Penn State coordinator Mike Yurcich is moving to the coaches box; here's why

GregPickel

Penn State third-year offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich has spent time in the coaches box during previous stops on his college football coaching journey. However, during his first two seasons with the Nittany Lions, he called plays from the sideline. In 2023, that will change. The program’s game notes ahead of Saturday’s clash with West Virginia indicate that Yurcich will move up top this fall. And, there are a few reasons for the change.

Head coach James Franklin dove into all of them on Tuesday during his first news conference of the week. A former offensive coordinator himself, the 10th-year leader of the Lions made clear that he thinks the coaches box is the best place to call a game from. But, there is much more that goes into the decision than simply picking the ideal viewing and working location on game day. Franklin said it was Yurcich’s idea to make the switch, and that he was fully on board with it.

“It’s probably one of the things that I’m most excited about,” Franklin said Tuesday. “Because as an offensive coordinator specifically, there’s no better place to call the game than in the booth. [It is a] controlled environment, you got your notes out, you can see it all; you’re not relying on somebody else to echo information to you that maybe you can’t see across the field. You’re able to rely on your vision and your information.

“I think it’s ultimately Mike saying, ‘Where can I be the best offensive coordinator, where can I call the best game? And it’s from the booth. As an offensive playcaller, I don’t even think it’s close. I think it’s the best place to call the game from.”

Yurcich will be joined in the coaches’ box by co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Ty Howle, among others. The sterile environment is an advantage. But it doesn’t work without strong helpers on the sideline.

Position coaches Ja’Juan Seider, Marques Hagans, and Phil Trautwein will play a key role in the field-level communication. But, the move doesn’t work without having complete faith in the dedicated quarterback communicator down below. For Penn State, that will be Danny O’Brien. The former analyst turned graduate assistant in 2023 has a long history with Franklin and has spent a year with Yurcich. He will be the coordinator’s eyes, ears, and sometimes mouth on the sideline. And, because of it, Yurcich can move upstairs this fall.

“We’re going to be people up there helping, but I also think it’s Mike’s respect for our staff and our assistant coaches, that they’re strong voices on the sideline,” Franklin said.

“I think Danny’s been a big part of that. Danny now spending over a year with Mike, and knowing how Mike wants to do things, Danny playing for me, coaching for me; there’s a lot of alignment there. And, he’s built a ton of respect with our quarterbacks. So I think that’s played a big part in it.”