These 10 new offensive coordinators are facing pressure immediately
Here’s a look at 10 key new offensive coordinators who take over at programs that didn’t change head coaches. A case can be made that there is more pressure on these guys than there is on coordinators at schools that have entirely new staffs.
Most of these coordinators are taking over at schools where the offense (or at least one facet of it) has been woeful; others need to make sure they keep what has been a good thing running smoothly.
This was an especially busy offseason for college football coordinators – 66 schools changed OCs – and there were a handful of others we could’ve spotlighted here. Here are the 10 we chose.
Robert Anae, Syracuse
The key number: 3,742 total passing yards the past two seasons (17 teams had more last season alone)
The skinny: The Orange passing attack has disappeared. Anae was hired after he was left jobless following Bronco Mendenhall’s surprising retirement at Virginia. Syracuse coach Dino Babers (Anae is his fourth OC in seven years, by the way) certainly wouldn’t mind seeing the Orange throw the ball like Virginia did last season, when the Cavs were second nationally with 4,711 passing yards. But Anae has a ton of work to do. The Cavaliers averaged 392.6 passing yards per game last season; Syracuse has thrown for more than 300 yards in a game just twice in the past three seasons. Babers needs a quick offensive turnaround, or this could be his final season.
Alex Atkins, Florida State
The key number: 217 sacks allowed in the past six seasons (3.01 per game)
The skinny: Atkins was promoted from offensive line coach to replace Kenny Dillingham, who left to become coordinator at Oregon. Yes, Atkins’ unit is a big reason FSU has allowed all those sacks. Still, better use can be made of QB Jordan Travis’ running ability and his speed. Using him as a dropback passer is just … well, it’s dumb. FSU has run the ball effectively the past two seasons, but the passing attack has been nonexistent because it’s tough to throw when you’re on your back. Atkins has a tough task: strengthening the line, tweaking the play-calling and upgrading the passing attack, all at once.
Kirk Ciarrocca, Minnesota
The key number: 162.0 passing yards per game last season
The skinny: The Golden Gophers’ passing attack the past two seasons was bad; Minnesota threw 19 TD passes in 20 combined games in 2020 and ’21. In 2019, the Golden Gophers averaged 253.3 passing yards per game and were second in the Big Ten with 31 TD passes. That also was the last time Ciarrocca was Minnesota’s coordinator. He left after that season for Penn State, where he lasted just one year. He was an analyst last season at West Virginia and now is back working for P.J. Fleck. Tanner Morgan also is back at quarterback; he’s the guy who threw 31 TD passes in 2019, but he regressed noticeably the past two seasons. If he and Ciarrocca can regain some of that 2019 magic, Minnesota could find itself in the Big Ten West title hunt. Minnesota still is going to be a run-first team, but there’s no reason the Golden Gophers should be so bad throwing the ball.
Bobby Engram, Wisconsin
The key number: Averaging more than 200 yards passing in a season just twice in past 10 years
The skinny: Wisconsin always is going to be a run-first offense. That’s fine: The Badgers churn out 1,000-yard rushers like Detroit used to churn out cars. But you’d think there would have been a bit more emphasis on revving up the passing attack the past few years. The high-water mark the past decade for Wisconsin’s pass offense was 228.3 yards per game in 2015; the other time the Badgers averaged more than 200 yards per game was 2019, when it was 200.1. Only three times in the past decade have the Badgers ranked in the top 50 in passing efficiency and five times they’ve ranked 80th or worse, including 105th last season. And Wisconsin quarterbacks in that span have averaged 16.3 TD passes but also 11.4 interceptions per season. In the past two seasons, the Badgers threw a combined 21 TD passes and 20 interceptions. Engram had been tight ends coach with the Baltimore Ravens. When he was hired, Engram talked about adding “my own sense of creativity to what’s already been proven successful here.” Presumably, that means Engram — a former NFL wide receiver — will introduce some actual creativity to the passing attack. Returning starting QB Graham Mertz had 10 TDs and 11 interceptions last season, and he must show improvement if the Badgers are going to win the Big Ten West.
Graham Harrell, West Virginia
The key number: 17-18 record the past three seasons
The skinny: Harrell was the coordinator for Clay Helton at USC last season; this season, he’ll be working for another hot-seat coach in Neal Brown. WVU has been pedestrian on offense in Brown’s three seasons, averaging a combined 366.3 yards per game and 5.2 yards per play (for context, 5.2 yards per play would’ve ranked 100th in the nation last season). Harrell’s offensive views likely align better with Brown than with Helton, but the key is the play of QB J.T. Daniels. Daniels did not go through spring ball with WVU, so he needs to quickly get on point during summer camp. Harrell did work with Daniels in 2019 at USC. Daniels had a good season as a true-freshman starter for the Trojans in 2018, and Harrell was hired after the season. Daniels opened the 2019 season as the starter but was injured in the opener and missed the rest of the year; he transferred to Georgia after that season.
