STATE COLLEGE, PA (October 14, 2025) — Jordan Lucas, a former Penn State defensive back who earned All-Big Ten honors during his playing days, has been elevated to cornerbacks coach for the Nittany Lions, interim head coach Terry Smith announced Monday.
The move comes one day after athletic director Pat Kraft fired James Franklin after 11-plus seasons, during which Franklin compiled a 104-45 record and tied for second place on Penn State’s all-time wins list. Penn State, now 3-3 following three straight losses including a 31-28 defeat to USC, faces Iowa on the road Saturday.
Lucas, 32, steps into the role vacated by Smith, who served as cornerbacks coach before his promotion to interim head coach.
Smith, emphasizing staff continuity amid the upheaval, said he plans to “get my feet underneath me and understand all the roles of being the head coach and the CEO of this program” in his first week. “I have to replace my cornerback position. Jordan Lucas will take that role,” Smith said. “There will be no other staff changes immediately.”
A New Rochelle, N.Y., native, Lucas built a standout high school career under coach Lou DiRienzo at New Rochelle High School, where he lettered twice and was selected AA South Section Back of the Year as a senior. He earned first-team all-star honors from the Journal-News. He transferred for one season to Worcester Academy in Massachusetts. Rated a three-star prospect by Scout.com and Rivals.com, Lucas was recruited to Penn State, where he played from 2012 to 2015.
During his Nittany Lions tenure, Lucas appeared in 35 games with 33 starts, transitioning from cornerback to safety. He tallied 181 tackles, three interceptions, 11 tackles for loss and four sacks. As a sophomore in 2013, he led the team with three picks—all in Big Ten play—and 13 pass breakups, earning honorable-mention All-Big Ten from coaches and media. He repeated the honor in 2014 with 59 tackles, two sacks and a team-high nine pass breakups, adding third-team All-Big Ten from Phil Steele and ESPN.com All-Bowl Team recognition.
A sixth-round pick (204th overall) by the Miami Dolphins in the 2016 NFL draft, Lucas launched a five-year professional career as a safety. He recorded 47 tackles, one sack, three pass deflections and one interception across stints with Miami (2016-2018), Kansas City (2018-2019—where he won Super Bowl LIV), Chicago (2020-2021), Indianapolis (2021) and briefly the CFL’s Edmonton Elks (2023).
Lucas returned to Penn State in January 2024 as part of the recruiting staff before joining the coaching ranks as defensive backs coach. His elevation to cornerbacks coach marks a full-circle moment for the Penn State alumnus.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.
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