Penn State taps coordinator from 2025 foe for support staff role

James Franklin and Penn State football are filling a vacancy in the program’s analyst corps with an assistant coach from one of the Nittany Lions’ early-season opponents this fall.

The Nittany Lions have hired Villanova special teams coordinator and safeties coach Matt Colangelo as a special teams analyst. The move was first reported by Greg Pickel of Blue White Illustrated on Tuesday. Colangelo has yet to be added to the Penn State football staff directory.

Colangelo has spent the last six seasons, and seven of his 11-year coaching career, with the Wildcats. He assumed the role of special teams coordinator in 2022, where he has coached four players to all-conference honors. 

A native of Cromwell, Connecticut, Colangelo started his coaching career at his alma mater, Assumption, in 2014. He has also spent time at Yale and Holy Cross.

Colangelo is the second addition to the Nittany Lions’ special teams support staff in the last month. In early May, Penn State hired Troy special teams analyst Allen Tucker to the same role. 

Penn State welcomes Villanova to Beaver Stadium on September 13. Announced last week, the Week 3 matchup will kick off at 3:30 p.m. and air on FS1.

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