January 9, 2013 at 4:51 PM

Ted Roof has left his post as Penn State's defensive coordinator to take the same position at Georgia Tech, the program announced Wednesday on Twitter.

Roof joined the Nittany Lion coaching staff last January after Bill O'Brien was named the team's head coach, but his stint at Penn State will last just one season. John Butler, who served as Penn State's secondary coach in the 2012 season, has been promoted to take Roof's place, according to a tweet by the football team's Twitter account.

Butler, a Philadelphia native, also joined the Penn State staff in 2012 and previously coached at South Carolina, Minnesota, Harvard, Texas State and Midwestern State.

In Roof's lone season in Happy Valley, Penn State ranked 16th in the nation in points per game allowed (19.1), and surrendered 353.4 yards per game.

"I am very appreciative of Ted's contributions to Penn State," coach Bill O'Brien said in a statement. "Ted and I have known each other a long time and coached together at Georgia Tech, his alma mater. Ted is a great coach and person. He earned the respect of our players and they enjoyed playing for him. We wish Ted and his family well."

Roof has ties to Georgia Tech, as he played football there in the 1980s and was the team's defensive coordinator from 1999-2001. Roof was also the head coach at Duke for four seasons, in which he compiled a 6-45 record, and he was Auburn's defensive coordinator when the team won the national title in the 2010 season.

"I've known Ted for a long time and I'm excited that he has decided to come back to Georgia Tech," Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson said in a press release. "He's one of the most respected football coaches in the nation."

In addition to working with a secondary that helped limit opponents to 225 passing yards per game, Butler also was in charge of the Lions' special teams unit. Though Butler doesn't have the coaching experience of someone like Roof, O'Brien said he thinks the jump to defensive coordinator won't be tough for him.

"John did an outstanding job with the secondary this past season and brings tremendous experience, energy and a passion for tenacious defense to the field and in the meeting room," O'Brien said in a statement. "John quickly developed a great relationship with all our players on defense and special teams and his ability to teach and relate to the players on and off the field will greatly assist in making this an easy transition."