SOUTH BEND, Ind. – For the second time in a calendar year, Marcus Freeman is on the offensive coordinator hunt. A year ago, cheerleader Nick Saban sent a plane to bring in Tommy Reese, who has since helped lead the Crimson Tide back to the college football game. Now Jared Parker is headed to Troy as the new head coach of the Sun Belt Champions, after Freeman backed Parker’s return to a second stint as the Irish OCA.
The coaching search that took Freeman from Reese to Parker included high-profile interviews with Kansas State’s Colin Kline (most recently Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator) and Utah’s Andy Ludwig, in which the Notre Dame head coach showed a willingness to step out of his comfort zone. To bring both to court. For both contractual and personal reasons, neither coordinator joined Freeman at Notre Dame. Parker had no such hesitation; The bet on himself has now rewarded him with his first head coaching job.
Ultimately, Freeman may be the best choice when Notre Dame is looking for a coordinator to lead the offensive rebuild. If a coordinator is successful at Notre Dame, he gets the head coaching job. He might get one just to put up two solid seasons. Whether it’s Clark Lea, Mike Sanford, Chuck Martin, Bob Diaco, Parker or Freeman himself, entering Notre Dame can lead to bright lights.
Where can Notre Dame turn?
Freeman has shown a willingness to return to his roots in Cincinnati. Looking for a run-first (or at least run-flexible) play caller would be preferable, but the philosophy cannot include an outdated call sheet. And while player development is the biggest key, hiring chops is a must.
Seven nominees to be recognized are divided into categories.
A home run
LSU offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock
After the programs struggled to find coaching talent over the past few years, they set aside Notre Dame’s karmic potential by hiring LSU’s offensive coordinator. Denbrock will be close to what Marcus Freeman creates in the lab as the next offensive coordinator.
They have a working relationship from Cincinnati. Following Parker’s departure, a position group in need of a coach will be heavily coached by Denbrock’s coaches. Denbrock worked for two different head coaches for 10 years before finding Notre Dame. And the native of Homer, Mich., less than two hours from Notre Dame, saw some things on Saturday, good and bad. It doesn’t get frustrating when game plans need tweaking or challenging to play on the road. In addition, Denbrock helped Jayden Daniels win the Heisman Trophy.
He recently turned down a move from Texas A&M by working out a new three-year contract to stay with Brian Kelly. Will Notre Dame decline? It’s a call Freeman has to make to find out. LSU led the nation in 2023 in scoring, yards per game, passing efficiency and yards per game.
Al Golden of Destruction
Toledo head coach Jason Schama
Candle may have taken the Toledo program as far as it could take it over the past eight seasons, which included two MAC championships and an appearance in this year’s conference title game. With Sean Lewis moving from Kent State to Colorado last summer, the idea of a head coach leaving Mack’s job elsewhere for a coaching job is unprecedented. Lewis was hired as San Diego State’s head coach in late November. Schama coached receivers during his career and spent four seasons as Toledo’s offensive coordinator before being promoted to head coach.
Akron head coach Joe Moorhead
The Morehead star has fallen thanks to a 2-10 season at Akron, but is blessed with extensive coaching experience as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator and has seen the highs and lows of his career. Nothing about being the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame should surprise Moorhead, considering he also ran successful offenses at Penn State and Oregon. The Irish showed at least initial interest in Morehead a year ago, though nothing came of it. His ability to coach quarterbacks and lead through storms could be appealing.
Next big things
Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore
Kellen Moore, the younger brother of Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator and standout Boise State quarterback, burst onto the Power 5 scene this season after being recruited out of Fresno State at Missouri. The Tigers were impressive, finishing 10-2 and pushing Georgia in Athens. Moore’s lack of experience doesn’t bode well after Parker’s one-and-done tenure as offensive coordinator, but Freeman chased down up-and-coming Colin Kline from Kansas State a year ago. The Irish couldn’t make a deal, and Klein is now at Texas A&M with Mike Elko. Moore built an offense around former running back Cody Schrader, who finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting, and former five-star receiver Luther Barden.
Ole Miss co-offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr
A familiar name that still calls South Bend home, regardless of his coaching moves around the Southeast. In two years at Ole Miss, the Rebels have won in many ways. A year ago, that ranked third only in the nation in rushing yards (and No. 10 in rushing yards). That means building a top-15 passing offense (No. 6 yards per attempt, No. 12 in passer rating) by balancing a quarterback class that includes Jackson Dart, Spencer Sanders and Walker Howard this year. Lane Kiffin is an offensive minded head coach, there’s a reason he hired Weis more than once. Weis may be young, but he already has four offensive coordinator experiences on his resume.
He rents a house
Notre Dame quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli
Guidugli has one season of offensive coordinator experience in Luke Fickell’s final year in Cincinnati before following Fickell to Wisconsin. Guidugli arrived in Madison as the Badgers’ tight ends coach, then landed Notre Dame’s quarterbacks coach the same season after Tommy Rees left. Parker often described Notre Dame’s offensive approach as collaborative, meaning Guidougli was from around the middle. When Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator hire was expected to come out of the program, that was the hope Rees was going for.
Former Duke offensive coordinator Kevin Jones
Jones lists what Warren Ruggiero was to these candidates last year. Does it make sense to hire the most familiar coordinator at quarterback with your biggest transfer investment? Probably not. However, Sam Hartman’s ability to play for an undrafted offensive coordinator diminished last season. If Notre Dame wants Riley Leonard to hit the ground running, his former coordinator/position coach can help. Still, Leonard’s development as a passer didn’t go according to plan last season. Steve Angelli had more touchdown passes. Jones crossed paths professionally with Indiana running backs coach DeLand McCullough from 2011-16. Jones isn’t at home, but it can feel that way to Leonard.
(Photo: Peter Thomas / USA Today)