Ex-OSU assistant lures coach to Texas
Ryan Day has a second assistant coach to replace following his first season as head coach of Ohio State.
The University of Texas announced Sunday that Mike Yurcich joined the program as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the Longhorns.
He spent one season at Ohio State as quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator after six seasons at Oklahoma State, where he was offensive coordinator.
“When looking at offensive coordinator positions, Texas is a no-brainer career move,” Yurcich said in a statement from Texas. “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.”
In Austin he joins former Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman, who is 24-15 in three seasons as the coach of the Longhorns after a successful short stint at Houston.
“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. “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.”
Yurcich, a native of Euclid, Ohio, was third in command of the offense at Ohio State behind head coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson.
Ironically, he will replace another former Ohio State assistant in Tim Beck, who was stripped of his offensive coordinator duties in early December but remains listed on the team website as quarterbacks coach.
“(Yurcich) 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,” Herman said. “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.”
Beck was co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Ohio State in 2015-16, replacing Herman when Herman left to become head coach at Houston.
In January 2017, Beck was replaced along with offensive coordinator Ed Warriner after the Buckeyes were shut out 31-0 by Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl three years ago.
That cleared the way for Urban Meyer to hire Wilson along with Day, who came to Columbus from the NFL and began his time at Ohio State as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Day replaced Meyer in January after Meyer decided to retire for health reasons.
Previously Ohio State lost co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who was credited with engineering a drastic improvement in his one season in Columbus.
Hafley is the new head coach at Boston College.