College football coaches change positions regularly. With that, schools are always looking for coordinators who are doing a good job. This could be to take the same spot or the head coaching position. Here are notable coordinators in college football.
Clemson: Garrett Riley
Garrett Riley had a quick rise to stardom in 2022. He helped TCU come out of nowhere to reach the College Football Playoff. The team averaged 38.9 points per game. Riley was one of the bigger names on the coaching market last offseason and Clemson made sure they signed him. He won the Broyles Award as the best assistant in college football in 2022. Clemson didn’t see immediate results in 2023, but it can sometimes take a year before getting things going. The offense looked much different than it did at TCU, so giving him more clearance to run the offense his way could produce more results.
Wake Forest: Warren Ruggiero
Ruggiero has been the offensive coordinator for Wake Forest since 2014. Things haven’t always been great, but more recently Ruggiero has the offense scoring points. After the team scored 41 points per game in 2021, they scored 36.1 points in 2022. For the 2023 season, Wake struggled, so Ruggiero needs to have a good bounce-back year.
Iowa: Phil Parker
Parker has been the defensive coordinator for Iowa since 2012. He has an especially tough job, as the offense doesn’t always sustain long drives and give his defense a break. Last season, Iowa allowed 14.8 points per game, ranking fourth in the country. The defense returns eight starters, so Parker could have even better results.
Ohio State: Chip Kelly
Being the head coach of UCLA wasn’t the best fit for Kelly, who left to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator. His offenses at Oregon were ahead of their time and productive. At Ohio State, he will have premier players to work with, so the Buckeyes could see a big jump in points per game.
Ohio State: Jim Knowles
After turning around Oklahoma State’s defense in 2021, Knowles did the same for Ohio State in 2022. The defense did falter at the end of the season and Knowles needs to get players that fit his scheme still. That improvement continued into 2023, as they ranked second in the country, giving up 11.2 points per game. With so many good players returning and safety Caleb Downs transferring in, the 2024 Ohio State defense could be one of the best ones in recent memory.
Oregon: Will Stein
Stein was the offensive coordinator for UTSA from 2020-2022 and last season was his first at Oregon. He didn’t disappoint, as Oregon scored 44.2 points per game, which ranked second in the country. The 34-year-old will have a lot of job offers after the season if he can replicate that performance.
Penn State: Andy Kotelnicki
Kotelnicki is heading from Kansas to Penn State this season. At Kansas, he helped the Jayhawks score 41.7 points per game, which ranked fourth in the country. At Penn State, Kotelnicki will have to help a team that has had some struggles in big games.
Wisconsin: Phil Longo
Longo was the offensive coordinator at Ole Miss and UNC before taking the Wisconsin job. In 2022, he helped new starting quarterback Drake Maye have a great season and the Tar Heels averaged 34.4 points per game. Things didn’t go well in2023, but a lot of talent is returning for Longo to work with in 2024.
Baylor: Jake Spavital
Spavital has been an offensive coordinator in a lot of different places. He was also the Texas State head coach from 2019-2022. As Cal’s offensive coordinator last season, they ranked top 50 in scoring. At Baylor, he will have a chance to work with Toledo transfer quarterback Dequan Finn, as they try to improve a unit that scored just 23.1 points per game.
Kansas State: Joe Klanderman
Klanderman has worked his way up the ranks from Division II to FCS to Division I. He has helped Chris Kleiman be successful in five years at Kansas State. The defense ranked 23rd in 2021, 36th in 2022 and 26th in 2023. His defense could be very important to Kansas State winning a Big 12 title in 2024.
Utah: Andy Ludwig
Ludwig has moved his way up through the ranks and worked at many different schools. He has been the offensive coordinator at Utah since 2019. Ludwig has operated good offenses before, but was without starting quarterback Cam Rising last season. They ranked 98th in scoring, so Ludwig will hope to get things back on track with Rising returning.
Utah: Morgan Scalley
Scalley played for Utah in the early 21st century and has been an assistant with the program since 2007. He worked his way up to defensive coordinator in 2016. Scalley has done a solid job and last season helped the Utes allow 19.3 points per game. This offseason, Scalley was named the successor to Kyle Whittingham at Utah, so he will be a head coach in the future.
Arkansas: Bobby Petrino
Petrino is returning to Arkansas as the offensive coordinator after he was the head coach from 2008-2011. He was the Texas A&M offensive coordinator last season, which didn’t work it. Petrino has been ahead of his time with his offenses and will have a chance to really turn things around for the Razorbacks.
Georgia: Glenn Schumann
Shuman was a co-defensive coordinator the last few seasons, but now has the job by himself. Last season, he led the Bulldogs into allowing just 15.6 points per game, ranking fifth in the country. For 2024, Schumann has a lot of talent to work with and the results can be similar to 2023.
Georgia: Mike Bobo
Bobo was the offensive coordinator from 2007-2014 before leaving for the Colorado State head coaching job. He returned last season and did a great job working with a new starting quarterback in Carson Beck. Beck developed throughout the season and the Bulldogs’ offense benefitted. They scored 40.1 points per game, which ranked fifth in the country.
Texas: Kyle Flood
Flood has been the offensive coordinator at Texas since 2021. Last season, the Longhorns scored 35.8 points per game, ranking 14th in the country. He has an experienced offensive line and quarterback, but needs new skill position players to step up.
Texas A&M: Collin Klein
Klein was working as the offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Kansas State, but made the move to Texas A&M this offseason. He joins Mike Elko’s staff after leading the Wildcats to 37.1 points per game, which was good enough for 10th in the country. At Texas A&M, he has seven returning starters to work with, including quarterback Conner Weigman, who has some pro potential.
Notre Dame: Mike Denbrock
Denbrock was the offensive coordinator at LSU with Brian Kelly last season. He helped Jayden Daniels develop, as the Tigers scored 45.5 points per game, which was the best rank in the country. Daniels won the Heisman and the Tigers had a good season on the offensive side of the ball. Now, he goes to Notre Dame, a place that he has coached before. Riley Leonard transferred in from Duke to play quarterback, but even more importantly, Notre Dame snatched a few wide receiver transfers from the portal to help make the offense more dynamic. The Fighting Irish ranked seventh in offense last season, but this unit, with Denbrock leading them, could have more skill position talent and potential.
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