Analyst Frank Leonard Is Penn State Coach James Franklin’s Ride or Die

Penn State head coach James Franklin is often seen out and about in town or on campus. Stopping by his favorite Starbucks on West College Avenue (“two venti iced quad sugar-free vanilla lattes with oat milk”), dining with recruits, near-daily walks through downtown State College and along the campus borders.

And, seemingly more often than not, he’s with his ride or die — analyst Frank Leonard.

Franklin and Frank. Two peas in a pod. I’ve seen the duo strolling back to Lasch Building from evening training table, licking ice cream cones with big smiles on their faces. Along Fraser Street, leaving lunch at a local restaurant. And occasionally cruising around in Franklin’s big SUV. With Frank Leonard riding shotgun.

How close are they? This close: Frank Leonard did (does?) live in the guest room above Franklin’s family garage.

“Me and Frank Leonard drive home together,” Franklin said last year. “It’s like a Tuesday night and we’re downtown. Downtown is like poppin’.  It’s like, ‘What is going on?’ Frank Leonard says,” Franklin continues, switching to a deep voice, imitating Leonard, “don’t they have any homework?”

And it’s always Frank Leonard. Like one word: Frankleonard. Frank is James’ muse. And is often amusing.

“It’s like Frank Leonard told me,” Franklin said earlier this year: “We’re just overpaid phys ed instructors.”

Officially, Frank Leonard is a Penn State offensive analyst and analytics coordinator, one of 13 analysts on staff. Unofficially, he is the ultimate sidekick. He’s Robin, Barney Fife, Turtle, Ethel Mertz and Ed McMahon. The two venti’s at SBX? One is for Frank Leonard.

Franklin and Frank Leonard coached together at Kansas State back in 2007, when Franklin was offensive coordinator/QB coach, Frank Leonard handled the tight ends and former Penn State coach Ricky Rahne was a young assistant. They stayed in touch ever since, through Leonard’s stints at Temple and Boston College (where he coached with current PSU O-line coach Phil Trautwein in 2018-19), and through NFL stops with the St. Louis Rams (as tight ends coach) and the New England Patriots (as a scout).

When Franklin and then-Penn State D-coordinator Manny Diaz visited the Patriots’ practice last summer, Frank Leonard accompanied and guided them. He knew Bill Belichick and the lay of the land, having been with the organization in 2004-06.

These days, Frank Leonard is not only Franklin’s right-hand man, but he works closely with Trautwein and the entire Nittany Lion offensive line. He is a treat to watch in action; he has a bit of Frank Constanza in him — boisterous, forthright, old school, punchy.

“Our running game,” Franklin said after last year’s Rutgers game, “had a little bit more diversity. ‘Different punches,’ as Frank Leonard would like to say.”

So why all the fuss over Frank Leonard right now? Well, the NCAA recently enacted new rules that allow analysts to coach on the field and in games. And we are going to see even more of Frank Leonard, the grizzled old coach. (To be honest, if you’ve been paying attention, Frank Leonard has already been doing a fair bit of coaching. See my video below from pre-game warm-ups at Illinois in 2023.)

Trautwein gets major props for the recent success of the Penn State offensive line, with three of the 2023 starters getting drafted by the NFL, including Olu Fashanu in the first round. But, Frank Leonard gets some of the credit, too.

A native New Englander, Frank Leonard looks and acts every bit of the stereotypical football coach: salt ’n pepper hair, ballcap, sweatshirt, hopping around, barking, pointing. This should be no surprise, then. His major at Central Connecticut State, Class of 1981? Phys ed, of course.

The NCAA’s Division I Council two weeks ago approved a rule change adopted by the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision Oversight Committees to permit any staff member to provide technical and tactical instruction to student-athletes. The change was effective immediately.

Here is a quick look at the other Penn State analysts who could see the practice field when the Nittany Lions start summer drills in the few weeks:

Thomas Allen, defensive analyst (LB). Son of new PSU DC Tom Allen, this Allen was a reserve linebacker for his dad at Indiana and won IU’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

Keith Bruno, special teams analyst (ST). A former ST analyst at Temple and Rutgers, he also played and coached at Albright.

Dan Connor, defensive analyst (LB). The two-time All-American is Penn State’s all-time leading tackler and played six years in the NFL. He also coached at West Chester, Widener and Archbishop John Carroll H.S.

Mark Dupuis, offensive analyst (WR). A former Penn State GA, he left to coach wide receivers at Old Dominion for Rahne, now the ODU head coach. He returned to PSU in January.

Vic Hall, defensive analyst (CB). Coached the secondary at Ball State and was a cornerback at Virginia, where his coach for a season was current Penn State assistant Anthony Poindexter.

Jeffrey McInerney, defensive analyst (ST/DL). Former analyst at Indiana for Allen. Former head coach at Central Connecticut (48-41). Coached in the AAF, XFL and USFL, and in the NCAA at Duke, Slippery Rock and USC.

Zach Terrill, defensive analyst (LB/S). In 2023, he was a GA at Kent State (Penn State’s opponent on Sept. 21). A college linebacker at NAIA level, he has coached safeties.

David Parker, offensive analyst (WR/Off). He was a PSU GA in 2021-22, and also was a GA at Nebraska in 2020 and a QC assistant for Diaz at Miami in 2019.

Bill Queisert, offensive analyst (OL/Off). Arrived at Penn State four days after OC Andy Kotelnicki was hired. He was an analyst for Coach K at Kansas, where his LinkedIn profile says he “act(ed) as right hand for the OC and assist(ed) in coaching of TE and OL, in conjunction with the development of the offensive unit.” Three-time captain as an O-lineman in college.

David Rocco, offensive analyst (WR/QB). Grandfather Frank was a Penn State football administrator; uncle Frank played QB at PSU; and his father Danny was a PSU DB before transferring to Wake Forest. Danny had a short stint as a PSU analyst, and has been a HC at Liberty, Richmond, Delaware and (now) VMI. David spent six years as QB coach/OC at Western Illinois, coaching several years there with PSU TE coach Ty Howle.

Eric Sachse, special teams analyst (K). Was a ST analyst at Auburn. After making 29 field goals at lower-level Trinity, Sacshe kicked one year at Boise: 61-62 PATs, 14-17 FGs.

Robb Smith, offensive analyst (Off/Def). Analyst on the offensive side of the ball, to get the perspective of a veteran defensive coach. A Pittsburgh native, he was Penn State’s co-DC with Poindexter for the Peach Bowl. Tons of coaching experience: Was DC at Duke, Rutgers, Minnesota and Arkansas.

Charles Walker, offensive analyst (RB). Played and coached at UMass. Former assistant recruiting coordinator at Penn State and a special teams analyst with Atlanta in the NFL.