Penn State has hired Joe Moorhead as its new offensive coordinator, the team announced.
247Sports.com's Tom Loy was the first to report the news.
“I am incredibly excited to join the Penn State Football family,” Moorhead said, per the team release. “My family and I are thrilled to be coming home. It is an unbelievable opportunity to help contribute to a program with a rich tradition and promising future. I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work.”
Coach Joe Moorhead @BallCoachJoeMoHail Men of Fordham!
Head coach James Franklin added his thoughts on his team's newest coaching addition as well:
We are very excited to have Joe join our Penn State Football family. He has distinguished himself as a head coach who made a dramatic impact at Fordham University. His approach and vision offensively is very similar to ours: hard-nosed, blue collar and explosive! We completed an exhaustive search of many candidates and his name kept rising to the top. Many factors led to this decision. Joe’s makeup as a person and leader is outstanding. He is originally from Pittsburgh and has strong relationships throughout Pennsylvania and the region. He brings invaluable perspective to our staff as a former head coach. Most importantly his offensive production as a coordinator and head coach speaks for itself.
The vacancy was opened when Penn State fired offensive coordinator John Donovan after five seasons with the team on Nov. 29. In 2015, the Nittany Lions went 7-5 despite a below-average offense that was ranked 82nd in passing, 106th in rushing and 104th in scoring.
They struggled even with the likes of junior Christian Hackenberg under center, who has exhibited NFL-level talent at times from the quarterback position.
Now the offense will be placed into the hands of Moorhead, who was the head coach at Fordham University from 2012-2015.
An FCS side in Fordham, Moorhead's team was one of the more formidable offensive units in the division. Here's a look at the Rams' stats in 2015, which ended in the the first round of the playoffs against Chattanooga:
| 2015 Fordham Offense | ||
| Total Yards Per Game | 453.3 | 19th |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 272.3 | 20th |
| Rushing Yards Per Game | 180.9 | 42nd |
| Points Per Game | 36.8 | 9th |
| NCAA.com | ||
It remains to be see if Moorhead will have Hackenberg next season. The junior might forego his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Regardless of his decision, his first priority should be to address the situation on the offensive line.
This season, Penn State has allowed 39 sacks. Only seven teams in the FBS allowed more. If Moorhead commits to fixing the offensive line and expresses a new system in Happy Valley, Hackenberg might feel compelled to stay one more year and help his draft stock.
Moorhead is going to have his work cut out for him next season as he'll be facing some of the toughest defenses in the nation in conference opponents such as Michigan and Ohio State, both top-10 units in the Big 10.
