Jim Haslett, former coach of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints and the NFL’s Coach of the Year in 2000, will join the Penn State football program as a consultant, Penn State Athletics announced today. The Pittsburgh native’s role will include working with coaches, staff, and other aspects of the program, according to a press release.

“We are very excited to have Jim with our program,” head coach James Franklin said. “Jim has an outstanding football mind and invaluable experience that will be a tremendous resource. He has great knowledge of the game at the next level and we plan to put that to good use. He will work with our offensive, special teams and defensive coaches and will be a fantastic sounding board for our staff.”

Haslett, whose five-year head coaching stint with the Saints included the team’s second-ever NFC West Championship and the franchise’s first playoff win, has a background mostly in coaching up defenses. Since leaving the Saints, Haslett has held mostly positions as a defensive coordinator, most recently with the Washington Redskins from 2010-2014. Haslett also served as the interim head coach with the St. Louis Rams in 2008.

“I am thrilled to join the Penn State football family,” Haslett said. “James is one of the great, young head coaches in the collegiate game today and he is leading this Penn State program in the right direction. The future is very bright for Penn State football and I am excited to be a part of it.”

With high expectations surrounding the program now and in the near future, the Nittany Lions hope that Haslett can give the team the extra boost they need to ensure they live up to those expectations.