Penn State adds staffer with multiple connections to Nittany Lions program

James Franklin didn’t wait long to address one of the newest vacancies on the Penn State football staff. Two weeks after losing assistant special teams coordinator Keith Bruno, the Nittany Lions have hired analyst Allen Tucker to the program.

Tucker’s addition was first reported by Greg Pickel of Blue White Illustrated on Monday. Bruno departed Happy Valley following spring ball to pursue opportunities outside of coaching.

Tucker arrives in State College with several ties to existing or former members of the Penn State football program. Most recently, he served one season as a special teams analyst at Troy under one-time Nittany Lions wide receiver coach Gerard Parker. At Troy, he coached incoming transfer Devonte Ross, a second-team all-Sun Belt selection on special teams who averaged 17 yards per punt return and 16.5 yards per kickoff return.

Ross does it again! 💥 @devonteross22 to the house for @TroyTrojansFB pic.twitter.com/ogxC20dpUq

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 14, 2024

Prior to his time with the Trojans, Tucker spent six seasons with Joe Moorhead at Mississippi State and Akron. During his time with the Zips, Akron ranked fifth nationally in kick returns yards (2022) and tenth in punt coverage (2023). Getting his start in the profession at Valdosta State in 2016, Tucker has coached six players who have gone on to the NFL.

Tucker played one season at Mississippi State before serving as a student coach for the Bulldogs.

Franklin and the Nittany Lions still need to fill another analyst role after Torrence Brown left the program to join the defensive staff at Western Illinois last week.

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