Penn State football co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter is not being retained as part of Matt Campbell’s staff, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Poindexter is joining former Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles at Tennessee to coach the defensive backs.

The Nittany Lions hired Iowa State safeties coach Deon Broomfield for the same role in December, per the Penn State directory.

Poindexter spent five seasons leading Penn State’s safety room. He produced four Nittany Lion draft picks and could turn that into five with Zakee Wheatley’s declaration.

Penn State’s secondary ranked fourth in the FBS in interceptions, seventh in total defense, eighth in scoring defense, and 10th in takeaways under Poindexter in 2024. The Nittany Lions only allowed 172.1 passing yards per game in 2023, which ranked seventh in the nation.

Poindexter made coaching stops at Virginia, UCONN, and Purdue before settling in Happy Valley.