Insider Gives Update on Chaz Coleman Returning to Penn State

Former Penn State star Chaz Coleman decided to enter the transfer portal this offseason, a move that definitely upset many Nittany Lions fans.

Coleman was expected to be one of the top players on this Penn State defense moving forward, but unfortunately, things didn't work out at the level everybody was hoping for. Whether that was because Penn State lost faith, James Franklin had decided to move on from him, or Coleman was just looking to get paid, which it seems like, the decision was made.

Fast forward a few months, and it looks like Penn State might have actually dodged a bullet by not having him on the roster. In fact, Coleman has done absolutely nothing to suggest that Penn State made the wrong move, as it's now being reported that he's yet to show up to voluntary workouts at the University of Tennessee, the school he committed to in the transfer portal.

“Tennessee EDGE Chaz Coleman has deleted his Instagram amid a post from earlier this month going viral online. The Penn State transfer has yet to arrive in Knoxville for voluntary workouts, and continues to be one of the most confusing storylines of the offseason,” Fox Sports Knoxville’s William Patteson posted.

Some Penn State fans are hopeful that Coleman could return to the team, depending on what's going on in Tennessee. 

I'm not in that boat, as I don't think Penn State is in a position where it can take on a guy who might not want to even be on the field. According to the latest report, there doesn't seem to be a feeling that Coleman returning to Penn State is possible, and the same can be said for Ohio State, the team most thought he was transferring to in the portal.

“I don’t want to say that the only solution in college sports these days is to sue,” Pete Nakos said, “But if Chaz Coleman is serious about playing college football in 2026 and he’s not a member of the Tennessee football program, I think his options are extremely limited. From the conversations I’ve had, I don’t believe that he can enter the portal unless Tennessee makes it extremely well-known and clear that they do not care what he does in 2026.

“I’d just say the odds of him going back to Penn State or Ohio State are beyond slim.”