Mike Yurcich Officially Named Texas Offensive Coordinator

Last year, Mike Yurcich was dialing up plays in Stillwater against Texas as Oklahoma State took down the Horns in a surprising Homecoming game in which Tom Herman lost his mind, and Mike Gundy did this.

Next year, Yurcich will be calling plays for Texas against Oklahoma State in the Stillwater finale in a key season for Herman and his staff.

Following a year layover in Columbus where he was Ohio State’s QB coach and passing game coordinator, Yurcich has officially accepted the job in Austin to be Herman’s offensive coordinator. Last night’s Fiesta Bowl thriller was Yurcich’s swan song for the Buckeyes.

And as 11 Warriors pointed out on Sunday, the Ohio State-Texas connection is stronger than you might think.

Yurcich replaces another former Ohio State coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Tim Beck, who lost his job as the Longhorns’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after three seasons. He joins a staff led by another former Ohio State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Tom Herman, who is entering his fourth season as Texas’ head coach. Herman also recently hired former Ohio State defensive coordinator Chris Ash as his new defensive coordinator. [11W]

Texas is getting a fresh start on both sides of the ball with Yurcich grabbing the reins from Tim Beck on offense and Chris Ash taking over for Todd Orlando on defense. Interestingly, Beck made $150,000 less than the $950,000 Yurcich made last year with Ohio State. Still, Tom Herman — who is full of amazing quotes in this article — said he needed somebody he could trust more than he trusts himself.

“Having to spend that much time preparing an offensive game plan every week took and has taken too much of my time and energy in order to do the things necessary as a head coach to do them at an elite level like I’ve been able to do in the past,” Herman told 247.

So he turns to Yurcich to help a Texas offense that ranked 21st in points per drive in 2019 and 29th in 2018. Here were Oklahoma State’s national rankings in points per drive on offense during Yurcich’s tenure in Stillwater.

2013: No. 45
2014: No. 88
2015: No. 24
2016: No. 17
2017: No. 2
2018: No. 18

His start in orange and black was a bit unceremonious, but his last four years were top-shelf statistically, even if the individual moments and unwillingness to adjust until it was sometimes too late left a bit to be desired. Still, he mostly crushed for the Pokes.

“I talked with a number of coaches as we tried to find the best fit at offensive coordinator, and Mike is a guy who really stood out,” Herman said in a statement. “I’ve admired his work for many years, he’s very highly regarded and respected in the coaching world, and in talking at length with him, I was extremely impressed with what he’ll bring to our staff.

“He knows our conference well from his time at Oklahoma State and, including the run he had with Ohio State this year, has played a big part in some of the nation’s best offenses for the past several years. All of that said, what impresses me most about him is how he works with and develops players and the creative ways he utilizes all of his weapons on offense.”

Yurcich, who will almost certainly make well over $1 million to call plays for one of the richest — if most underachieving — programs in the country eight years after making $52,000 a year at Shippensburg, is no doubt delighted.

“When looking at offensive coordinator positions, Texas is a no-brainer career move,” Yurcich said. “I’m excited to work with coach Herman and the entire staff. Having recruited the state of Texas, and having coordinated in the Big 12, I’m excited and proud to represent UT football as its next offensive coordinator.”

I know how reaction to this will go, and I understand why it will go that way. But Yurcich was really good for his last several years in Stillwater, and as long as Sam Ehlinger stays put, he’s probably going to be really good for Texas as well. The question for him — and for them — is whether Texas is going to be really good and what’s going to happen if they’re not.