Penn State makes interim offensive coordinator decision after firing Mike Yurcich
Penn State fired offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich on Sunday following the Nittany Lions’ 24-15 loss to Michigan on Saturday. The Euclid, Ohio native had two regular season games left in his third season in State College. By making the move, head coach James Franklin moved on from a member of his on-field staff for the first time since taking over the program in 2014.
“We thank Mike for his contributions over the last three years but feel it is in our program’s best interest to make a change at this time. We wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future,” Franklin said in a statement.
In Yurcich’s absence, co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider and tight ends coach and co-offensive coordinator Ty Howle will handle Yurcich’s job. Also the Penn State assistant head coach, Seider picked up the co-offensive coordinator title ahead of the 2022 season. He joined the Lions ahead of the 2018 season. His only prior play calling experience came as the offensive coordinator at Palm Beach Lakes High School in his native state of Florida from 2003-2005. That said, he has long been waiting for an opportunity to be either a head coach or play caller at the FBS level. Howle, meanwhile, is a lettermen who was the co-offensive coordinator at Western Illinois from 2018-2019.
More: Offensive coordinator Hot Board: Who are the Lions’ early possibilities?
“I think the most important thing is be where your feet are,” Seider said earlier this year. “Be appreciative of the opportunity. In the world of assistant coaches being here six years is unheard of in a lot of places. So, I’m appreciative of that, I’m appreciative of Penn State and coach [James] Franklin for making it welcome and for making me not want to leave.
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“I think that’s been huge for me, I’ve really enjoyed my time here I mean this place is special. We all know when you can come in and it’s 110,000 people behind you on game day. A lot of times you can’t take things for granted. Have I turned down a lot of opportunities? Yes, because I don’t think you leave Penn State for anything. I want to be a head coach and I got the greatest example of what being a head coach/CEO in front of me every day.”
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Through 10 weeks, Penn State had one of the better offenses in college football in some areas but not many of them. Third down was a problem all season long. So, too, was staying on schedule with crisp play on first or second down. The running game regressed in 2023 despite having the same two talented starters. And, the attack has what some think is a better offensive line. And, receiver play was putrid for much of the season.
Where Franklin goes next, in terms of Yurcich’s replacement, will be critical. He must get this hire right. Penn State needs to be in position to make the College Football Playoff when it expands to 12 teams next season. Its best path to do so is having an offense that works well in tandem with the defense. Too often in the Franklin era, the defense had to shoulder entirely too much of the load, especially in the biggest games of the year. Things must even out moving forward.
