Ben Kenney
June 20, 2024 8:30 am CT
The Big Ten Conference was not traditionally known for high-powered offense and a strong group of young, rising offensive coordinators.
That sentence is now in the past tense. The conference’s additions of USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington and subsequent response by its traditional powers have seen that narrative shift. The SEC may still boast some of the sport’s best offensive systems, but the Big Ten now isn’t far behind.
Related: Ranking the Big Ten head football coaches and starting quarterbacks entering the 2024 season
Wisconsin is a good example of the fallout from the Big Ten’s expansion. The program was stuck and needed to reinvent its offensive approach. New head coach Luke Fickell did so with the hire of air raid offensive coordinator Phil Longo.
Now, whether Longo’s system works at Wisconsin is yet to be seen. But he brings a strong track record of success at Ole Miss and North Carolina, undeniably adding to the conference’s deep collection of offensive coaches.
Related: Ranking all 18 Big Ten defensive coordinators entering 2024 football season
So those shifts occur at places Wisconsin (and partially at Iowa), in addition to a prestigious offensive coach like Lincoln Riley joining the conference. The conference’s offensive coordinator roster is deep enough that it actually warrants a full preview before the 2024 season.
So with that, here is our power ranking of Big Ten offensive coordinators entering the 2024 football season:
18
Zach Lujan (Northwestern)
South Dakota State offensive coordinator/quarterback coach Zach Lujan gives instructions during practice on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings. Erin Woodiel / Argus Leader-USA TODAY NETWORK
Previous coaching stops: South Dakota State RBs coach (2018), QBs coach (2019-2021), OC/QBs coach (2022-2023)
Zach Lujan makes the jump from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Big Ten in 2024. His offense finished No. 6 in the FCS in 2023 with a whopping 37.3 points per game. It will be worth monitoring what he can do at a Northwestern program that isn’t necessarily known for its talent.
17
Greg Harbaugh Jr. & Matt Simon (Minnesota)BREAKING: the #Gophers have named Matt Simon and Greg Harbaugh Jr. as co-offensive coordinators to replace Kirk Ciarrocca, per @PeteThamel
Both are expected to receive pay raises. pic.twitter.com/6OydKaEshs
— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) January 9, 2023
Harbaugh Jr.’s previous coaching stops: Western Michigan WRs coach (2020-2021), Minnesota TEs coach (2022), Minnesota co-OC/QBs coach (2023-present)
Simon’s previous coaching stops: Rutgers WRs coach (2013), Western Michigan WRs coach (2014-2016), Minnesota WRs coach (2017-2019), Minnesota co-OC/WRs coach (2020-present)
Minnesota hired Harbaugh Jr. and Simon to take over the offense entering the 2023 season after a rocky 2022 under Kirk Ciarrocca. The Gophers struggled in their first season at the helm, scoring only 20.9 points per game.
Things look more promising with FCS transfer Max Brosmer set to start under center. But it’s hard to rank either of Minnesota’s offensive coordinators very high given their lack of track record and the program’s struggles last season.
16
Barry Lunney Jr. (Illinois)
Nov. 23, 2019; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Arkansas Razorbacks interim head coach Barry Lunney Jr. checks on a player hurt against LSU Tigers during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Previous coaching stops: Arkansas TEs coach (2013-2018), Arkansas TEs coach/Interim HC (2019), UTSA OC/QBs coach (2020-2021), Illinois OC/QBs coach (2022-present)
Lunney Jr. and the Illini have averaged 24.5 and 24.2 points per game in his two seasons as offensive coordinator respectively. The output is respectable, but not enough to vault the OC up our rankings. He has coached for more than 20 years and hasn’t made any significant upward movements, which should say something about where he stands in the conference’s pecking order.
15
Sources tell @247Sports that Curt Cignetti is expected to hire at least three JMU coaches at Indiana — DC Bryant Haines, OC Mike Shanahan and QB coach Tino Sunseri.
Haines was a Broyles semifinalist. Shanahan and Sunseri helped JMU rank top-25 nationally in scoring.… pic.twitter.com/ZL4V4AW5g2
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 1, 2023
Previous coaching stops: James Madison WRs coach/Recruiting coordinator (2019-2020), OC/WRs coach/Recruiting coordinator (2021-2023)
No, it’s not the Mike Shanahan who won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos. This Mike Shanahan was a member of Curt Cignetti’s staff at James Madison. His brief coaching career included stops at Pittsburgh, IUP and Elon before joining the James Madison staff.
