Penn State football dismisses offensive line coach Matt Limegrover

Head coach James Franklin announced that the contract of Limegrover, who just completed his fourth season with the Nittany Lions, will not be renewed.

Penn State offensive line coach Matt Limegrover, shown prior to a Nov. 16 game against Indiana, will not have his contract renewed by the program.Read moreBarry Reeger / AP

by Joe Juliano

Published Dec. 31, 2019, 1:19 p.m. ET

Penn State head coach James Franklin announced Tuesday that the contract of offensive line coach Matt Limegrover will not be renewed.

Limegrover, a native of Pittsburgh, was hired by Franklin in 2016 to coach the offensive line, and added the title of run game coordinator in 2018.

“We appreciate all of Matt’s contribution to our program for the last four seasons,” Franklin said in a statement. “We wish Matt and his family all the best in the future.”

Limegrover, who spent five years at Minnesota before coming to Penn State, built depth in the Nittany Lions’ offensive line throughout his tenure. He coached two offensive linemen – Ryan Bates and Connor McGovern – who were on NFL rosters this season. Senior guard Steven Gonzalez made the All-Big Ten second team this season and is likely to be drafted into the NFL.

Gonzalez and his teammates on the offensive line paved the way for the Lions to roll up 396 rushing yards in Saturday’s 53-39 Cotton Bowl victory over Memphis.

Franklin said a national search for Limegrover’s replacement will begin immediately, but he is likely to give consideration to a current member of his staff, tight ends coach Tyler Bowen, who gained offensive line coaching experience at Fordham and Maryland.

Limegrover, who completed his 29th season of college coaching Saturday, is the second Penn State assistant coach who won’t return to the program next season. Offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne left in early December to take over as head coach at Old Dominion.