Penn State brings in former Virginia assistant as new wide receivers coach

Penn State added Marques Hagans to its football coaching staff Monday, according to a statement from the university.

Hagans joins the Nittany Lions as offensive recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach a week after Penn State coach James Franklin announced that former receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield had been relieved of his duties.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be led by James Franklin and work with his tremendous coaching staff,” said Hagans. “I am excited to be part of the tradition of Penn State football, to uphold the standard of excellence and to work relentlessly to compete for championships. My wife, Lauren, and our boys cannot wait to get to Happy Valley.”

Hagans, who played five seasons in the NFL, had spent 11 seasons at his alma mater, Virginia, where he most recently served as associate head coach and wide receivers coach.

He coached 10 of the top 15 players in career receptions at Virginia, including former St. Joseph’s Prep star Olamide Zaccheaus, who recorded a school-record 250 receptions. Zaccheaus, now with the Atlanta Falcons, also left Virginia with 2,753 career receiving yards, ranking second in school history.

In 2021, Virginia was the only school in the country with five receivers with more than 500 receiving yards. That season, the Cavaliers averaged 392.6 passing yards and had four players with more than 600 receiving yards.

As a quarterback at Virginia, Hagans is No. 10 all-time in passing yards with 4,877 and seventh in total offense with 5,779 yards.

He was selected as a wide receiver in the fifth round (144th overall) of the 2006 NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams, where he spent three seasons before heading to the Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts in 2008. Hagans spent 2009 and 2010 with Washington.

“We are excited to add Marques to our family,” said Franklin in the statement. “He is a veteran coach, whose experiences playing both quarterback and wide receiver at the highest levels will bring tremendous value to our program. Marques has a proven track record of developing receivers throughout his career and has worked alongside many coaches I respect. Marques is a relationship-based leader whose family values align with the culture of Penn State. We are thrilled to welcome Marques, his wife, Lauren, and sons, Christopher and Jackson to Happy Valley.”