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Top 30 Coordinator Hires for 2017
by Steven Lassan, Athlon Sports
1. Ryan Day/Kevin Wilson, Co-Offensive Coordinators, Ohio State
2. Todd Orlando, Defensive Coordinator, Texas
3. Jim Leavitt, Defensive Coordinator, Oregon
4. Mike Elko, Defensive Coordinator, Notre Dame
5. Beau Baldwin, Offensive Coordinator, California
6. Doug Meachem, Offensive Coordinator, Kansas
7. Bob Diaco, Defensive Coordinator, Nebraska
8. Matt Canada, Offensive Coordinator, LSU
9. Chip Long, Offensive Coordinator, Notre Dame
10. Troy Taylor, Offensive Coordinator, Utah
11. Tim DeRuyter, Defensive Coordinator, California
12. Jerry Kill, Offensive Coordinator, Rutgers
13. Todd Grantham, Defensive Coordinator, Mississippi State
14. Phil Snow, Defensive Coordinator, Baylor
15. Chip Lindsey, Offensive Coordinator, Auburn
16. Scott Shafer, Defensive Coordinator, Middle Tennessee State
17. Paul Rhoads, Defensive Coordinator, Arkansas
18. Randy Shannon, Defensive Coordinator, Florida
19. Sterlin Gilbert, Offensive Coordinator, South Florida
20. Jamey Chadwell, Offensive Coordinator, Coastal Carolina
21. Jay Sawvel, Defensive Coordinator, Wake Forest
22. Rhett Lashlee, Offensive Coordinator, Connecticut
23. Phil Longo, Co-Offensive Coordinator, Mississippi
24. Bryan Cook, Offensive Coordinator, Georgia Southern
25. Jim Leonhard, Defensive Coordinator, Wisconsin
26. Kirk Ciarrocca, Offensive Coordinator, Minnesota
27. Mike Summers, Co-Offensive Coordinator, Louisville
28. Kalen DeBoer, Offensive Coordinator, Fresno State
29. Matt Lubick, Co-Offensive Coordinator, Washington
30. David Yost, Offensive Coordinator, Utah State
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26. Kirk Ciarrocca, Offensive Coordinator, Minnesota
New coach P.J. Fleck is handing the controls of Minnesota’s offense to Ciarrocca after the two worked together at Western Michigan from 2013-16. After the Broncos averaged 17.2 points a game in 2013, the offense showed marked improvement over the next three seasons. Western Michigan’s scoring average climbed to 33.8 in 2014, 36.0 in 2015 and 41.6 in 2016. Additionally, the Broncos finished first or second in the MAC in yards per play in three consecutive years (2014-16). Ciarrocca’s 2016 unit was one of the most-balanced attacks in the nation, as Western Michigan posted 3,204 yards on the ground and 3,533 through the air. Ciarrocca also worked as an assistant at Princeton, Penn, Delaware and Richmond, along with a three-year stint as Rutgers’ offensive coordinator from 2008-10.
25. Jim Leonhard, Defensive Coordinator, Wisconsin
After Justin Wilcox left Madison to be the head coach at California, Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst is handing the keys of the defense to one of the top players in Wisconsin program history. From 2001-04, Leonhard starred at safety for the Badgers and earned All-America honors three times during his career. While Leonhard was undrafted, he carved out a solid NFL career, which spanned from 2005 to 2014 with six different teams. Leonhard was hired to coach defensive backs in Madison prior to the 2016 campaign and was promoted to coordinator for 2017. Leonhard has been on a fast rise through the coaching ranks, and while he's unproven as a coordinator, his experience within the program and knowledge on defense should keep Wisconsin near the top of the Big Ten in 2017.
12. Jerry Kill, Offensive Coordinator, Rutgers
Kill is back on the sidelines since stepping down as Minnesota's head coach during the 2015 season due to health reasons. Kill's arrival is a boost for a Rutgers offense that managed only 9.6 points per game in Big Ten action last year and was held without a point in four contests. The Kansas native hasn't worked in the offensive coordinator role since 1993 at Pittsburg State, but he was a successful head coach at five different stops -- Saginaw Valley State, Emporia State, Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois and Minnesota -- since that season. In addition to his play-calling duties and work with quarterbacks, Kill's experience and veteran leadership should be a valuable asset to second-year coach Chris Ash.
