Penn State Football Hires New Jersey High School Coach Naz Oliver as Recruiting Coordinator

Penn State added a key staff member to its recruiting department. Naz Oliver, who served as the head coach of New Jersey’s Malcolm X Shabazz High School over each of the past two seasons, has been hired as a recruiting coordinator with the Nittany Lions, he announced on Tuesday.

“We ARE! Jersey/Tri-State Area let’s work!!!!” Oliver posted on X. “Thank you Coach Franklin for this opportunity. I will not let you down!”

Oliver will replace Khalil Ahmad, who was officially named Temple’s associate general manager for personnel and recruitment on Tuesday after two years at Penn State. 

“We lost Khalil to Temple for an advancement in his career, from a title perspective and a responsibility perspective,” James Franklin said on Feb. 11. “Khalil did a really good job for us, as well. So we wish him well.”

Oliver, like Ahmad, is expected to add some recruiting firepower to the New Jersey region.

Oliver coached former Nittany Lions safety commit Omari Gaines, who ultimately signed with Stanford in December, and 2026 recruiting target Zaiden McDonald.

After also hiring former Temple head coach Stan Drayton as the program’s new running back coach, Franklin has now filled both of the gigs that were vacant near the start of the month.

Penn State remains in search of a general manager to handle scholarships and distribute $20.5 million in revenue-sharing funds, a position athletic director Pat Kraft said on Monday would likely be filled “at some point.”