Penn State fires offending organizer Yurcich

Adam Rittenberg, ESPN

• Elder WriterNov 12, 2023, 02:30 PM ET Close College football reporter.
• Joined ESPN.com in 2008.
• Graduate of Northwestern University.Penn State fired offending organizer Mike Yurcich on Sunday, a day after the system struggled in a high-profile loss for the second time this season.Running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider and tight ends coach Ty Howle will replace Yurcich as co-offensive coordinators.The No. 10 Nittany Lions scored just 15 points and managed just 238 backyards of offense (74 through the

air )in Saturday’s 24-15 loss to No. 3 Michigan. Penn State’s offense also had a hard time in a 20-12 loss to Ohio State on Oct. 21, ending up with 240 backyards and not reaching completion zone up until the game’s final minute.Yurcich, 48, has been the team’s offending playcaller and quarterbacks coach because 2021. He spent the 2020 season training quarterbacks at Ohio State

, following a six-year run as Oklahoma State’s offending coordinator.Editor’s Picks

Penn State transformed only 4 of 14 third downs versus Michigan.

“We thank Mike for his contributions over the last 3 years however feel it is in our program’s best interest to make a modification at this time. We wish him and his family nothing but the very best in the future,” coach James Franklin said in a declaration Sunday.Quarterback Drew Allar, ESPN’s No. 51 total recruit in the 2022 class, has prevented major mistakes however had a hard time to produce at high levels for long stretches this season. Allar has 21 touchdown passes and only one interception however averages only 6.34 yards per effort, which ranks 115th nationally. Penn State’s lack of downfield death has actually hamstrung the offense, particularly versus Ohio State and Michigan. Penn State ranks 88th nationally in passing offense.Yurcich spent the early part of his profession in college football’s lower departments.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy hired him from Division II Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania after finding Yurcich’s offending success through online research study. Yurcich also coached quarterback Justin Fields while at Ohio State in 2020.