Fresno State back in market for offensive coordinator. Some options, and one big question
Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford again is looking for an offensive coordinator with Kirby Moore off to Missouri — and given a track record that includes Kalen DeBoer, Ryan Grubb and now Moore it is sure to be an attractive position across all levels of college football.
DeBoer after two seasons under Tedford more than tripled his salary moving to Indiana as offensive coordinator and is now coach at Washington, just signing a two-year extension to a five-year, $16.5 million contract that includes a $1 million raise in 2023, $500,000 retention bonuses in 2024 and ‘26 and a $1 million retention bonus in 2028.
Grubb after one season as offensive coordinator under Tedford and two under DeBoer made the step up to Washington and after receiving a contract second extension in two months is set to make $2 million a year over the next three years.
Moore in one season is now on the move, though Fresno State did make a run at retaining him that included a bump in base salary and performance bonuses.
Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz has been the Tigers’ offensive coordinator and called plays, but the program paid its defensive coordinator $1.07 million last season.
Where might Tedford turn to for a replacement?
Former UNLV coach Marcus Arroyo, who worked for Tedford at Cal, is out there and familiarity was a prime consideration for Tedford in assembling a staff for his second go-round at his alma mater. Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle, defensive line coach Jethro Franklin, linebackers coach Tim Skipper, defensive backs coach J.D. Williams and special teams coordinator John Baxter all had Fresno State ties, and Tedford had recruited and coached running backs coach James Montgomery at Cal.
Internally, Tedford does not have a wealth of experienced candidates. But Moore had not been a coordinator when Tedford elevated him from wide receivers coach, and the Bulldogs last season led the Mountain West in scoring offense at 30.6 points per game.
Wideouts coach Pat McCann could be an option coming off a solid first season with the Bulldogs — Jalen Moreno-Cropper, Nikko Remigio, Zane Pope and Erik Brooks all set career-highs in receiving yards — and was the passing game coordinator and an interim offensive coordinator at FCS Eastern Washington prior to coming to Fresno State.
Tedford at Fresno State also has a history of promoting from within, hiring Grubb after DeBoer left for Indiana; Bert Watts after defensive coordinator Orlondo Steinauer returned to the Canadian Football League and in elevating Moore.
A bigger question for the coach will be what he will be able to pay his next offensive coordinator with the price of doing business always going up, even in the Mountain West.
Boise State after the season extended its defensive coordinator with a two-year deal worth $875,000. He was paid $290,000 in 2022. It then hired a new offensive coordinator, a two-year deal worth $825,000. The Broncos’ coordinator going into the season was paid $280,000.
At Fresno State, Coyle has a two-year contract worth $350,000 and includes performance bonuses. Moore was paid $325,000 last season.
The Bulldogs beat Boise State 28-16 in the Mountain West championship game.
Transfer portal updates
Fresno State was hoping safety Evan Williams would return for a final season, using a COVID year of eligibility. But Williams instead went into the NCAA transfer portal, expanding his options that include going into the NFL Draft.
The Bulldogs this week also had offensive linemen Bula Schmidt and Tyrone Sampson enter the portal. Schmidt started every game at center for the Bulldogs last season, and Sampson played in 13 games with three starts.
This story was originally published January 4, 2023 at 1:53 PM.