After Tommy Rees accepted the offensive coordinator spot at Alabama, Marcus Freeman will begin his search for his new offensive coordinator. Two main requirements come to mind for Nore Dame’s search. One is that the coach has to be a quarterbacks coach, and another is that they must have experience running a more pro-style offense. Notre Dame can’t waste this season by experimenting with a first-time coordinator.
Former Stanford coach David Shaw is someone Notre Dame should give a call to at a minimum. Shaw would bring years of offensive experience and quarterback development to a program that has lacked it. Shaw has produced some good college quarterbacks such as Davis Mills, Tanner McKee, and KJ Costello. Shaw also spent a season coaching former No. 1 pick Andrew Luck. The only negative is that Shaw has faded away from recruiting and doesn’t love the new NIL era.
Extremely grateful to have been coached and mentored by @CoachDavidShaw. I have so much respect and admiration for him. The leadership skills and perspective he has given me are priceless. I wish he and his family the very best. Love you coach! pic.twitter.com/O1pm6p74CQ
— Tanner McKee (@McKeeTmckee) November 29, 2022
Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig is another intriguing name for the OC opening. Ludwig has been at the University of Utah since 2019. Ludwig loves to run the ball with three thousand rushing yards as a team in 2022. Runningbacks Tavion Thomas, Micah Bernard, and Ja’Quiden Jackson all had 500 rushing yards. Ludwig also has turned quarterback Cam Rising into a great college quarterback during his time at Utah. Ludwig is a guy who would come into Notre Dame year one and prioritize the run with Logan Diggs, Audric Estime, and Jadarian Price in the backfield.
Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig said Ohio State opt-outs won’t change the Utes’ game plan: “I know this, if one guy goes out they have another really talented guy behind him.” pic.twitter.com/geFWS7xSJx
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) December 28, 2021
More Sports News
Joe Brady led one of the best college offenses we have seen with LSU in 2019. Brady is currently the quarterback’s coach for the Buffalo Bills. Although it is unknown if he wants to return to college he’s a guy Marcus Freeman should reach out to. LSU’s 2019 offense is mainly remembered for its insane passing offense which included; Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Terrace Marshall Jr. People forget that running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire had 1,414 rushing yards.
Promoting current tight-end coach Gerad Parker is one of the multiple possibilities. Gerad Parker was an interim head coach at Purdue in the 2016 season. He also had some experience as an offensive coordinator at West Virginia, in 2020 and 2021. Marcus Freeman is also comfortable with Parker as they worked together at Purdue from 2013-2016. Only negative with promoting Parker would be that Notre Dame would now have to bring in a separate quarterbacks coach.
Gerad Parker is a mood. pic.twitter.com/LFyUiiPKIt
— Patrick Engel (@PatrickEngel_) December 31, 2022
The current Akron head coach Joe Moorhead is another intriguing option for the opening. Moorhead had an unsuccessful stint at Mississippi State, but it was never a proper fit. Moorhead has had some good recruiting success landing guys like Will Levis, Ty Thompson, and Dont’e Thornton while at Oregon and Penn State as offensive coordinator. Moorhead would also have lots of talent to work with in the QB room such as Sam Hartman, Tyler Buchner, Kenny Minchey and 2024 commit CJ Carr in the future. Moorhead may not be 100 percent on board with becoming a coordinator again, but it’s definitely worth a shot.
Some guys who I didn’t mention are kind of long shots are Kentucky OC Liam Coen, who recently was hired at Kentucky, and unlikely he would leave so quickly. Philadelphia Eagles QB coach Brian Johnson is in the middle of a super bowl run. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich is another name rumored but has never coached in college or has never had to recruit before.
