Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1526526
3 0 O C T O B E R 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M D an Connor was only two years into his NFL career when he realized what he wanted next. A former All-America line- backer and Penn State's career tackles leader with 419 stops from 2004-07, Connor knew his playing career would eventually come to an end. When it did, he knew he would need a plan for his future. Connor was the son of a high school and college coach in the suburban Phila- delphia area and had two brothers who were both coaching at the high school level. A third-round draftee of the Caro- lina Panthers in 2008, he held his own long-term coaching aspirations and wanted to be prepared when the oppor- tunity arose. So, he took notes. "I started keeping a notebook, sepa- rate from my football notebook, of Tom Coughlin, Ron Rivera, Jason Garrett, Sean McDermott," Connor recently told Steve Jones on "The Penn State Coaches Show," rattling off a list of the NFL coaching veterans for whom he had played. "I kept a notebook of stuff they were doing, how they were teach- ing, themes that they would use week to week. "And I was fortunate. I finished playing [after the 2013 season], and it took maybe one month until I was hired at West Chester University and jumped into it. But it's been in my blood. It's something I knew I wanted to do really my whole life once the actual playing career stopped." Connor's journey began with two seasons at West Chester as linebackers coach, followed by two seasons at Arch- bishop Carroll High in Radnor, Pa., and four years at Widener University as de- fensive coordinator. Those experiences helped prepare him for the most signifi- cant, welcomed change of his career. Been There, Been There, Done That Done That Dan Connor brings a wealth of Penn State linebacking experience to his duties as a defensive analyst NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M Penn State's all-time leading tackler with 419 career stops, Connor returned to his alma mater in 2022 as an analyst. Due to a recent NCAA rule change, he's now able to provide on-field coaching to players. PHOTO BY SEAN FITZ