For the first time in Tennessee’s search for an offensive coordinator, it appears the Vols might’ve actually officially swung and missed on a candidate.
According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich is expected to join Ohio State rather than accept the reported offer that Tennessee extended to him to be their OC. Rittenberg states that Yurcich is expected to coach quaterbacks for the Buckeyes, but he doesn’t specify a title for Yurcich beyond that.
Rittenberg did go on to add that he believes some sort of coordinator title will be added to Yurcich’s duties at Ohio State, but that information is currently not known.
It’s very possible there’s a coordinator title in there. Would be a bit surprised if there’s not. That part is just still TBD. https://t.co/td8VbLDW43
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) January 1, 2019
Yurcich is a native of Ohio and grew up in Euclid, a suburb of Cleveland. It was reported this weekend that Tennessee sent out an offer to Yurcich to be the Vols’ next offensive coordinator, and it was reported shortly after that initial report that UT’s interest and pursuit of Yurcich had increased due to growing interest from Ohio State.
The 43-year-old coach has been at Oklahoma State since 2013 and has served as their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach over the last six years. He’s never coached college football in his home state of Ohio, but he coached in both Pennsylvania and Indiana before taking the job at Oklahoma State.
This marks the first time in Tennessee’s month-plus search for a new offensive coordinator that an offer to a candidate has been reported. Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt was reportedly interested in former Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze early on in the search and met with Freeze, but there was never word of an official offer being put forth. Pruitt is also believed to have met with other candidates such as Chip Lindsey, Kendal Briles, and others, but no offers were ever reportedly extended to the other candidates.
Freeze is now the head coach at Liberty, while Lindsey and Briles have accepted new jobs as offensive coordinators at different schools. Lindsey left Auburn to accept the same position at Kansas while Briles left Houston to be Florida State’s offensive coordinator.
With the NFL season now concluded and bowl games finishing up across college football, there’s a very good chance more news will emerge in the coming days about Tennessee’s pursuit of another coach for their offensive coordinator position. We will update as more news becomes available.
