The Michigan Wolverines officially parted ways with offensive Kirk Campbell on Tuesday night, opening up one of the most appealing play calling jobs in the country. Michigan has a cache of young, talented offensive linemen, a slew of high-upside running backs, and a five-star quarterback who raises the ceiling of everyone on the offense.
Where does head coach Sherrone Moore look? Does he go with a quarterback guru? An innovative young coach? A wily older coach who has seen it all? Or something else? Here are a few names to watch over the coming weeks.
Joe Sloan
Offensive Coordinator, LSU – The Long Lost Third Riley Brother
Now, this would shock the system. Joe Sloan is one of the hottest names in coaching after developing Jayden Daniels into a Heisman Trophy winner and a top-two NFL Draft pick. His work with Garrett Nussmeier this past season has been nothing short of remarkable either. Sloan is included here because he is very close with Bryce Underwood and was the single biggest reason Underwood was, at one point, going to Baton Rouge. Could Underwood get his dream quarterback coach at his dream school? Plus, if you’re Sloan, working for Sherrone Moore sounds a lot better than working for Brian Kelly.
Tyson Helton
Head Coach, Western Kentucky – The Quarterback Whisper
Tyson Helton has been developing quarterbacks at a high level for a long time. In 2007, he helped UAB quarterback Joe Webb become the first 2,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rusher in NCAA history. During his time at USC, he developed Sam Darnold for two years, turning him into a top-three NFL Draft pick. More recently, in 2021, he helped Bailey Zappe set NCAA records for passing yards (5,967) and passing touchdowns (62) in a single season.
Lastly, Helton is a good leader and coach. Since taking over Western Kentucky in 2019, the Hilltoppers have gone 48-30 with a 4-1 record in bowl games.
Brennan Marion
Offensive Coordinator, UNLV – The Innovator
Brennan Marion’s “go-go” offense has been one of the more innovative schemes over the last two seasons. Marion likes to utilize two running backs and a mobile quarterback to keep defenses in conflict. This season, the Rebels ranked seventh in scoring offense, fourth in rushing. They’re also playing for the Mountain West championship this weekend.
The one knock on his resume would be UNLV’s No. 117 passing offense. However, the Rebels are down to their second-string quarterback, and last season, Marion showed he could develop a quarterback. Marion helped turn true freshman Jayden Maiava — who is now starting for USC — into the conference’s freshman of the year and elevated former Michigan State wide receiver Ricky White into a star. Furthermore, his schematics seem like an easy marriage with Michigan’s preferred West Coast concepts.
Joe Moorhead
Head Coach, Akron – The Vet
Although Joe Moorhead has struggled in two stints as a head coach, he is an excellent offensive coordinator. During his two years at Penn State (2016-17) and two years at Oregon (2020-21), he elevated both programs through balance and efficiency. He’s not the splashiest hire, but he did help James Franklin beat Ohio State and win the Rose Bowl. That has to count for something.
