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Penn State Roster Tracker: Who's in, Who's Out for the Pinstripe Bowl

Penn State's roster will look quite different for the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson.
Mark Wogenrich|
Penn State Nittany Lions players sing their alma mater following the end of the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State Nittany Lions players sing their alma mater following the end of the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

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Penn State will meet Clemson in the Dec. 27 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, though the team will look far different than it did during the regular season. The Nittany Lions expect multiple opt-outs for the game, as well as a thinned coaching staff.

For certain, Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith will lead the Nittany Lions against Clemson before joining Matt Campbell's new staff. Beyond that, we're tracking Penn State's bowl opt-outs and staff changes here.

RELATED: Penn State will have a new defensive coordinator under Matt Campbell

Vega Ioane declares for NFL Draft, opts out of bowl game

Redshirt junior offensive lineman Vega Ioane is declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft and opting out of the Pinstripe Bowl. Ioane made it official in a social media post. He is the fourth Penn State starter (with Zane Durant, Zakee Wheatley and Nicholas Singleton) to opt out of the bowl.

"The past four years have been a journey of a lifetime and an unforgettable experience that I couldn't be more grateful for," Ioane said in the post.

Ioane, a two-year starter at left guard, was named second-team All-Big Ten and is a projected first-round pick in 2026.

Stan Drayton staying for Penn State's bowl game

Penn State running backs coach Stan Drayton coaches the backs during a practice session outside Holuba Hall.
Penn State running backs coach Stan Drayton coaches the backs during a practice session outside Holuba Hall. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

South Carolina introduced Stan Drayton as its new running backs coach Dec. 12, but Drayton will return to Penn State this weekend. Drayton, who spent one season as Penn State's running backs coach, told reporters at a press conference in Columbia that he will coach the Nittany Lions for the bowl game — against South Carolina's biggest rival.

"I've been through a lot with that program as well," Drayton said. "We had a tough go and we've been through a lot together with the release of our head coach midseason. So yeah, I'm going to stick with those guys. I just feel like I need to finish what I started. They believed in me, and I believe in them and I promised them that I was going to go all the way to the end with those guys. I am going to complete my time with them."

Andy Kotelnicki expected to coach bowl game

Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki during a practice session outside Holuba Hall.
Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki during a practice session outside Holuba Hall. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Campbell has begun building his Penn State offensive staff, which includes Taylor Mouser, who worked with him for a decade at Iowa State. But offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is expected to call the offense vs. Clemson in the Pinstrip Bowl.

Kotelnicki's second season as Penn State's offensive coordinator proved uneven, especially against the top opponents on its schedule. Penn State's offense scored just eight of its 48 regular-season touchdowns against the three ranked opponents it faced.

The offense finished the regular season by scoring a combined 77 points against Michigan State and Rutgers. Kotelnicki will be working with a short-handed staff, as tight ends coach Ty Howle and quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien joined James Franklin's staff at Virginia Tech. Running backs coach Stan Drayton has moved on to South Carolina.

Running back Nicholas Singleton opts out

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton carries the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton carries the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at SHI Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Senior running back Nicholas Singleton, who broke three Penn State records in his final game, will not play in the bowl game. Singleton's father Tim told Rich Scarcella of the Reading Eagle that Singleton will travel with the team to the bowl.

A senior, Singleton broke Saquon Barkley's career records for total touchdowns, rushing touchdowns and all-purpose yards in Penn State's 40-36 win over Rutgers in the regular-season finale. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. projects Singleton as the fifth-ranked running back in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Cornerback Elliot Washington II to enter transfer portal

Penn State cornerback Elliot Washington II intends to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal when it opens Jan. 2, according to multiple reports. Washington confirmed his intention, writing "God's plan" above a post from On3's Hayes Fawcett.

Washington played in a rotation in Penn State's secondary, though his playing time grew smaller late in the season. Washington played a total of 10 snaps in the last two games against Michigan State and Rutgers.

Washington made 18 tackles and an interception against Villanova. A junior, Washington has two seasons of eligibility remaining. He played in 10 games, mostly on special teams, as a freshman and in every game the past two seasons.

Safety Zakee Wheatley will not play in the Pinstripe Bowl

Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley laughs with former safety Kalen King during Penn State's Pro Day in Holuba Hall.
Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley, center, laughs with former safety Kalen King, right, during Penn State's Pro Day in Holuba Hall. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fifth-year senior Zakee Wheatley, who had a strong season as a starting safety, announced that he will opt out of the bowl game.

"Now it is time to work to have the chance to create new memories," Wheatley wrote in a social media post. "I will be opting out of the bowl game and focusing on the 2026 NFL Draft!"

Wheatley played nearly every meaningful snap for Penn State's defense this season and finished as its second-leading tackler (74). He made a memorable one-handed interception at Iowa and recovered a fumble. Wheatley earned the nickname "Takeaway King" in Penn State's secondary for his consistent ability to play around the ball.

Wheatley earned an underrated honorable mention on the All-Big Ten defensive team. Without Wheatley, Penn State would rely on sophomore Dejuan Lane at safety, who earned playing time alongside starter King Mack.

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Defensive tackle Zane Durant opts out

Senior defensive tackle, and captain, Zane Durant was the first Nittany Lion to opt out of the bowl game. Durant announced his decision in an Instagram post.

"I want to thank Penn State University for the memories and experiences it has given me," Durant wrote in his post.

Durant started all 12 games on Penn State's interior, though he often took on extra blockers in the run game. Durant finished with 25 tackles (4.5 for losses) and four sacks, A preseason All-American, Durant was named honorable mention All-Big Ten after the season.

Penn State's coaching staff is shuffling

Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles talks with reporters during football media day in Beaver Stadium.
Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles talks with reporters during football media day in Beaver Stadium. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At least four Penn State assistants won't be at Yankee Stadium for the Pinstripe Bowl. That includes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who reportedly is leaving Penn State after one season for Tennessee.

Knowles had an erratic single year with the Nittany Lions. His defense allowed 17 points in regulation against Oregon, becoming just the third team to do so against a Dan Lanning-coached offense. Then the Nittany Lions gave up game-winning, fourth-quarter touchdowns against Northwestern, Iowa and Indiana and allowed a season-high 533 yards of offense to Rutgers in the regular-season finale.

Running backs coach Stan Drayton is leaving Penn State after one season for South Carolina but will coach the bowl game. Drayton joined Penn State's staff following three years as Temple's head coach.

Tight ends coach Ty Howle has moved on to Virginia Tech, where is expected to become James Franklin's offensive coordinator. And quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien, who Franklin coached at Maryland and hired as an analyst at Penn State, is leaving for the same position with the Hokies.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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