday morning by Greg Pickel of Blue White Illustrated. James Urban joins Penn State football after spending the last six seasons on the Baltimore Ravens staff. Quarterbacks coach to Lamar Jackson for the 2019 NFL MVP’s first five seasons, Urban moved into a senior analytics and game planning role in 2023.

Before arriving in Baltimore, Urban coached wide receivers for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2011 to 2017. His 20-year NFL career began in 2004 as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles staff. Urban would remain in Philadelphia for seven seasons, including two as the quarterbacks coach.

A native of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, James Urban played high school football at Trinity in Camp Hill. He then went on to play wide receiver at Washington and Lee, graduating in 1995.

Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

Officially listed as an offensive analyst and analytics coordinator in the Penn State football directory, Urban is one of a cadre of off-the-field staff supporting James Franklin and the Nittany Lions.

Notable additions this offseason include several former Penn State football lettermen, including Jordan Lucas as a defensive graduate assistant, Jordan Hill as the director of life skills, and Andrew Nelson as the director of performance science.

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