Khalil Ahmad, the coordinator of personnel and recruitment for Penn State, is returning to his hometown of Syracuse to take up the position of executive director of recruiting under the new head coach, Fran Brown, Lions247 has confirmed. Matt Zenitz, a national college football reporter for 247Sports, broke the initial news.
“Thank you to the entire PSU and State College community for welcoming me with warm arms,” Ahmad posted to X. “Happy Valley is a unique location. It has been an honor working for you, coach [James] Franklin. I appreciate all of your advice, knowledge, and mentorship during my time here.”
When Ahmad joined Penn State in late January, he immediately helped the program recruit, particularly in his native New Jersey. Top247 Jersey City (N.J.) Snyder linebacker DJ McClary and Newark (N.J.) Shabazz safety Omari Gaines have committed to the Nittany Lions through 2025. Both of those people, as well as other Garden State natives who Penn State is pursuing, have praised Ahmad.
Ahmad rejoined Syracuse after serving as director of high school relations for the recently fired Dino Babers. Elijah Robinson, a native of New Jersey and a former Penn State player, was appointed defensive coordinator by the Orange, who also recently hired Brown as their new head coach.
Ahmad, a graduate of Delaware State, has held positions as head football coach at Paterson Eastside High School in New Jersey and in the recruiting office at Rutgers. He also made stops at Northern Valley at Demarest and Passaic High School. Ahmad was added to FootballScoop’s watch list for 2022 minority coaches and support personnel.
