Danny O'Brien Takes Charge of Penn State's Quarterback Room

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. | Penn State coach James Franklin said Wednesday that graduate assistant Danny O’Brien will lead the quarterback room following the firing of Mike Yurcich, the team's former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Franklin has been in meetings with O'Brien and the quarterbacks, but O’Brien has handled the coaching duties and won praise from Franklin for his work thus far.

“Danny’s done a great job,” Franklin said after practice. “I think he's got a really good rapport and way to connect with our players as well as recruits. And he works at it. So, I've got a ton of respect for him. And I'm biased because I've known him for a long time, but I think the staff feels in a similar way, and I know the players feel that way.”

With Yurcich gone, a “headset role” also opened for Penn State on game days. Franklin has designated team analyst, and former Duke defensive coordinator, Robb Smith for the role. Smith will work from the coaches' booth.

“Just one of our most experienced guys. He's been a defensive coordinator at Duke, he's been a defensive coordinator at Rutgers, he's been a defensive coordinator at Minnesota,” Franklin said. “Just a very experienced guy that we think can bring a lot of value.”

For Penn State's offense, the change also brings opportunity. Franklin and O'Brien have a long history together, and Franklin considers him to be a coach with a bright future. O'Brien played for Franklin at Maryland in 2009-10 and reunited with his former offensive coordinator 2021, when he joined Penn State's staff as a graduate assistant. At one point, O'Brien lived above Franklin's garage.

Earlier this year, Franklin said O'Brien's sideline presence eased Yurcich's transition this season to coaching in the booth. "[O'Brien has] built a ton of respect with our quarterbacks," Franklin said in August.

After practice Wednesday, Franklin said that quarterback Drew Allar approached the head coach after the change to voice his support for O'Brien. Franklin consistently has praised O'Brien since he joined Penn State's staff, and O’Brien impact on the quarterback room will be interesting to watch as the season concludes.

“The fact that he played for me and we see the game in a similar way,he understands kind of how we operate culturally,” Franklin said. “There's a trust there personally, and there's a trust there professionally. And the other thing with him, which I'm drawn to these type of guys, he loves football. He's sending me stuff all the time that he's seen, whether it's on social media or an NFL game or another college game. He's constantly studying ball and trying to find the best way to teach things to make it simplistic for the quarterback and for the offense, but still challenging for the defense.”

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Max Ralph is a Penn State senior studying Broadcast Journalism with minors in sports studies and Japanese. He previously covered Penn State football for two years with The Daily Collegian and has reported with the Associated Press and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Follow him on Twitter (X) @maxralph_ and Instagram @mralph_59.

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