The search is on for Notre Dame’s next offensive coordinator. Marcus Freeman has only been the Fighting Irish head coach for two calendar years, but he is already in search of what will be his third offensive coordinator in his first three seasons.
The need for the new hire caught most people off guard earlier this week when Gerad Parker, who was promoted from tight end’s coach to coordinator last February when Tommy Rees left Notre Dame to take the same position at Alabama, was named the head coach at Troy.
"I want to congratulate Gerad on his really much deserved opportunity to lead Troy’s football program,” Freeman said. "I couldn’t be more happier for him. As a friend but also as a colleague, it’s a great opportunity for him.”
Parker’s first and only offense set a modern record by averaging 39.1 points per game. That number currently ranks No. 8 nationally. With Parker gone, Gino Guidugli, who is in his first season as Irish quarterback’s coach, will serve as the interim offensive coordinator and play-caller for Notre Dame’s Dec. 29 Sun Bowl.
"I thought it was important to continue to utilize the collaboration efforts that we utilize in the offensive staff room, but also in Steve Angeli’s first start it’s important to have that connection between quarterback coach and the quarterback as you go into your first start,” Freeman explained. "I thought that was extremely important.”
A national search is now on to find Parker’s full-time replacement, but Freeman is not ready to commit to just how long that search will take.
"I don’t have a timeline,” Freeman remarked. "I don’t want to put a timeline into naming the right guy to lead our program; our offense. We’ll do a national search. We’ll do a search and it t’s a unique situation where our previous offensive coordinator was the tight ends coach.”
Last year’s search was national as well, but it ended up with Parker’s promotion. Freeman has not ruled out an internal replacement this time, either.
"I believe we have a quarterbacks coach that is second to none in my beliefs in Gino Guidugli,” Freeman commented. "So, it’s a unique situation where you’re going to look at an offensive coordinator that has shown to maybe coach the tight ends, but also I’m going to consider Gino Guidugli continuing to be our offensive coordinator moving forward. So, I don’t have a timeline. I want to make sure that we make the best decision for our offense and for our program moving forward.”
LSU offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, who has previously worked on Brian Kelly and Tyrone Willingham's staffs at Notre Dame, and Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore are both reportedly among the top external candidates for the job.
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