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Joe Moorhead named football coach at University of Akron
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- Joe Moorhead named football coach at University of Akron
The University of Akron made it official Saturday morning, selecting former Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead as the Zips new head football coach.
UA Director of Collegiate Athletics Charles Guthrie made the announcement and the hire is pending approval by the board of trustees. A news conference to introduce Moorhead as the choice to replace Tom Arth, who was fired during the season, is scheduled for next week.
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Moorhead, 48, has steadily ascended the college football coaching ranks, but he has ties to UA. A native of Pittsburgh, Moorhead served as quarterbacks coach (2004-06) and offensive coordinator for the Zips from 2006-08 under J.D. Brookhart.
He was assistant head coach, pass game and recruiting coordinator for the only Zips team to win the conference championship in 2005.
Other stops include Connecticut, Fordham (his alma mater) and Penn State in 2016-17 where he transformed the Nittany Lions offense and was selected Sports Illustrated and Yahoo's No. 1 rising assistant in college football in August of 2017.
His experience isn't limited to being an assistant. He coached Mississippi State from 2018-19 and left with a 14-12 record before eventually landing with Oregon last season.
That experience proved key. For Guthrie, Moorhead met the position's criteria early in the process of the type of coach they were seeking — one with FBS head coaching experience and who served as a coordinator at that level.
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"Obviously, he checked all of the boxes in those categories," Guthrie said via phone from Las Vegas where he's attending the National Football Foundation's annual awards dinner.
But it also helped that Moorhead knows the lay of the land.
"That played into it as well, Guthire said of Moorhead's stint as a recruiting coordinator at UA. "We were looking for Midwest ties. I think when you say 'Northeast Ohio' you kind of limit yourself, so we were looking for someone that potentially had Midwest regional ties as well."
University of Akron President Gary L. Miller expressed optimism that the football program now has the leadership to succeed.
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"We are committed to fielding a championship-caliber football program at The University of Akron and I'm confident we have found the right leader at the right time to make good on that promise," Miller said in a prepared statement. "I believe Zips fans have been patient long enough and I have no doubt Joe will deliver winning football consistently to our community, in our world-class stadium, and throughout the season whether at home or on the road.
"Most importantly, Joe will teach and motivate our student-athletes to be the best version of themselves in the classroom, on the field and out in the Akron community."
Moorhead said he is happy to return to Akron.
"I am humbled and honored to be selected as the next head football coach at The University of Akron," Moorhead said in the news release. "I would like to thank President Miller and Charles Guthrie for their incredible professionalism through the process.
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"My family and I are very excited for this opportunity. We can't wait to get back to a region of the country we consider home. Our plan for the future is simple: we'll roll up our sleeves and get to work, diligently building a program of which the school, the city of Akron, and the state of Ohio can be proud. Go Zips!"
Moorhead is the latest in a line of coaches tasked with turning around the stagnated UA football program, one that hasn't hurt for facilities in recent years, but has been unable to use them to their advantage to change their fortunes.
In Moorhead's case, he appears to have the ability to change that. He has been successful wherever he's gone, but what sticks out is a winning record at an SEC school that features perennial powerhouses in Alabama and Georgia.
"Right off the bat when you have a conversation with him, you really get a feel for his experience, his professionalism and integrity," Guthrie said. " When you take those three things into account, right away you can see the level of confidence he's going to instill in our student-athletes and their ability to just get behind him. He's a leader and that was obvious in our initial talks with him."
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What might be most important is his offensive pedigree.
The Zips showed progress on offense this past season and Moorhead has some players to work with on that side of the ball.
One of his primary tasks will be to identify who will be UA's quarterback. Zach Gibson, who ascended as the season progressed, entered the NCAA Transfer Portal this past week. There are four quarterbacks on the roster.
With Kato Nelson graduating, that leaves DJ Irons as the only quarterback with game experience.
There is other talent at the skill positions, including two receiving threats in Konata Mumpfield and Michael Mathison. Running back Jonzell Norrils also started to show promise in the season's final games
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Defensively, linebackers Jeslord Boetang and Andrew Behm made impressions throughout the season, along with defensive backs Charles Amankwaa and Jaylen Kelly-Powell.
So, the cupboard is not bare and, unlike recent years, other tools are at Moorhead's disposal.
The appeal of "name, image and likeness" is a thing now in college sports, but for UA its attraction is negligible. What can be of more use is the transfer portal.
In past years, college football players had to wait a year after transferring to be athletically eligible, but that's no longer the case. They're allowed one free pass and the prospect of playing for a program where on-field opportunities exist can appeal to those looking to make an impact.
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Moorhead will arrive after the Ducks lost the Pac-12 Conference Championship Game 38-10 to Utah on Friday night.
Moorhead directed an Oregon offense that ranks 33rd in the NCAA with 33.2 points per game, and 39th with 434.4 yards of total offense.
Moorhead and his wife, Jennifer, have three children: daughter Kyra, and sons Mason and Donovan.
Reach George M. Thomas at gthomas@thebeaconjournal.com or on Twitter @ByGeorgeThomas
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Former Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead will coach Zips
