BREAKING: James Franklin confirms Ja’Juan Seider leaving Penn State football

Penn State football has officially begun its search for a new running backs coach. On Tuesday afternoon, James Franklin confirmed that assistant coach Ja’Juan Seider is leaving the Nittany Lions program to accept a position on the Notre Dame staff.

“Obviously, we have two positions that we need to fill,” Franklin said in a press conference, the first time he’s spoken on the record since reports of Seider’s departure first surfaced. “Ja’Juan Seider, after being with us for seven years, did a great job for us, has moved on. We wish him nothing but the best.

“Seven years. In some way, it’s a shame that seven years is a long time. But [he] gave our program and our community seven years and did a really good job for us. So we’re appreciative of that.”

It was revealed Sunday morning that Seider was being targeted for the Fighting Irish’s running backs coach vacancy. Reports indicated that he would accept the offer shortly thereafter.

In addition, Franklin confirmed that recruiting coordinator Khalil Ahmad is leaving the program for a role at Temple.

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Going into year seven with the Penn State football program, Seider was the second longest-serving assistant on James Franklin’s staff behind cornerbacks coach Terry Smith. Seider was elevated to assistant head coach and co-offensive coordinator in 2023. During his tenure, he has coached some of the top running backs in recent Nittany Lions history, including Miles Sanders, Nicholas Singleton, and Kaytron Allen.

Seider is also considered one of the top recruiters in the country. In addition to the valuable connections in his home state of Florida, Seider has helped Penn State football earn commitments from Harrisburg’s Messiah Mickens, the No. 9 running back in 2026, and McKeesport’s Kemon Spell, the top player at the position in 2027.

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