7. Bob Diaco, Defensive Coordinator, Nebraska
Nebraska's defense hasn't quite resembled some of the standout Blackshirt groups since Mike Riley took over this program prior to the 2015 season. The Cornhuskers ranked ninth in conference-only games by giving up 28.4 points per game in 2015. This unit was slightly better in 2016, finishing seventh in the Big Ten (conference-only matchups) by holding offenses to 23.8 points per game. Nebraska also ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten in yards per play allowed in both seasons (5.9 in 2015 and 5.5 in 2016) and have accumulated only 50 sacks over the last two seasons. Riley swapped long-time assistant Mark Banker in favor of Bob Diaco and plans on transitioning to a 3-4 scheme this fall. Diaco was previously head coach at UConn and also made stops as a defensive coordinator at Notre Dame and Cincinnati. His 2012 defense with the Fighting Irish limited opponents to 12.8 points per game and was a big reason why Notre Dame reached the national title game. Additionally, in five seasons as a coordinator, Diaco never had a defense allow more than 23.1 points per game on average at the end of the year. Transitioning to a 3-4 may take a season, but Diaco's hire should pay dividends for the overall performance of Nebraska's defense.
1. Ryan Day/Kevin Wilson, Co-Offensive Coordinators, Ohio State
Even though Ohio State finished 2016 ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring offense and yards per play, it was clear change was needed following the CFB Playoff loss to Clemson. Since Tom Herman left Columbus, the Buckeyes haven’t the same level of explosiveness or rhythm on offense. However, that should change in 2017, as former Indiana coach Kevin Wilson is set to take over the play-calling duties, with Ryan Day working as the team’s quarterback coach. Under Wilson’s direction, the Hoosiers averaged over 30 points a game in three out of four years from 2012-15, including a 36.5 mark that led the Big Ten in 2015. Additionally, from 2012-16, Indiana never finished below sixth in the Big Ten in yards per play generated on offense. As evidenced by his tenure at Indiana and previous stints as an offensive coordinator at Northwestern, Oklahoma and Miami (Ohio), Wilson is one of the nation’s top play-callers. With one of college football’s best quarterbacks (J.T. Barrett) to build an offense around, look for Wilson to develop a dynamic attack at Ohio State in 2017 and beyond.
Top 30 Coordinator Hires for 2017
by Steven Lassan, Athlon Sports
1. Ryan Day/Kevin Wilson, Co-Offensive Coordinators, Ohio State
2. Todd Orlando, Defensive Coordinator, Texas
3. Jim Leavitt, Defensive Coordinator, Oregon
4. Mike Elko, Defensive Coordinator, Notre Dame
5. Beau Baldwin, Offensive Coordinator, California
6. Doug Meachem, Offensive Coordinator, Kansas
7. Bob Diaco, Defensive Coordinator, Nebraska
8. Matt Canada, Offensive Coordinator, LSU
9. Chip Long, Offensive Coordinator, Notre Dame
10. Troy Taylor, Offensive Coordinator, Utah
11. Tim DeRuyter, Defensive Coordinator, California
12. Jerry Kill, Offensive Coordinator, Rutgers
13. Todd Grantham, Defensive Coordinator, Mississippi State
14. Phil Snow, Defensive Coordinator, Baylor
15. Chip Lindsey, Offensive Coordinator, Auburn
16. Scott Shafer, Defensive Coordinator, Middle Tennessee State
17. Paul Rhoads, Defensive Coordinator, Arkansas
18. Randy Shannon, Defensive Coordinator, Florida
19. Sterlin Gilbert, Offensive Coordinator, South Florida
20. Jamey Chadwell, Offensive Coordinator, Coastal Carolina
21. Jay Sawvel, Defensive Coordinator, Wake Forest
22. Rhett Lashlee, Offensive Coordinator, Connecticut
23. Phil Longo, Co-Offensive Coordinator, Mississippi
24. Bryan Cook, Offensive Coordinator, Georgia Southern
25. Jim Leonhard, Defensive Coordinator, Wisconsin
26. Kirk Ciarrocca, Offensive Coordinator, Minnesota
27. Mike Summers, Co-Offensive Coordinator, Louisville
28. Kalen DeBoer, Offensive Coordinator, Fresno State
29. Matt Lubick, Co-Offensive Coordinator, Washington
30. David Yost, Offensive Coordinator, Utah State
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26. Kirk Ciarrocca, Offensive Coordinator, Minnesota
New coach P.J. Fleck is handing the controls of Minnesota’s offense to Ciarrocca after the two worked together at Western Michigan from 2013-16. After the Broncos averaged 17.2 points a game in 2013, the offense showed marked improvement over the next three seasons. Western Michigan’s scoring average climbed to 33.8 in 2014, 36.0 in 2015 and 41.6 in 2016. Additionally, the Broncos finished first or second in the MAC in yards per play in three consecutive years (2014-16). Ciarrocca’s 2016 unit was one of the most-balanced attacks in the nation, as Western Michigan posted 3,204 yards on the ground and 3,533 through the air. Ciarrocca also worked as an assistant at Princeton, Penn, Delaware and Richmond, along with a three-year stint as Rutgers’ offensive coordinator from 2008-10.
