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Report: Rutgers making SEC head coach top target during search
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Rutgers appears to be swinging for a big name in the coaching ranks as it continues its search for a head football coach.
According to a report from NJ.com, Rutgers is making current Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead a top priority during its coaching search. Moorhead is currently in his second season with the Bulldogs after serving as the offensive coordinator at Penn State for two years.
“Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead has emerged as a top candidate, according to persons with knowledge of the decision-making process,” NJ.com reported.
Per the report, Moorhead’s buyout would be just under $2 million if Rutgers decided to poach the head coach out of Starkville.
Moorhead is in his second season at Mississippi State and has posted an 11-8 record through his first 19 games. This season the Bulldogs are 3-3, but Moorhead came under heavy scrutiny this last weekend following an ugly loss to a terrible Tennessee team.
Moorhead is familiar with the East Coast, having served as the head coach at Fordham for four seasons, an FCS program. There, we was 38-13 and took his teams to the FCS Playoffs three times. He also had runs as an assistant coach at Georgetown, and UConn.
Penn State’s offense was revolutionized while Moorhead was the offensive coordinator, and went on to win the 2016 B1G championship with one of the nation’s most electrifying offenses. It would be more of a hometown situation for Moorhead, should he decide to give Rutgers serious consideration.
Rutgers is looking for a new head coach after terminating Chris Ash earlier this year.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB