Penn State football: Can this special teams fixer turn the Lions' unit around?

Frank Bodani
York Daily Record

Special teams coaches are not well-known commodities.

Fans only remember what doesn't go right.

So when Penn State needed a replacement to lead its special teams recently — someone to instill a serious upgrade in cohesion — head coach James Franklin turned to his college roommate from 20 years ago.

Joe Lorig happens to be an impressive special teams fixer, and one of the more underrated coaches around. 

This is of particular importance at Penn State. It wasn't so much that the Nittany Lions kept losing games last year by special teams blunders, rather it was how they should have been so much better.

"It really, truly creates a hybrid position that's difficult for the offense to identify," said  University of Memphis outside linebackers coach Joe Lorig, who works primarily with the "Star" group. (Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal File)

Routinely, they had to overcome losing an onside kick or giving up a huge return or bumbling a kick or a punt. Overall, they were one of the most underachieving units in the nation.

Enter Lorig, the new coordinator who already orchestrated one of the most significant special teams turnarounds in recent memory.

This will be one of Penn State's most critical areas leading up to next month's Blue-White Game and following through to preseason camp.

More:How will Penn State replace quarterback, running back in 2019?

More:Penn State wrestling closes in on history at NCAA Championships: What you need to know

"The fastest way you can improve as a football team is in your special teams unit," Lorig said in his first Penn State press conference last week. "That's the fastest, easiest thing to improve ...

"What we do, and I've done it at multiple places, is we create a culture. That's the biggest difference. Everyone in America ... they all talk about special teams, everybody does. Almost nobody really does what they say they are going to do."

Penn State ranked higher than 68th nationally in only one major special teams category — kickoff returns (12th).

KJ Hamler was Penn State's leading receiver as a redshirt freshman in 2018. But he may be an even more electric return man ... starting with his saving kickoff effort in the season-opener against Appalachian State.

The problems were no more evident than in the season-ending Citrus Bowl loss to Kentucky. The Lions botched a fake punt, gave up a punt return for a touchdown and missed a couple of field goals.

What should have frustrated Franklin the most was how his team owned its best overall talent and depth levels in nearly a decade.

So when first-year special teams coach Phil Galiano jumped to the New Orleans Saints in the offseason, Penn State struck quickly with Lorig.

Best of the Big Ten:Sign up for weekly newsletter!

He turned Memphis from bad to great

Consider his run as Memphis' special teams coordinator from 2016-18. At the time, the Tigers had not returned a kickoff for a touchdown in 21 years — the longest drought in the country.

Immediately, they took back three kickoffs for scores in 2016.

And four more in 2017.

Plus, in Lorig’s three years, Memphis did not allow a kickoff or punt return for a touchdown.

His philosophy pushes players to become more accountable through individualized special teams meetings. 

But it's also about scheme and putting players in the right place. Lorig said he spent 40 to 50 hours recently reviewing all of Penn State's offense, defense and special teams from last year.

He was direct in his appraisal of the Lions, starting with rookie kickers Jake Pinegar and Rafael Checa.

Pinegar struggled early and late in the season while making 16-of-24 field goal attempts. He made only 5-of-11 from 40 to 49 yards — all of his misses from the right hash, Lorig pointed out.

Penn State kicker Jake Pinegar (92) kicks a field goal as Blake Gillikin (93) holds the ball during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin in State College, Pa., Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018. Penn State won 22-10.

Checa showed off promising power on kickoffs but was too inconsistent, hitting six out of bounds.

"I'm impressed with (Pinegar's) approach," Lorig said. "I really wanted to find out, 'You tell me where you think you're at, you tell me where you think you struggle, you tell me where you think the issues were.' And I was impressed with his responses.

"I was impressed that he didn't make excuses. He took accountability for the things that he thought he didn't do very well at and he was proud of the things they did do well. He has a good plan ... of how he can get better."

Lorig certainly has talent to work with. Punter Blake Gillikin could make good on his All-America promise as a senior. Pinegar figures to improve in his second year. KJ Hamler became one of the most electric returners in the nation.

The biggest question may be whether Hamler returns both kicks and punts.

"Last week while I was watching him, I texted Coach Franklin — 'Wow, that guy.'

But, "It's not just having one great returner," Lorig said. At Memphis, "It was the collective of the whole group that made a difference ..."

One player to watch this coming season: South Western High grad Drew Hartlaub was named Penn State's scout team special teams player of the year in 2018. The safety is only a redshirt sophomore.

Meeting James Franklin at Idaho State

Lorig and Franklin served on the same staff 20 years ago at the isolated football outpost at Idaho State. 

Back then, Lorig started recruiting Southern California and hasn't stopped. Interestingly enough, that will still be one of his territories.

Of bigger priority, for now, is fixing those glitches on the field. He had just jumped from Memphis to a promotion at Texas Tech when Franklin finally called. He said his old friend is one of the only coaches he would have moved for.

"I felt like it was coming," Lorig said of working with Franklin.

"There's a coaches' convention every year. Every year him and I would bump into each other, grab a cup of coffee and stuff, and I knew he was following what I was doing because he would always say, 'Hey, I saw your game against Houston' or 'I saw your game against Stanford' or whatever it was.

"I felt my opportunity would probably come at some point but I just didn't know when."