Penn State football has a long history of building a championship-winning culture. The Letterman’s Club continues to uphold the Penn State tradition by promoting brotherhood and unity between the university, former football players, and managers for their mutual benefit.

New head coach Matt Campbell has made the lettermen a conscious part of his approach to building the program. He met with multiple members by decade, starting interviews from classes from the 50s to the 2020s. He retained or hired ten former Nittany Lions, led by Wally Richardson. Let’s take a look at which lettermen made the staff.

Wally Richardson, Quarterback (1992-1996)

Wally Richardson stood at the helm of the offense for four years under Joe Paterno. Over the span of four years, Richardson threw for around 4,742 yards and 32 touchdowns. His two years as a starter saw the Nittany Lions win both the Outback and Fiesta Bowls. Richardson’s success as a leader and a player was noticed by the Baltimore Ravens, who drafted him in the 7th round in 1997. Richardson now acts as the Director of the Football Letterman Club, serving as a liaison between alumni and the current team. He creates connections across generations, coordinates alumni events, and strengthens the program’s traditions.

Terry Smith, Wide Receiver (1987-1911)

The 2025 interim head coach had his fame in Happy Valley long before he put on the headset. In his record-breaking 1991 campaign, he totaled 8 touchdowns, 55 receptions, and 846 receiving yards. Terry Smith played key roles in three consecutive bowl games, including wins in the 1989 Holiday Bowl and the 1991 Fiesta Bowl under Coach Joe Paterno. Smith serves as the associate head coach and the cornerbacks coach. His development of Joey Porter Jr. and many other NFL cornerbacks makes Smith highly regarded for his role in developing NFL defensive backs. 

Dan Connor, Linebacker (2004-2007)

Dan Connor played middle linebacker under Joe Paterno. Under his guidance, he was a two-time first-team All-American and recipient of the 2007 Chuck Bednarik Award, the nation’s top defensive player. He graduated as Penn State’s all-time leading tackler with 419 career stops, a program record. Connor led the team in tackles for multiple seasons and was considered one of the greatest linebackers to wear the traditional blue and white. Connor played in the NFL for six years with multiple different franchises until retiring with Carolina in 2013. Connor now serves as the linebackers coach.

Jordan Hill, Defensive Tackle (2009-2012)

Jordan Hill recorded over 170 tackles, 9.5 sacks, and almost 20 tackles for loss in his four years playing in Beaver Stadium. His junior year saw him leap in production, posting 59 tackles and 3.5 sacks as he earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. He followed that up with an amazing senior season, which earned him first-team All-Big Ten recognition as well as the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. Hill was then drafted in the third round by the Seattle Seahawks, where he earned a Super Bowl ring as a rookie. Jordan Hill now oversees the player development as the director. As the director, Hill manages the growth of Penn State student-athletes through skill, professional, and mental development.

Todd Kulka, Linebacker (1994-1995)

After a successful 1995 season that ended with an Outback Bowl win, Todd Kulka transitioned to his post-playing career with Penn State as a graduate assistant. He earned a master’s degree in education in 2000 and moved into a full-time academic counselor role that same year. He now serves as the associate director of football academic support services and academic counselor. Under his leadership, Penn State has seen numerous Academic All-American honors. The strong graduation success rates for the players he oversees reflect Kulka’s long-term impact on Penn State as a university of excellence on and off the field.

Jordan Lucas, Cornerback & Safety (2012-2015)

Jordan Lucas began his career playing cornerback before transitioning to safety in his senior year. His career with the Nittany Lions ended with around 164 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, three interceptions, 25 pass breakups, and three forced fumbles. He established himself as one of the premier defensive backs in the country. He received honorable mention All-Big Ten honors multiple years and was a leader in Penn State’s secondary until a season-ending injury in 2015. He made 50 appearances in the NFL, winning the Super Bowl in 2020 with the Kansas City Chiefs. Jordan Lucas is now an assistant cornerbacks coach.

D’Anton Lynn, Cornerback (2008 – 2011)

In four years, D’Anton Lynn appeared in 47 games for the Nittany Lions, recording 159 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and four interceptions. He was a three-time All-Big Ten honorable mention selection for his playmaking in the secondary. After a short stint playing in the NFL, Lynn transitioned to coaching. He began as a seasonal intern with the New York Jets before moving on to serve as a defensive assistant in Buffalo, Houston, and Baltimore. He then served as defensive coordinator at both UCLA and USC before returning to his alma mater under coach Campbell.

Trace McSorely, Quarterback (2015-2018)

Trace McSorley led the Nittany Lions to a Big Ten championship under James Franklin. In his four years in Happy Valley, McSorley finished with 9,899 passing yards, 77 passing touchdowns, and 30 rushing touchdowns. He completed 720 of 1,215 passes for a 59.3% completion rate and rushed for 1,697 yards. McSorley holds numerous Penn State records, including career passing yards, passing touchdowns, total offense, rushing yards, and touchdowns by a quarterback. He is the all-time winningest quarterback in Penn State history (31 wins) and a 2017 Fiesta Bowl champion. His six-year NFL career saw him throw for 500 career passing yards and one touchdown pass in regular-season action. After spending years bouncing around the NFL, McSorley now finds himself as the assistant quarterbacks coach for the Nittany Lions.

Deon’tae Pannell, Offensive Lineman (2008-2011)

Deon’tae Pannell spent time in each position on the offensive line for the white and blue. He protected the offense that won the 2008 Big Ten Championship and also appeared in four straight bowl games. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints but was released before the season began. He then transitioned into coaching, starting at the high school level before interning with several NFL teams. He then coached in college as an analyst with UCLA and as a defensive lineman coach at Austin Peay State. He now serves as assistant defensive line coach at Penn State.

Alan Zemaitis, Cornerback (2002-2005)

Alan Zemaitis played four games in blue and white, recording 181 total tackles and 12 interceptions, ranking fifth all-time in career interceptions at Penn State. Named an All-Big Ten selection three times, he also earned Second-Team All-American honors in 2005. He was also a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award twice, given to the nation’s top defensive back. Following his short NFL playing career, Zemaitis began coaching defensive backs and special teams at the collegiate level. Zemaitis now serves as the director of talent acquisition, where he leads the identification, evaluation, and recruitment of high school and or portal athletes.