Penn State Football

Report: Former Penn State OC Mike Yurcich Set to be Hired by FCS School

Joe Smeltzer

Published

January 7, 2025

Former Penn State OC Mike Yurcich has found a new home.

Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Mike Yurcich

Former Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich has found a new home.

Per a report by FootballScoop, Yurcich has been hired by Youngstown State for the offensive coordinator position.

Source: Youngstown State set to add veteran Big Ten and Big 12 coordinator and a former Michigan assistant https://t.co/bz0mxx1O0O via @CoachSamz

— FootballScoop (@FootballScoop) January 7, 2025

Yurcich didn’t coach anywhere in 2024 after being fired by PSU with two games left in the 2023 season.

Report: Penn State has Fired OC Mike Yurcich

Additionally, FootballScoop is reporting that another guy with PSU connections is expected to join Youngstown State’s staff. Mike Zordich— who, frankly, is much more popular amongst PSU fans than the other Mike Youngstown State’s hiring— is expected to join the staff. Zordich, a Youngstown native, played safety at PSU from 1982-85 and helped the team win its first national title as a true freshman. His son, also named Mike, played fullback at PSU and was one of the leaders of the 2012 team that saved the program.

YURCICH AT PENN STATE

Mike Yurcich wasn’t a popular figure amongst Penn State fans by the time of his firing.

Penn State Nittany Lions Mike Yurcich November 12, 2022 David Hague/NSN

PSU went 19-4 during Yurcich’s run as offensive coordinator. But there were obvious problems. Although Penn State’s record was solid 8-2 through 10 games in 2023, Yurcich had received plenty of criticism for his efforts in Penn State’s losses: at Ohio State Oct. 21 and against Michigan at home Nov. 11.

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In those two games, Penn State combined for 27 points and three touchdowns. For many, Yurcich’s offense wasn’t doing Manny Diaz’s defense— which was thought to be right up there with America’s best— justice.

Ultimately, that’s what got him fired. Penn State finished out the season with RB coach Ja’Juan Seider and tight ends coach Ty Howle as interim coordinators. Then, they hired Andy Kotelnicki as the full-time guy.

BACK TO POWER 4?

There’s no reason to think former Penn State OC Mike Yurcich won’t be a Power 4 coordinator again soon.

Yurcich is still relatively young at 49 and has been a coordinator at Oklahoma State, Ohio State, PSU and Texas. Odds are, he’ll end up in the Power 4 again. But we shall see.

No. 6 PSU takes on No. 7 Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl/College Football Playoff semifinal Thursday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 on ESPN.