He is rising fast, so I wouldn’t expect a No. 16 ranking for very long. But Shanahan is still young in his coaching career and doesn’t have much of a track record.
14
Josh Gattis (Maryland)
Oct. 15, 2022; Blacksburg, Virginia; Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator Josh Gattis (left) greets Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Brent Pry before the game at Lane Stadium. Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Previous coaching stops: Vanderbilt WRs coach (2012-2013), Penn State pass game coordinator/WRs coach (2014-2017), Alabama co-OC/WRs coach (2018), Michigan OC/WRs coach (2019-2021), Miami OC/WRs coach (2022), Maryland OC/QBs coach (2023-present)
Gattis was one of the hotter names in the sport after Michigan’s terrific 2021 season. But Michigan actually got better when he left for Miami, while he struggled with the Hurricanes. That has led to a stagnation in his career path and a low spot on these rankings.
If he can turn Maryland into one of the conference’s best offenses without QB Taulia Tagovailoa, a rise in the rankings will follow.
13
Kirk Campbell (Michigan)
Maize Team head coach Kirk Campbell watches a play during the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 20, 2024. Junfu Han-USA TODAY NETWORK
Previous coaching stops: Old Dominion OC/QBs coach (2020-2021), Michigan offensive analyst (2022), Michigan QBs coach (2023)
Kirk Campbell doesn’t have a track record as an offensive coordinator at this level of the sport, so the jury is out on his standing. That, plus head coach Sherrone Moore will handle most of the offensive duties during the season.
But former Wolverines QB J.J. McCarthy was terrific in Campbell’s one year coaching the position and the Michigan program deserves the benefit of the doubt with all of its coaches. So if the Michigan offense excels in 2024, expect a jump toward the top of these rankings.
Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions onWolverines Wire
12
Marcus Satterfield (Nebraska)
Sept. 16, 2023; Lincoln, Nebraska; Nebraska Cornhuskers assistant coach Marcus Satterfield during the third quarter against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Memorial Stadium. Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
Previous coaching stops: Temple OC/QBs coach (2013-2014), Temple OC/RBs coach (2015), Tennessee Tech head coach (2016-2017), Baylor TEs coach (2018-2019), Carolina Panthers assistant OL coach (2020), South Carolina OC/QBs coach (2021-2022), Nebraska OC/TEs coach (2023-present)
Satterfield has decades of coaching experience at nearly every level of the sport. He did not succeed as a head coach, but he does bring a long track record of successful offenses to the table. The one thing keeping him in the bottom half: Nebraska averaged 18 points per game in 2023 (123rd of 133 FBS schools). The production needs to switch before his stock rises.
Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions onCornhuskers Wire
11
Graham Harrell (Purdue)
Oct. 1, 2022; Austin, Texas; West Virginia Mountaineers offensive coordinator Graham Harrell talks on the field prior to their game against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Previous coaching stops: North Texas OC/QBs coach (2016-2018), USC OC/QBs coach (2019-2021), West Virginia OC/QBs coach (2022), Purdue OC/QBs coach (2023-present)
Harrell has a long history of both playing and coaching quarterback. That should mean good things for former four-star recruit Hudson Card as he enters Year 2 under Harrell. But offense-wide, Purdue was mostly average in 2023. It will need better results in 2024 for Harrell’s track record to improve.
10
Tim Lester (Iowa)
Iowa Hawkeyes offensive coordinator Tim Lester, right, talks to quarterback Deacon Hill (10) during an open spring practice Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen-USA TODAY NETWORK
Previous coaching stops: Western Michigan QBs coach (2005-2006), North Central DC (2007), Elmhurst head coach (2008-2012), Syracuse QBs coach (2013), Syracuse OC/QBs coach (2014-2015), Purdue QBs coach (2016), Western Michigan head coach (2017-2022), Green Bay Packers senior analyst (2023)
No program upgraded more at offensive coordinator this offseason than Iowa. That is by default with the firing of Brian Ferentz, but the hire of Lester brings in a coach with legitimate head coaching experience and recent history with an exciting offensive system (Packers).
