Pitt’s search for an offensive coordinator is in its second week, and here’s the latest on what we know.
- So far, we’ve dug up three names that appear to be involved: Mark Whipple, Joe Rudolph and Matt Canada.
Whipple is the former UMass head coach who spent a few years coaching Ben Roethlisberger with the Steelers when Roethlisberger was early in his career. He had a lot of success coaching the Minutemen at the FCS level (back then it was Division I-AA) and won a national championship, but he returned for a second stint earlier this decade after UMass had moved up to FBS, and the results weren’t quite so hot.
Still, Whipple is an older, more experienced coach with a long resume. Narduzzi would likely know what he’s getting out of Whipple.
Narduzzi certainly would know what he’s getting out of Canada, too, since Canada was the offensive coordinator at Pitt for the record-breaking 2016 season. Narduzzi was unhappy that Canada left for LSU after that season, but the two apparently mended enough fences to have communication about the opening this offseason. However, it’s not clear that the communication led to anything more formal, and while talks could resume, it doesn’t appear that a Canada return is imminent.
As for Rudolph, there is quite a bit of history with Narduzzi as well. Rudolph was on staff at Wisconsin when Narduzzi was defensive coordinator at Michigan State. During that time, MSU head coach Mark Dantonio tried to hire Rudolph for the Spartans’ staff, but Rudolph declined. Then, in January 2015, Narduzzi tried to convince Rudolph to join the Pitt coaching staff as offensive coordinator; once again, Rudolph declined and opted to follow Paul Chryst to Wisconsin, where he has been the offensive coordinator for the last four seasons.
Rudolph held that title during his three years on Chryst’s staff at Pitt, too, but in terms of perception, the offense was always seen as emanating from the head coach, which continues to be the case at Wisconsin. If Rudolph is looking for an opportunity to work outside the shadow of Paul Chryst, a return to Pittsburgh, where he has roots as a Belle Vernon native, could make sense. He also seems to be in pursuit of head-coaching opportunities, having interviewed for the Temple job and now reportedly in contention for the position at Northern Illinois.
- Of course, there are always more names and rumors floating around, and one we’ve come across is Luke Getsy, the Steel Valley alum who signed with Pitt in the class of 2002 but transferred to Akron prior to the 2004 season. He played two years with the Zips and did pretty well before moving into the world of coaching. Among his stops was a year at Pitt as a graduate assistant in 2010, which turned into a coordinator position at IUP in 2011 and 2012. He spent a year as receivers coach at Western Michigan in 2013 before going to the NFL.
Getsy was on the Green Bay Packers staff for four years until last offseason when Joe Moorhead hired him to be the offensive coordinator at Mississippi State. This year, the Bulldogs weren't overly explosive, but they had an offense that was definitely grounded in the run. Mississippi State ranked No. 20 nationally in rushing yards per game, and the offense was led by quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who threw for 1,700 yards and 16 touchdowns and ran for 1,121 yards and 13 scores.
So Getsy's an interesting rumor - a younger coach (he's 34) who seems to have some upside and potential. He’s obviously got local connections as a western Pa. native and a guy who spent some time at Pitt as a player and a coach. He doesn’t have the resume of some of the other candidates we’ve mentioned, but I think he has impressed quite a few people at the various stops he has made.
- That’s four coaches - Whipple, Rudolph, Canada and Getsy. The degree to which each coach involved varies depending on who you talk to, but these are the names floating around. Of these four, Canada has obvious appeal for what he accomplished the last time he was at Pitt, although it remains to be seen if that can be recaptured. Rudolph has drawn Narduzzi’s interest once already, so there is clearly a high level of respect in that situation. Whipple has a long resume and plenty of experience to draw on. And Getsy would be an “upside” option as a younger coach who has shown promise.
We’ll see if any of those names comes to fruition.
- I do think that a conclusion to this search should be on the horizon. We’ve heard that Pat Narduzzi has conducted multiple formal interviews and had informal discussions with several candidates, so he’s got a base of information to work with. If he likes what he has heard from the candidates he has talked to, then I would think a hire could be made this week. If it extends beyond this week, then I can only assume that Narduzzi is branching out even further to find the best candidate for a crucial hire.
