Cross Mike Shanahan off as a possible candidate for Pitt’s vacant offensive coordinator’s position.
Matt Zenitz from 247 Sports is reporting that new Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti is expected to bring Shanahan along with him to serve as offensive coordinator, the same role he had the last two seasons at James Madison. Zenitz also says that Cignetti plans on hiring Tino Sunseri as Indiana quarterback’s coach.
Although Shanahan is a name that’s been mentioned by Pitt fans and local media, there have been no indication thus far that he was someone that Pat Narduzzi planned on speaking with. To be clear though, all names being mentioned at this point are just speculation as Narduzzi is keeping all information on this search very tight.
Shanahan, 33, got his start under Cignetti as a wide receivers coach at Indiana (Pa.) in 2016. He went with Cignetti to Elon in 2017 and then to JMU in 2019.
He retained his role as wide receivers coach at JMU, eventually gaining the recruiting coordinator title, before he was elevated to offensive coordinator — in addition to his duties as wide receivers coach — before the 2021 season. He went to Cignetti to ask for more. And it paid off.
As JMU has made the jump to the FBS level, the Dukes have remained one of the top offenses in the Sun Belt.
Shanahan’s offenses have centered around a couple of high-profile transfer quarterbacks, but his propensity for running the football has unlocked two offenses that have not missed a beat in the transition from the FCS to the FBS.
The Dukes have averaged just about 165 rushing yards per game over the last two seasons, and in a feat that the previous Pitt offensive coordinator was unable to accomplish, he’s established a rushing attack that actually opens up opportunities through the air by spreading out opposing defenses.
JMU ran an aggressive, mauling offense under Shanahan, one that has pushed teams around in the Sun Belt (to the tune of a 19-4 record over the last two seasons), but he’s had success with two different quarterbacks. It’s all because he’s adapted to the modern college game.
Everybody is going to go where the money is at… fake 10 and Sec …. The rest are just gonna take the crumbs and be a non factor college football teams.
Money isn’y always the answer! The ACC isn’t exactly hurting for money, especially with the new additions not receiving revenue for multiple years. It’s just going to take better planning and more work at looking at young talent at the lower levels, and getting rid of the dead weight, fast, which most head coaches can’t do.
loser mindset
It is the Fake 10….3 good teams beat up on the other 13 fakes. Don’t see how that is worth the money, but at these wobegone places in the middle of nowhere….they will watch cows eat grass.
Not clear what dust Narduzzi is waiting to settle before hiring someone. A splash hire and an exciting young up and comer are not likely on the list.
Narduzzi has zero interest in hiring a young up and comer..My gut feeling is he’s going to hire his boy Babers
Def not a young guy cause young coaches jump as soon as a HC job is offered. I hope you’re wrong about Babers would prefer Joe Morehead type wouldn’t be surprised if Canada comes back.
prediuctable run, run, bad pass call, punt is what Nard wants. My money is on Dino
Shanahan would have been the perfect hire, but you know he was going to follow and go to the BigTen.
Shanahan would have been the perfect hire.Who knows if he even was interested or got an interview.Read somewhere that Narduzzi has been interviewing guys.So hopefully he won’t drag his feet on this one like usual..
Awesome news. Can’t wait for another boring OC hire from the Duzz.
Had enough of legacy coaches anyway. The whole trio of legacies headed to Indiana.