Lester has not been an offensive coordinator since 2015. But Western Michigan had some terrific offenses in his early years as head coach, so there is an existing track record. I’d bet Iowa’s hire of the veteran coach becomes one of the best moves of the 2024 offseason.
9
Kirk Ciarrocca (Rutgers)
Rutgers offensive coordinator, Kirk Ciarrocca, is shown during practice, at the Marco Battaglia Practice Complex, in Piscataway. Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023. Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com-USA TODAY NETWORK
Previous coaching stops: Princeton WRs coach (1996-1999), Penn WRs coach (2000-2001), Delaware OC/QBs coach (2002-2007), Rutgers co-OC/QBs coach (2008-2010), Richmond QBs coach (2011), Delaware RBs coach (2012), Western Michigan OC/QBs coach (2013-2016), Minnesota OC/QBs coach (2017-2019), Penn State OC/QBs coach (2020), West Virginia offensive analyst (2021), Minnesota OC/QBs coach (2022), Rutgers OC/QBs coach (2023-present)
As seen, Ciarrocca has significant offensive coaching experience. His best work came at Minnesota at the start of P.J. Fleck’s tenure from 2017-2019, capped by averaging 34.1 points (No. 22 in the nation) in 2019.
He has Rutgers in solid standing entering the 2024 season. I wouldn’t say Ciarrocca is threatening to rise far, but it’s hard to go against his history and track record as an offensive coach.
Get more (Rutgers) news, analysis and opinions onRutgers Wire
8
Phil Longo (Wisconsin)
Wisconsin offensive coordinator Phil Longo works with the team’s quarterbacks during practice on Tuesday April 9, 2024 at the McClain Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK
Previous coaching stops: Minnesota Duluth OC (2006-2007), Southern Illinois OC (2008-2009), Youngstown State WRs coach (2010), Slippery Rock WRs coach (2011), Slippery Rock OC/QBs coach (2012-2013), Sam Houston State OC/QBs coach (2014-2016), Ole Miss OC/QBs coach 2017-2018), North Carolina OC/QBs coach (2019-2022), Wisconsin OC/QBs coach (2023-present)
Longo is one of the more interesting names on this list. His offenses put up monster numbers at Ole Miss and North Carolina, sending several quarterbacks to the NFL level in the process. However, there’s a real question whether his air raid attack will work at a program like Wisconsin, and in a defense-first conference like the Big Ten.
Longo’s ranking has the most to gain or lose this season. While I’d bet on a gain, everyone must acknowledge the reality if the Badgers’ offense struggles again.
7
Josh Henson (USC)✌️ictory‼️#FightOn #TrojanWall‼️ pic.twitter.com/FUeWwqRTVy
— Josh Henson (@Coach_Henson) December 28, 2023
Previous coaching stops: Oklahoma State TEs coach (1999-2004), LSU TEs coach (2005-2008), Missouri OC/OL coach (2009-2015), Oklahoma State OL coach (2016-2018), Texas A&M OL coach (2019-2021), USC OC/OL coach (2022-present)
It’s challenging to rank a coordinator who works under an offensive mind like Lincoln Riley, so I acknowledge Riley’s success is a part of this ranking.
Henson deserves at least a little credit for USC’s 41.8 and 41.4 points-per-game average over the last two years respectively. There is coaching required to complement the game of star QB Caleb Williams. He helped to provide that, even if Riley was the main force behind that success.
Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions onTrojans Wire
6
Brennan Carroll (Washington)
Nov. 25, 2022; Tucson, Arizona; Arizona Wildcats offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the Territorial Cup at Arizona Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Previous coaching stops: USC TEs coach (2004-2009), Miami TEs coach (2011-2012), Miami WRs coach (2013-2014), Seattle Seahawks assistant OL coach (2015-2019), Seahawks run game coordinator (2020), Arizona OC/OL coach (2021-2023)
Carroll follows Jedd Fisch to Washington after a stellar 2023 season at Arizona. The Wildcats understandably struggled in Year 1 with him at the helm of the offense (17.2 points per game), before taking a sizable leap in Year 2 (30.8 points per game) and another in Year 3 (34.6 points per game).
