Former Temple head coach Stan Drayton has officially been hired as Penn State football’s new running backs coach, Penn State Athletics confirmed in a press release Friday evening.

On3’s Pete Nakos originally reported Friday morning that Drayton and Penn State were close to a deal. Drayton replaces former running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider, who reportedly took the same position at Notre Dame on Sunday.

“Stan Drayton brings decades of experience coaching running backs at the highest levels to our program,” James Franklin said in the release. “He is an important addition to our staff. His experience as a head coach and working alongside elite backs in his career will be invaluable to our running backs room. I am so excited to welcome Stan and his family, including his wife, Monique, and daughters, Amari and Anaya, to Happy Valley.”

Before becoming the Owls’ head coach in 2021, Drayton was the running backs coach at Texas, Ohio State, Florida, Syracuse, Tennesee, and Mississippi State and he coached for the Chicago Bears in the NFL. Drayton also coached notable players like Ezekiel Elliott, Carlos Hyde, Bijan Robinson, Matt Forte, and Jordan Howard.

“I am excited and honored to be joining this elite organization led by coach Franklin,” Drayton said. “I have so much respect for the culture and program he has built here. Penn State has a rich running back tradition and a very talented running back room now. I am thrilled for this opportunity and am looking forward to getting to work.”

Drayton was the head coach of Temple for seasons but the program struggled as it finished with three straight 3-9 seasons.

Drayton will manage one of the best running backs duos in the nation with Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, along with redshirt sophomore Cam Wallace, redshirt freshmen Quinton Martin Jr., and Corey Smith, and true freshmen Tikey Hayes and Jabree Wallace-Coleman.