One day after Utah State reportedly handing the keys of its offense off to a former Oklahoma quarterback, that move has come to fruition. As has the keys to the other side of the ball being handed off, as it turns out.
In press releases Friday, USU announced the hiring of Josh Heupel as offensive coordinator and Kevin Clune as defensive coordinator. The former replaces Kevin McGiven, who left in late December to take the quarterbacks coach job at Oregon State, and the latter Todd Orlando, who left to take the same job at Houston. Heupel will also carry the titles of assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach.
Heupel, who played quarterback for the Sooners, spent every year of his 11-year coaching career but one (Arizona, 2005) at OU, beginning as a grad assistant in 2004. He became the quarterbacks coach in 2006, and was then promoted to co-coordinator in 2010.
Jan. 6, OU confirmed that Heupel, along with co-coordinator Jay Norvell, would no longer be a part of Bob Stoops‘ staff. Norvell ultimately landed at rival Texas.
“We are very excited to add Josh Heupel to our coaching staff,” said head coach Matt Wells in a statement. “Josh brings a tremendous pedigree and accomplishments to Utah State and the offensive side of the ball. Our philosophies are very similar in how to move the football and I’m looking forward to a seamless transition this season with our offense. I’m excited to welcome Josh, his wife Dawn, and their two children to the Aggie football family.”
This a reunion of sorts for Clune, who served as the Aggies’ linebackers coach for five years (2009-13). Clune left USU to become the coordinator at Hawaii for what turned out to be just the 2014 season.
“Kevin has a tremendous amount of experience with our defense in terms of both terminology and daily operations, and his transition into this position will be very natural,” Wells said. “Kevin did a tremendous job at Hawai’i improving that defense and I have great confidence that he will continue to do special things here with our Aggie defense moving forward.”
UPDATE [9:40 p.m ET]: One announcement that flew under the radar when Utah State head coach Matt Wells officially introduced his new coordinators was a promotion among his existing staff.
Besides naming his new OC/DC, #USU head coach Matt Wells also announced that Mark Weber is now also the associate head coach. #welldeserved
— Wade Denniston (@wdhiker) January 23, 2015
Weber is entering his third season at Utah State. During his previous two seasons, Weber coached six different offensive linemen that received All-Mountain West Conference honors.
