Recent coaching news could be foreshadowing the landing spot for the top Transfer Portal pass rusher on the market
There may be a new dark horse for talented Penn State transfer pass rusher Chaz Coleman.
When Penn State defensive end Chaz Coleman entered the transfer portal recently, he quickly became arguably the most talented defender available this offseason. While his raw numbers (eight total tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack) won’t blow you away from this past season, there is a lot of context to consider, including the fact that older players like Dani Dennis-Sutton were entrenched in front of him.
Despite that limited production, there is already a long list of impressive suitors that are courting the 6-4, 249-pound pass rusher, whose flash plays on film are truly extraordinary. Ohio State has been considered a top school for Coleman early considering he is from Ohio. Tennessee is also another big contender considering their new defensive coordinator is Jim Knowles. There are certainly some good options on the table.
It appears that there might be a bit of a wildcard for Coleman’s services that is surfacing. Coleman’s former defensive line coach Deion Barnes is leaving Happy Valley to take the job as a defensive end/outside linebackers coach with the South Carolina Gamecocks. That move caught the attention of the talented defensive end.
Barnes, who is a former Penn State player himself, had developed a reputation as one of the best defensive line coaches in the entire country. Several other Nittany Lion defenders spoke up publicly about the move, and clearly Barnes was very well liked in that program. It will be interesting to see if South Carolina is a legitimate contender for Coleman when the portal officially opens in less than two weeks.
The thought of pairing Coleman with star pass rusher Dylan Stewart should be a tantalizing possibility for South Carolina fans. It feels like head coach Shane Beamer could be on the hot seat, so trying to load up on top talent might be the way to preserve his job.
Chaz Coleman’s background
When Coleman came out of Warren (Ohio) Harding, he was considered a four-star recruit by every major recruiting platform. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, the talented pass rusher ended up rated as the No. 293 overall player, the No. 31 defensive end, and the No. player in the state of Ohio for the 2025 recruiting class.
Boasting a long and impressive offer list, Coleman ended up opting for the Nittany Lions over a ton of intriguing options. The Ohio native also held offers from Ohio State, Ole Miss, Florida State, Missouri, Michigan State, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Illinois, Virginia, and Purdue, among others.
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