AKRON (AP) — Akron hired Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead as head coach on Saturday, bringing back a former assistant for the Zips to take over a struggling program.
Moorhead has been a head coach at Mississippi State (14-12 in two seasons) and FCS Fordham (38-13 in four seasons) and has been directing the Ducks’ offense the last two seasons.
No. 10 Oregon’s promising season came to disappointing end Friday night when the Ducks (10-3) were routed for the second time in three weeks by Utah. Moorhead’s move also comes amid speculation that Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal is being pursued by his alma mater, Miami.
Moorhead spent two seasons as Penn State’s offensive coordinator in between his head coaching jobs at his alma mater, Fordham, and Mississippi State.
Akron is 3-29 over the last three seasons.
New athletic director Charles Guthrie fired coach Tom Arth nine games into this season and news of the school’s interest in Moorhead leaked more than a week ago.
Moorhead, a Pittsburgh native, was an assistant at Akron from 2004-08.
Before Arth, Akron had a solid run in the Mid-American Conference under Terry Bowden, making three bowl games over seven seasons.
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