- So far, we’ve dug up three names that appear to be involved: Mark Whipple, Joe Rudolph and Matt Canada.
Whipple is the former UMass head coach who spent a few years coaching Ben Roethlisberger with the Steelers when Roethlisberger was early in his career. He had a lot of success coaching the Minutemen at the FCS level (back then it was Division I-AA) and won a national championship, but he returned for a second stint earlier this decade after UMass had moved up to FBS, and the results weren’t quite so hot.
Still, Whipple is an older, more experienced coach with a long resume. Narduzzi would likely know what he’s getting out of Whipple.
Narduzzi certainly would know what he’s getting out of Canada, too, since Canada was the offensive coordinator at Pitt for the record-breaking 2016 season. Narduzzi was unhappy that Canada left for LSU after that season, but the two apparently mended enough fences to have communication about the opening this offseason. However, it’s not clear that the communication led to anything more formal, and while talks could resume, it doesn’t appear that a Canada return is imminent.
As for Rudolph, there is quite a bit of history with Narduzzi as well. Rudolph was on staff at Wisconsin when Narduzzi was defensive coordinator at Michigan State. During that time, MSU head coach Mark Dantonio tried to hire Rudolph for the Spartans’ staff, but Rudolph declined. Then, in January 2015, Narduzzi tried to convince Rudolph to join the Pitt coaching staff as offensive coordinator; once again, Rudolph declined and opted to follow Paul Chryst to Wisconsin, where he has been the offensive coordinator for the last four seasons.
Rudolph held that title during his three years on Chryst’s staff at Pitt, too, but in terms of perception, the offense was always seen as emanating from the head coach, which continues to be the case at Wisconsin. If Rudolph is looking for an opportunity to work outside the shadow of Paul Chryst, a return to Pittsburgh, where he has roots as a Belle Vernon native, could make sense. He also seems to be in pursuit of head-coaching opportunities, having interviewed for the Temple job and now reportedly in contention for the position at Northern Illinois.
- Of course, there are always more names and rumors floating around, and one we’ve come across is Luke Getsy, the Steel Valley alum who signed with Pitt in the class of 2002 but transferred to Akron prior to the 2004 season. He played two years with the Zips and did pretty well before moving into the world of coaching. Among his stops was a year at Pitt as a graduate assistant in 2010, which turned into a coordinator position at IUP in 2011 and 2012. He spent a year as receivers coach at Western Michigan in 2013 before going to the NFL.
Getsy was on the Green Bay Packers staff for four years until last offseason when Joe Moorhead hired him to be the offensive coordinator at Mississippi State. This year, the Bulldogs weren't overly explosive, but they had an offense that was definitely grounded in the run. Mississippi State ranked No. 20 nationally in rushing yards per game, and the offense was led by quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who threw for 1,700 yards and 16 touchdowns and ran for 1,121 yards and 13 scores.
So Getsy's an interesting rumor - a younger coach (he's 34) who seems to have some upside and potential. He’s obviously got local connections as a western Pa. native and a guy who spent some time at Pitt as a player and a coach. He doesn’t have the resume of some of the other candidates we’ve mentioned, but I think he has impressed quite a few people at the various stops he has made.
- That’s four coaches - Whipple, Rudolph, Canada and Getsy. The degree to which each coach involved varies depending on who you talk to, but these are the names floating around. Of these four, Canada has obvious appeal for what he accomplished the last time he was at Pitt, although it remains to be seen if that can be recaptured. Rudolph has drawn Narduzzi’s interest once already, so there is clearly a high level of respect in that situation. Whipple has a long resume and plenty of experience to draw on. And Getsy would be an “upside” option as a younger coach who has shown promise.
We’ll see if any of those names comes to fruition.
- I do think that a conclusion to this search should be on the horizon. We’ve heard that Pat Narduzzi has conducted multiple formal interviews and had informal discussions with several candidates, so he’s got a base of information to work with. If he likes what he has heard from the candidates he has talked to, then I would think a hire could be made this week. If it extends beyond this week, then I can only assume that Narduzzi is branching out even further to find the best candidate for a crucial hire.
