Penn State looking at NFL assistant to fill coaching staff vacancy, per report
Penn State will be opening spring football practices next week, and it may have a new defensive line coach locked into the staff when it does.
According to a report from Football Scoop, Penn State is eying up Chicago Bears defensive line coach Justin Hiunds to fill the role of defensive line coach on James Franklin’s staff.
Hinds just finished his first season on the staff with the Bears in 2022. He had previously been the defensive coordinator for Western Carolina and the defensive line coach for Central Michigan for two years prior to that.
At Central Michigan, Hinds coached a pair of All-MAC defensive linemen in Troy Hairston II and Mohamed Diallo. Hairston was named the MAC co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2020.
Hinds has previous coaching experience at Lafayette College and Valdosta State. Hinds played college football for Rown in New Jersey and started his coaching career as a graduate assistant for Jim McElwain at Florida. McElwain kept Hinmd a part of his staff when he took over at Central Michigan. Hinds also served one year as a graduate assistant at Mississippi State.
With Penn State approaching the start of spring football practices, it should be expected the program will make an official announcement on its coaching addition soon enough, whether that include Hinds or not. It would be unlikely that Penn State would open spring football practices without a defensive line coach named to the staff.
Penn State is looking to replace John Scott Jr., who left the position to join the coaching staff with the Detroit Lions.