The Fisch-Carroll duo is one of the fastest-rising in the sport. They should have instant success at the Big Ten level.
Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions onHuskies Wire
5
Brian Lindgren (Michigan State)
Michigan State’s offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren talks with staff members during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK
Previous coaching stops: Northern Arizona WRs coach (2006), Northern Arizona RBs coach (2007), Northern Arizona QBs coach (2008), Northern Arizona OC/QBs coach (2009-2011), San Jose State OC/QBs coach (2012), Colorado OC/QBs coach (2013-2017), Oregon State OC/QBs coach 2018-2023)
Lindgren follows head coach Jonathan Smith from Oregon State to East Lansing, Michigan. He was a big part of Oregon State’s recent success, leading the Beavers’ offense to 28.9, 31.2, 32.2 and 31.8 points per game over the last four seasons respectively.
I’d keep an eye on Lindgren and young QB Aidan Chiles in 2024. Even though the Spartans may struggle, we may get a glimpse at what is to come in the near future.
Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions onSpartans Wire
4
Andy Kotelnicki (Penn State)
April 13, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki walks on the field during warmups prior to the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Previous coaching stops: Wisconsin-River Falls OC (2006-2010), Mary OC (2011-2012), Wisconsin-Whitewater OC (2013-2014), Buffalo OC (2015-2020), Kansas OC (2021-2023)
Penn State hired Kotelnicki this offseason with the hope of maximizing its talented offensive roster. He was a significant factor in Kansas, a program not known for successful anything, boasting one of the more productive offenses in the country. His work with Kansas star QB Jalon Daniels has many hoping that the same is to come for former five-star recruit Drew Allar at Penn State.
This is one of the more under-the-radar offseason moves in the conference. Kotelnicki could be the difference between Penn State’s stagnation and eventual breakthrough.
Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions onNittany Lions Wire
3
Eric Bieniemy (UCLA)
Jan. 7, 2024; Landover, Maryland; Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) talks with Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at FedExField. Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Previous coaching stops: Colorado RBs coach (2001-2002), UCLA RBs coach (2003-2005), Minnesota Vikings RBs coach (2006-2010), Colorado OC (2011-2012), Kansas City Chiefs RBs coach (2013-2017), Chiefs OC (2018-2022), Washington Commanders OC (2023)
Not much needs to be written about Eric Bieniemy and his coaching record. Just see Patrick Mahomes’ development and NFL career.
The bigger surprise is the longtime NFL coordinator needed to take a step back to college. But he should be one of the conference’s better assistants as new head coach DeShaun Foster looks to establish his culture.
Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions onUCLA Wire
2
Will Stein (Oregon)
New Oregon offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Will Stein leads a drill on the first practice of spring for Oregon football as the Ducks prepare for the 2023 season. Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard-USA TODAY NETWORK
Previous coaching stops: UTSA WRs coach (2020-2021), UTSA co-OC/QBs coach (2022), Oregon OC/QBs coach (2023-present)
Stein is one of the hotter names in the college coaching world after Oregon’s phenomenal 2023 season. Remember, Dan Lanning is a former defensive coordinator. Stein leads the Ducks’ dynamic offense.
If Oregon excels again in 2024, expect Stein to get head coach consideration.
Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions onDucks Wire
1
Chip Kelly (Ohio State)
March 5, 2024; Columbus, Ohio; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly works with quarterbacks Lincoln Kienholz (3) and Air Noland (12) during the first spring practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK
Previous coaching stops: New Hampshire RBs coach (1992), Johns Hopkins OC (1993), New Hampshire RBs coach (1994-1996), New Hampshire OL coach (1997-1998), New Hampshire OC coach (1999-2006), Oregon OC (2007-2008), Oregon head coach (2009-2012), Philadelphia Eagles head coach (2013-2015), San Francisco 49ers head coach (2016), UCLA head coach (2018-2023)
Chip Kelly is one of the better offensive minds in college football history, let alone in the current crop of Big Ten offensive coordinators. His move from UCLA head coach down to Ohio State’s offensive coordinator should pay massive dividends for the Buckeyes as they look to snap a three-game losing streak against Michigan and three-year drought without a Big Ten title.
Nothing can happen in 2024 that supplants Kelly from No. 1 on this ranking.
Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions onBuckeyes Wire
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