25. Jim Leonhard, Defensive Coordinator, Wisconsin
After Justin Wilcox left Madison to be the head coach at California, Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst is handing the keys of the defense to one of the top players in Wisconsin program history. From 2001-04, Leonhard starred at safety for the Badgers and earned All-America honors three times during his career. While Leonhard was undrafted, he carved out a solid NFL career, which spanned from 2005 to 2014 with six different teams. Leonhard was hired to coach defensive backs in Madison prior to the 2016 campaign and was promoted to coordinator for 2017. Leonhard has been on a fast rise through the coaching ranks, and while he's unproven as a coordinator, his experience within the program and knowledge on defense should keep Wisconsin near the top of the Big Ten in 2017.
12. Jerry Kill, Offensive Coordinator, Rutgers
Kill is back on the sidelines since stepping down as Minnesota's head coach during the 2015 season due to health reasons. Kill's arrival is a boost for a Rutgers offense that managed only 9.6 points per game in Big Ten action last year and was held without a point in four contests. The Kansas native hasn't worked in the offensive coordinator role since 1993 at Pittsburg State, but he was a successful head coach at five different stops -- Saginaw Valley State, Emporia State, Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois and Minnesota -- since that season. In addition to his play-calling duties and work with quarterbacks, Kill's experience and veteran leadership should be a valuable asset to second-year coach Chris Ash.
7. Bob Diaco, Defensive Coordinator, Nebraska
Nebraska's defense hasn't quite resembled some of the standout Blackshirt groups since Mike Riley took over this program prior to the 2015 season. The Cornhuskers ranked ninth in conference-only games by giving up 28.4 points per game in 2015. This unit was slightly better in 2016, finishing seventh in the Big Ten (conference-only matchups) by holding offenses to 23.8 points per game. Nebraska also ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten in yards per play allowed in both seasons (5.9 in 2015 and 5.5 in 2016) and have accumulated only 50 sacks over the last two seasons. Riley swapped long-time assistant Mark Banker in favor of Bob Diaco and plans on transitioning to a 3-4 scheme this fall. Diaco was previously head coach at UConn and also made stops as a defensive coordinator at Notre Dame and Cincinnati. His 2012 defense with the Fighting Irish limited opponents to 12.8 points per game and was a big reason why Notre Dame reached the national title game. Additionally, in five seasons as a coordinator, Diaco never had a defense allow more than 23.1 points per game on average at the end of the year. Transitioning to a 3-4 may take a season, but Diaco's hire should pay dividends for the overall performance of Nebraska's defense.
1. Ryan Day/Kevin Wilson, Co-Offensive Coordinators, Ohio State
Even though Ohio State finished 2016 ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring offense and yards per play, it was clear change was needed following the CFB Playoff loss to Clemson. Since Tom Herman left Columbus, the Buckeyes haven’t the same level of explosiveness or rhythm on offense. However, that should change in 2017, as former Indiana coach Kevin Wilson is set to take over the play-calling duties, with Ryan Day working as the team’s quarterback coach. Under Wilson’s direction, the Hoosiers averaged over 30 points a game in three out of four years from 2012-15, including a 36.5 mark that led the Big Ten in 2015. Additionally, from 2012-16, Indiana never finished below sixth in the Big Ten in yards per play generated on offense. As evidenced by his tenure at Indiana and previous stints as an offensive coordinator at Northwestern, Oklahoma and Miami (Ohio), Wilson is one of the nation’s top play-callers. With one of college football’s best quarterbacks (J.T. Barrett) to build an offense around, look for Wilson to develop a dynamic attack at Ohio State in 2017 and beyond.
