Former Penn State Nittany Lions' star pass rusher will now take his talents to the SEC for the 2026 college football season.
With the transfer portal in full swing, Penn State Nittany Lions’ fans now know where the program’s star pass rusher will play for the 2026 college football season.
According to On3Sports’ Hayes Fawcett on Saturday afternoon, former Penn State standout EDGE Chaz Coleman has committed to the Tennessee Volunteers shortly after entering the transfer portal this offseason.
Coleman, a four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, was one of the best signees in the previous cycle. The highly-regarded defensive end was the No. 9-ranked player in the state of Ohio, while also being a top-35 EDGE in his class, per 247Sports’ Composite. And despite being one of the best recruits in Ohio, Coleman ultimately chose the Nittany Lions over the likes of the Kentucky Wildcats.
It would not take long for the star pass rusher to make his impact felt amongst the program, as he appeared in five games over the course of the 2025 season. As a freshman, he would manage to record eight tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble, which was an outstanding feat considering how loaded the Nittany Lions’ defense was this year.
Unfortunately, this would ultimately lead to him eventually entering the transfer portal right after the conclusion of the season.
With so much potential for him to grow at the college level, teams were quick to target Coleman once he announced his departure from the program. This included his hometown program, the Ohio State Buckeyes, who were the early favorites to land Coleman.
However, this took a dramatic turn recently, as the Volunteers made a hard push for the young playmaker in the portal. With former Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles taking the same position at Tennessee, it would make sense that Coleman would follow his former play caller to his next destination.
Looking at the Nittany Lions’ defensive end position before the 2026 college football season, the struggling program also lost star EDGE rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton, who recently declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.
With both Coleman and Dennis-Sutton out of the picture, it’s clear that newly-hired head coach Matt Campbell must continue his strong efforts within the transfer portal to reshape the defensive line. Campbell managed to land former Colorado Buffaloes’ star Alexander McPherson earlier this month, which could help aid the program in the trenches next season.