Chip Long will have ‘full responsibility' to call plays as Notre Dame's offensive coordinator

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Notre Dame on Monday officially announced the hiring of Chip Long as its next offensive coordinator, with coach Brian Kelly clearing any speculation about who will be calling plays in 2017.

"Chip will be given the full responsibility to call plays in 2017,” Kelly said. “His offense at Memphis displayed a unique blend of physicality, athleticism, versatility and explosiveness. Chip’s play-calling created mismatches all over the field and did it in a number of different ways. He likes to use players who can fill numerous roles in an array of formations, whether that be two and three tight ends or multiple running backs.

“Chip has experience coaching at almost every position on the offensive side of the ball. He’s worked for and learned from some of the most respected offensive minds in college football -- Bobby Petrino, Mike Norvell and Jeff Brohm -- to name a few.”

The 33-year-old Long spent the 2016 season as Memphis’ offensive coordinator, and despite the losses of coach Justin Fuente and quarterback Paxton Lynch, the Tigers’ offense remained productive. Memphis ranked 16th in scoring offense (38.8 points per game) and 34th in yards per play (6.25), and by S&P+ had the 37th-best offensive at the FBS level. 

"It’s an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to serve as the offensive coordinator at the University of Notre Dame,” Long said. “The challenge to lead at a university with such high standards is incredibly motivating. I’m very grateful to Brian Kelly and Jack Swarbrick for extending this opportunity.

“It’s Notre Dame: the values, the culture, and the leadership. My wife, Kari, and I are excited to move to South Bend and to join the Notre Dame family.”

How Long adapts to coaching at a higher level than the American Athletic Conference — which, to be fair, is the best Group of Five conference — remains to be seen, though it's likely both he and Notre Dame will run the ball more than they did in 2016. Memphis ran the ball only 47.2 percent of the time on standard downs (first and 10, second and seven or fewer, third/fourth and four or fewer), which ranked 119th out of 128 FBS programs. Notre Dame’s lack of commitment to the run (55.7 percent standard down run rate, 86th) frequently put too much pressure on quarterback DeShone Kizer; with a first-time starter in Brandon Wimbush lined up for 2017, Notre Dame will have to rely on the run far more than it did in 2016. 

There was plenty of speculation Kelly would take over playcalling duties this fall, especially given the departures of associate head coach Mike Denbrock to Cincinnati and offensive coordinator Mike Sanford to Western Kentucky. Denbrock called plays the last two seasons. 

Other brief Notre Dame notes:

-- Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel reported Monday morning that Notre Dame will hire Wake Forest linebackers coach Clark Lea for the same position under newly-hired defensive coordinator Mike Elko, who worked with Lea in 2016. Prior to becoming Wake Forest's linebackers coach last year, the 35-year-old Lea spent three seasons as Syracuse's linebackers coach. Lea will take over the role filled by Mike Elston from 2015 to 2016, though Elston (who's also Notre Dame's recruiting coordinator) is expected to remain on staff in some capacity. 

-- Former Notre Dame linebacker Bob Crable, who played for the Irish from 1978-1981, was among the 13 former players and coaches elected to the College Football Hall of Fame's class of 2017 on Monday. He's the 46th former Notre Dame player or coach to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and first since Thom Gatewood in 2015. Former Irish kick returner/receiver Raghib Ismail and offensive lineman Aaron Taylor were both on the 2017 ballot but were not elected. 

-- While Notre Dame unveiled a new part of its 2017 identidy in Long, it lost the verbal pledge of a blue-chip recruit. According to Irish Illustrated, four-star athlete Paulson Adebo (Mansfield, Texas) backed off his verbal commitment to Notre Dame on Monday, a move which dropped the Irish out of Scout's top 10 class rankings. With the NCAA-mandated recruiting dead period being lifted on Wednesday, Notre Dame's 2017 recruiting class ranks 12th on Scout. Coaches not only will have to work to add to it in the coming weeks, but will have to push to keep what was a strong class together as the aftershocks of last fall's 4-8 season continue. 

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