Andy Kotelnicki likes to tinker. It’s just kind of his way.

The Penn State first-year offensive coordinator is wary of growing stagnant. No matter how deep into the season it gets, there’s always time for a new wrinkle, a new play, anything to give an upcoming opponent a little something extra to think about.

Some of it comes from Kotelnicki’s imagination. As far as the rest? Well, that’s where being a football junkie comes in.

“As a staff, between access to film and watching other games, you steal a lot of things that you think will complement what you’re doing,” Kotelnicki said.

And the sixth-seeded Nittany Lions (12-2) are doing plenty these days as they prepare for a meeting with third-seeded Boise State (12-1) in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve, which this year doubles as a quarterfinal for the College Football Playoff.

It’s a stage Kotelnicki was prepared to be at the moment he left the same role at Kansas for a chance to ply his trade in the Big Ten. While the immersion process was slow at first, things have started to speed up as the season has gone on.

The Nittany Lions have one of the most unique players in the country in Tyler Warren — who won the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end and finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting — and a running back duo in Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen that considers itself the best backfield in the country. They also have a quarterback in Drew Allar who makes up for in efficiency whatever he might lack in eye-popping stats.

Penn State is one of a handful of teams — Boise State among them — that averaged at least 200 yards passing and 200 yards rushing this season. The balance gives Kotelnicki plenty of flexibility. So does what he called “buy in” from Allar, who has passed for a career-high 3,021 yards to go with 21 touchdowns against seven picks.

“We don’t have a lot of what I call ‘my bads’ out on the football field,” Kotelnicki said. “He knows what’s happening. He knows his reads. He knows what the defense is capable of doing.”

It helps that Kotelnicki has an open-door policy with his quarterback that allows for a give-and-take. The two meet regularly and Allar has plenty of input into the gameplan, which he believes makes the actual game itself easier sometimes than practice.

TODAY’S bowl GAMEs

armed forces bowl Oklahoma (6-6 SEC) vs. Navy (9-3 AAC) 11 a.m. CST (ESPN) LOCATION: Fort Worth, Texas NOTABLE: Sooners QB Arnold has 1,421 passing yards (129.2 per game) with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. ... Navy QB Horvath has 1,261 passing yards, with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has 1,099 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, averaging 99.9 per game.

birmingham bowl Georgia Tech (7-5 ACC) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6 SEC) 2:30 p.m. CST (ESPN) LOCATION: Birmingham, Alabama NOTABLE: Georgia Tech has outscored opponents by 4.3 points per game this season, and Vanderbilt has outscored opponents by 3.6 per game. ... In terms of points scored Vanderbilt ranks 75th with 26.7 points per game, and it is 48th on the other side of the ball (23.1 points allowed per game).

Liberty Bowl Texas Tech (8-4 B12) vs. Arkansas (6-6 SEC) 6 p.m. CST (ESPN) LOCATION: Memphis, Tennessee NOTABLE: Arkansas ranks 21st-best with 269.1 passing yards per game. ... With 161.7 rushing yards per game on offense, Texas Tech ranks 67th in college football. Defensively it ranks 65th, allowing 147.3 rushing yards per contest.

Holiday Bowl No. 22 Syracuse (9-3 ACC) vs. Washington State (8-4 PAC12) 7 p.m. CST (FOX) LOCATION: San Diego, California NOTABLE: Syracuse’s minus 1 turnover margin ranks 67th in college football. ... While Washington State’s defense has had trouble stopping opposing offenses, ranking 19th-worst by surrendering 430.4 total yards per game, its offense ranks 22nd-best with 440.4 total yards per contest.

LAS VEGAS Bowl Texas A&M (8-4 SEC) vs. USC (6-6 B12) 9:30 p.m. CST (ESPN) LOCATION: Las Vegas, Nevada NOTABLE: Texas A&M has outscored opponents by 9.1 points per game this season, and USC has outscored opponents by 6.3 per game. ... Texas A&M ranks 93rd totaling 203.5 passing yards per game offensively. ... USC ranks 81st with 148.7 rushing yards per game.