It seems that a BCS berth goes hand in hand with a plundered coaching staff for Utah football.
Utah’s offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig has been named as Kansas State’s newest offensive coordinator, according to a release issued by Kansas State on Wednesday. The move comes on the heels of defensive coordinator Gary Andersen accepting the head coaching position at Utah State on Dec. 4.
In 2004, after Urban Meyer led the Utes to an 11-0 regular season record and Utah became the first non-Bowl Championship Series team to qualify for BCS Bowl, there was a huge coaching shake-up. Meyer was named the new head coach at Florida before Utah went to the Fiesta Bowl, and his offensive coordinator, Mike Sanford, accepted the head coaching position at UNLV shortly thereafter. Kyle Whittingham was promoted from defensive coordinator to Utah’s head coach.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity given to me by Coach Whittingham and the University of Utah,” Ludwig said in a press release. “It has been very satisfying working with the players and coaches in this program for four years.”
This year, Whittingham, who said, “Am I going to leave? No. No. I love it here” after Utah’s 48-24 win over BYU, appears to be staying put. Both of his right-hand men, however, will be in new locations next season.
“We are grateful for the job Andy has done here at Utah,” Whittingham said in a press release. “He was one of our first hires four years ago and he’s been a big part of our success.”
Whittingham has already promoted inside linebackers coach, Kalani Sitake, to replace Andersen, which will take effect after the season is over.
There is no word on who will be replacing Ludwig, or when that announcement will take place.
“We will begin evaluating potential replacements, but have no timetable for hiring a new coordinator,” Whittingham said. “We want to take the time necessary to make sure we get the best person for our program.”
Ludwig will, however, be staying with Utah through their Jan. 2 game against No. 4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
“I won’t start my new position until Jan. 5, and until that time, my total focus is on preparation for the Sugar Bowl,” Ludwig said.
Ludwig, who came to Utah in 2005, will be making the lateral move to the Big 12 to join the Wildcats and newly appointed head coach Bill Snyder.
Snyder, who retired after 17 years at Kansas State in 2005, was re-hired after the Wildcats failed to claim a single winning record in conference play for the past four years and only one winning season (7-6) in 2006.
“At this time, I feel the opportunity presented by Kansas State and coach Bill Snyder is best for myself and my family,” Ludwig said. “This move was provided to me by the success of this football program, which is a direct tribute to the players.”
Ludwig, who also served as Utah’s quarterbacks coach, helped groom Brian Johnson into the 2008 Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year and is known for his ability to coach quarterbacks. Before coming to Utah, he helped David Carr become a Heisman finalist at Fresno State in 2001 and eventually become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft.
Ludwig has been instrumental in maintaining Utah’s prolific spread option that Meyer and Sanford developed from 2003 to 2004. In 2005, Utah finished No. 1 in the MWC in total yards (473 yards per game) and No. 12 in the nation.
The Ogden native was a 2001 Broyles Award finalist8212;an award handed out to the top college assistant coach. Kansas State will be his 10th coaching stop.
He started out as a receivers coach at his alma mater, Portland State, in 1987. From there, he went to Idaho State before becoming a graduate assistant at Utah in 1992. He was then promoted to the offensive coordinator at Augustana and made subsequent stops at Boise State, Cal Poly, Fresno State and Oregon before arriving back at Utah to take Sanford’s job as the offensive play caller.
If Whittingham were to hire a new offensive coordinator from his own staff, Aaron Roderick8212;Utah’s wide receiver coach8212;could be a logical choice. He came to Utah in 2005 with Gary Andersen from Southern Utah. Roderick was Andersen’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2003 to 2004.
