Penn State has hired Joe Lorig as special teams coordinator and defensive assistant the program announced on Thursday afternoon. Lorig spent the last three seasons at Memphis as the special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach.
Following the 2018 season, he joined the Texas Tech staff as special teams coordinator.
‘We are looking forward to having Joe join our staff,’ James Franklin said in a release. ‘We conducted a comprehensive study of special teams coordinators across the country to find the best fit for our staff and identified Joe as the best candidate. His special teams units have a history of being among the best in the country and we know he can continue that success here. I have also known Joe for many years, dating back to when we worked together at Idaho State under Larry Lewis.’
‘I am extremely excited to join the staff at Penn State University and begin working with such a storied program,’ Lorig added. ‘Penn State is a program with outstanding players, coaches and tradition. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Franklin and his entire coaching staff. My wife, three children and I are very appreciative of the opportunity to join the Nittany Lion family, and we look forward to helping Penn State win championships!’
Lorig has 22 years of collegiate coaching experience, including six seasons as a special teams coordinator and eight years as a defensive coordinator. Lorig and Franklin spent the 1999 season together at Idaho State under head coach and current Penn State football analyst and analytics coordinator Larry Lewis.
In his three seasons at Memphis as the special team coordinator, Lorig’s special teams unit finished in the Top 5 in the FBS in kick return average twice and in the top 20 in kick return defense every year.
Under Lorig’s watch, Memphis’ Tony Pollard became one of the nation’s top kick returners with a school-record and FBS-record-tying seven kickoffs returned for a touchdown in his career, including four returns for scores in 2017.
Lorig also worked with current Philadelphia Eagles’ kicker Jake Elliott who was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award with 21 field goals and a perfect 58-for-58 effort on extra point attempts while at Memphis in 2016.
