UNIVERSITY PARK — Andy Kotelnicki sees his new job as Penn State’s offensive coordinator as “a tremendous honor.”

The Nittany Lions officially appointed Kansas’ offensive coordinator on Friday after reports broke a day earlier.

“I would like to thank Coach (James) Franklin and Dr. (Pat) Kraft for this incredible opportunity to join Penn State football,” Kotelnicki said. “It is a tremendous honor for me and my wife, Lindsey, to become part of a program with such a rich history of success and a tremendous family environment with an elite leader in Coach Franklin. I am excited to get to work with the tremendous staff and student-athletes we have at Penn State.”

Kotelnicki, 43, also acknowledged his previous boss, Kansas head coach Lance Leipold, with whom he spent the previous 11 seasons at KU, Buffalo and Wisconsin-Whitewater, where they won two Division III national titles.

“I would also like to thank Coach Leipold, the coaching staff and the student-athletes who I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work with at Kansas and wish them nothing but the best,” he said.

Penn State generally does not list the salaries of its assistant coaches, but The Athletic reported Kotelnicki’s contract is for four years and will pay him $1.6 million for the 2024 season.

The salary increases to $1.7 million, $1.8 and $2 million from 2025 through ’27, The Athletic reported.

Kotelnicki had signed a five-year contract at Kansas in January of 2023 that paid him $1 million per season.

Kotelnicki served as Kansas’ offensive coordinator for the past three years, including the 2023 season as the associate head coach.

He played a key role in the Kansas turnaround, winning 16 games in his first three seasons after the program reached 16 wins total in the previous nine seasons.

Over the last three seasons, Kansas’ offense has been explosive, ranking 12th in the country in 20-plus yard plays (8.3).

The Jayhawks have scored 40-plus points in nine games during the three-year window and 50-plus points in five games. Kansas has reached the 400 total yards mark in 20 games and 500 total yards in 11 games, while rushing for 200 yards in 16 games and 300 yards in three games.

“Our search process for an offensive coordinator was extensive and throughout it, Andy’s name kept rising to the top of the list,” Franklin said. “Not only were we impressed with Andy’s history of successful offensive production, but he has proven ability to win at all levels and play to the strength of his personnel. In his 18 years as a playcaller, he has a track record of coming into a program and improving offenses, especially through explosive plays, third-down conversions and red-zone success.”

Kotelnicki and his wife, Lindsey, have a son, Maximus, and daughter, Joy.