Eric Kiesau, Auburn
The key number: Well …
The skinny: The pressure really has nothing to do with stats and everything to do with the soap opera that is Auburn football. Coach Bryan Harsin was left swaying in the wind for a few weeks after the season, and a lot of folks thought he was going to be fired. While Harsin kept his job, the uncertainty led to Austin Davis, who had been hired as the OC to replace Mike Bobo, leaving less than a month after he was hired. Kiesau, who was wide receiver coach last season, then was named the coordinator. Kiesau, who came with Harsin from Boise State, is taking over an offense that was mediocre last season. Auburn has a nice group of running backs, but who’s the quarterback? The candidates are holdover T.J. Finley, Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada and Oregon transfer Robby Ashford. And the receiving corps is just as underwhelming. Harsin is on one of the hottest seats around.
Chip Long, Georgia Tech
The key number: 95th or worse nationally in scoring offense in each of the past three seasons
The skinny: Geoff Collins is entering the fourth year of his tenure and he, too, is feeling the heat. It looked like a good hire when it was made after the 2018 season, but it has not panned out. Truthfully, as mediocre as the offense has been, the defense has been worse. Still, it’s hard to win games these days scoring just 24 points per game, which is Tech’s high-water mark under Collins. Long was hired in early December to replace Dave Patenaude, who was fired after last season. Long had been coordinator at Tulane. Interestingly, while he was quarterback coach at Tulane and initially was to oversee that position at Tech, he was moved to tight ends coach when Chris Weinke was hired in January. Long has to find a way to spice up the offense even though Tech’s best offensive player (RB Jahmyr Gibbs) left for Alabama via the transfer portal. Long (and Weinke, for that matter) must find a consistent quarterback.
Rich Scangarello, Kentucky
The key number: 224.5 passing yards per game in 2021
The skinny: Scangarello, who had been the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback coach, replaces Liam Coen, who was at UK for one season. Coen returned to the NFL, as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator. For sure, Coen revved up UK’s passing attack in 2021. But let’s not go overboard: UK’s average of 224.5 yards per game was 10th in the SEC, and the Wildcats threw for more than 179 yards in an SEC game once (387 in a loss to Tennessee). Scangarello needs to make sure the pass offense takes another step. QB Will Levis is getting a ton of love in early 2022 mock drafts, and he is coming off a season in which he threw 24 TD passes (that’s sixth-most in a season in school history). But he also threw 13 interceptions, tied for second-most in Power 5. RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. will be the offensive focal point, but Scangarello needs to make sure the pass offense remains productive. Georgia is going to win the SEC East, but second place in the division is there for the taking.
Brandon Streeter, Clemson
The key number: 191.2 passing yards per game last season
The skinny: Clemson won 10 games last season because of its defense; the offense was bad for the first half of the season, then improved to mediocre down the stretch. The defense and the overall weakness of the ACC enabled the Tigers to get to double-digit wins for the 11th season in a row. Coordinator Tony Elliott left to become coach at Virginia, and Dabo Swinney – a huge fan of coaching staff continuity – promoted Streeter from quarterback coach. Job One for Streeter is coaxing better touch and more consistency from QB DJ Uiagalelei, who had a solid spring. Five-star true freshman Cade Klubnik had a solid spring, as well, and will push Uiagalelei. The rushing attack should be much improved this season, which will help whoever is at quarterback. But the receivers have something to prove.
Mark Whipple, Nebraska
The key number: 15 wins in four seasons under coach Scott Frost
The skinny: Frost is also on one of the hottest seats in the nation. He has reconfigured his offensive staff, including bringing in Whipple, a veteran coordinator who oversaw a big-time pass offense at Pitt last season. A big priority should be improving the Huskers’ lackluster performance in the red zone. The starting quarterback almost certainly will be Texas transfer Casey Thompson. He threw 24 TD passes for the Longhorns last season, but also tossed nine picks. Turnovers were a big problem for former QB Adrian Martinez, who is playing his final season at Kansas State. But if Thompson can cut down on his mistakes? Whipple showed with Pitt’s Kenny Pickett that he can turn someone who had been a so-so quarterback into a highly productive one. Thing is, Whipple worked with Pickett for three years. Can Thompson be transformed in nine months?