All the Interest in Offensive Coordinator Joe Moorhead a Good Sign for Penn State
Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead has garnered a lot of interest from other schools.
Joe Moorhead has brought to Penn State exactly what he was known for – a prolific offense that can rack up yards and points. Of course, with the success the Nittany Lions have had on offense this year, Moorhead’s name has come up for several head coaching jobs across the college football landscape. While nobody in Happy Valley wants to see Moorhead go, the fact that he is being so highly sought after means that things are going right at Penn State.
When Penn State was in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship, Moorhead reportedly interviewed for the open head coaching job at Purdue. Ultimately, the Boilermakers hired former Western Kentucky head coach Jeff Brohm.
Not long after the Nittany Lions won the Big Ten Championship, Moorhead’s name once again came up as a candidate for the Temple Job. However, it was reported that he actually was never up for the position.
The latest rumor surfaced Monday when UConn fired head coach Bob Diaco.
Sources tell me Joe Moorhead from Penn State is a leading candidate for UConn job. https://t.co/wabCbtBtyd
— Kevin Nathan (@KevinNathanNBC) December 26, 2016
According to Yahoo’s Pat Forde Moorhead is standing by his commitment to remain at Penn State in 2017.
Y sources: @BallCoachJoeMo standing firm in commitment to Penn State for ’17. Loved his time at UConn, but not a candidate to replace Diaco.
— Pat Forde (@YahooForde) December 26, 2016
Penn State would likely not be happy to lose its offensive coordinator, but all the interest in Moorhead is actually a good sign for the program.
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It’s no secret that the Nittany Lions struggled on offense for the first two years under former offensive coordinator John Donovan. Last season the Nittany Lions ranked as one of the worst offenses in FBS.
This season, under the direction of Moorhead, the Nittany Lions quickly transformed into a very potent offense capable of putting up points and yards in a hurry. Down 21 points in the last game to Wisconsin, the team remained calm and believed in its ability
One of the biggest differences this season has been Penn State’s (particularly Moorhead) ability to make adjustments at halftime. Slow starts on offense plagued the team this year, but second-half surges have become a trademark.
With the success Penn State has enjoyed on offense this season it’s not a surprise that people are interest in hiring Moorhead. If he does in fact leave, wether it’s now or after next season, it will certainly be a loss for the Nittany Lions.
However, the fact that the coordinator of the Penn State offense is getting so much interest is a sign that things are definitely going right for the Nittany Lions.