Penn State is set to add Purdue co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter as an assistant coach, according to a report by Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports.

The move comes following the departure of safeties coach Tim Banks, who took the defensive coordinator job at Tennessee last week.

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Poindexter just finished his fourth season at Purdue. Previously, he was the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at UConn. Last season, the Boilermakers allowed 254.4 passing yards per game, the third worst mark in the Big Ten. Defensive coordinator Bob Diaco was ultimately fired after just one season with at Purdue.

However, before Diaco's arrival, Poindexter did help oversee improvements. In 2017, his first on staff, Purdue's defensive scoring average dropped from 38.2 to 20.5. His best year was in 2015, while overseeing UConn's defense The Huskies finished in the top 20 in red zone defense, scoring defense and passing defense, while also finishing 33rd overall in total defense.

A native of Lynchburg, Virginia, Poindexter was also one of Purdue's key recruiters, especially in the Mid-Atlantic region. While with the Boilermakers, he recruited multiple key regions for Penn State, including New York City, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. This hire is expected to help address the DMV region that used to be overseen by Tyler Bowen, who left last month for a job in the NFL.

As a player, Poindexter was a two-time All-American at Virginia and the 1998 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. He is one of only three players in ACC history to be named all-conference three times. He finished his college career with 342 tackles and was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame last year as a player.

Poindexter tore his ACL his senior season, but was still drafted in the seventh round by the Baltimore Ravens in 1999. He was part of the Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV team.

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