Blue White Illustrated

oe Moorhead's mere arrival prompted intrigue. Introduced as Penn State's new o0ensive coordinator at a press conference in December, the former Fordham head coach, largely unknown to the blue-and-white masses, didn't come o0 as a dynamic force. Just the op- posite, in fact. Seated side-by-side with James Franklin in the Beaver Stadium media room, Moorhead quickly proved himself an easygoing coun- terpoint to his high-intensity boss. The two colleagues discussed at length the hiring process, o0ensive strategy and philosophy, and Moorhead's initial impressions of the personnel that would soon be under his charge, among other topics. Detailing a particularly intensive interview in New York, Franklin listed a few of the many topics covered: run game, pass game, protections, quarterback development, o0ensive line development, personnel usage, the West Coast o0ense, family life. So comprehensive was the conversation that by the time the pair realized the time, Moorhead's usual transportation options back home to his family in the Hudson River Valley had passed him by. "I don't think the subway was going," Franklin said, smiling over at Moor- head. "No, it was not," Moorhead said plainly. "The Metro North [train] was shut down. It doesn't run at 2:47 in the morning." The good news for the Nittany Lions and their fans is that Moorhead wasn't brought to Penn State to perform comedy. He was hired instead to ignite an o0ensive unit that has su0ered through two seasons of abject medi- ocrity. Put in charge of a group of promising young skill-position players and an o0ensive line that is seeking to take big leaps forward this season, Moorhead has a history of success, and it's his resume, not his quotability, that has gotten the unequivocal attention of his new players. Just two days a2er Moorhead's o1cial introductory press conference, the team's bowl media day demonstrated just how quickly he'd acclimated to his new surroundings. "I actually had my meeting yesterday with Coach Moorhead, and my /rst impression is that he's a good guy," said Chris Godwin, the Nittany Lions' | FULL SPEED AHEAD New coordinator Joe Moorhead aims to help PSU's sluggish o"ense achieve escape velocity this fall J F A S T F O R W A R D > > A N E A R L Y L O O K THE MOORHEAD FILE BORN Nov. 2, 1973 (age 42) HOMETOWN Pittsburgh, Pa. HIGH SCHOOL Central Catholic COLLEGE Fordham, Class of '96 CAREER COACHING RECORD 38-13 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Went 6-5 in first sea- son at Fordham after inheriting a team that had won only one game the year before... Led Rams to three consecutive berths in Football Cham- pionship Subdivision playoffs in 2013, '14 and '15... 2013 team posted 12-2 record, the best mark in school history, and defeated Temple to give Fordham its first victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent... Oversaw of- fense that set 16 school records (individ- ual and team) in 2013 and '14... Led Rams to 9-3 record in his final sea- son, including another win over an FBS opponent, as Fordham opened with a 37-35 victory over Army... Spent two seasons as of- fensive coordinator at Connecti- cut, helping Huskies to the 2010 Big East championship and a berth in the Fiesta Bowl... Served as offensive coordinator at Akron for two seasons and oversaw an of- fense in 2008 that was one of only 17 in the FBS to finish in the top 50 in rushing, passing, scor- ing and total offense PROMINENT PLAYERS Chase Edmonds (RB, Fordham, Jerry Rice Award winner, third-team AP All-American), Mike Nebrich (QB, Fordham, two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year), Jordan Todman (RB, Connecticut, Big East Offensive Player of the Year), Luke Getsy (QB, Akron, 24 school records), Domenik Hixon (WR, Akron, set single-season school record with 1,210 receiving yards) FAMILY Wife, Jennifer; daughter, Kyra (14); sons Mason (12) and Donovan (7)

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