This article has been updated as of May 13, 2026 to remove encoding errors, unsupported labels, and old “portal opens tomorrow” language. The useful version is a dated staff tracker: what was known in early January, and what the official staff directory shows now.
Core Offensive Staff
Penn State’s current official staff directory lists Taylor Mouser as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, Ryan Clanton as offensive line coach, Jake Waters as quarterbacks coach, Savon Huggins as running backs coach, and Kashif Moore as wide receivers coach.
The Iowa State connection is real. Mouser, Clanton, Waters, and several roster additions came through Campbell’s previous program. That continuity helps explain the offensive transition, but the article should avoid overstating how quickly a new system installs. Returning terminology helps; it does not erase the need to teach a new roster.
Defensive Staff
Penn State officially announced D’Anton Lynn as defensive coordinator on January 2, 2026. GoPSUSports noted that Lynn played defensive back at Penn State from 2008-11, then coached in the NFL and served as defensive coordinator at UCLA and USC before returning to Happy Valley.
The current staff directory also lists Ikaika Malloe as defensive line coach and run game coordinator, Tyson Veidt as linebackers coach, Christian Smith as edge rushers coach, Terry Smith as associate head coach and cornerbacks coach, and Deon Broomfield as safeties coach and pass game coordinator.
That current list is the clean source for May 2026 content. January reports were useful at the time, but the staff continued to change as Noah Pauley left and Kashif Moore was added.
Retained Penn State Ties
Terry Smith’s retention was one of the most important continuity points. He had just led Penn State through the interim stretch after James Franklin was fired, finishing with a Pinstripe Bowl win over Clemson. Keeping him preserved a recruiting and alumni bridge inside a largely new staff.
Justin Lustig also remained as special teams coordinator. That continuity matters because staff turnover was otherwise extensive.
Current Usage
This page should be used as a coaching-transition archive, not a live breaking-news post. The portal did not “open tomorrow” anymore; the January window is closed, the spring roster has moved forward, and the staff should be described through official current roles.
For current roster analysis, the most important staff facts are Becht’s relationship with Mouser and Waters, Moore’s arrival for the receivers, Lynn’s defensive leadership, and the defensive position coaches tied to a front-seven rebuild.
The January snapshot also explains why later articles needed cleanup. Noah Pauley appeared in the early staff picture, then left for Green Bay. Kashif Moore was later added. Malloe and Veidt were announced after the first wave of staff coverage. A single article written on January 1 could not capture all of those changes without a later update.
That is the purpose of this corrected version: preserve the early staff-transition timeline while pointing readers back to the current official roles.
Sources and update notes
This update was checked against Penn State’s official football staff directory, GoPSUSports’ D’Anton Lynn announcement, Penn State’s 2026 roster staff listing, StateCollege.com staff coverage, and local January staff reports.