Former Memphis offensive coordinator Chip Long was officially named to the same position at Notre Dame on Monday. Long’s hire comes after former Irish offensive coordinator Mike Sanford left to take over the head coaching duties at Western Kentucky.
“It’s an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to serve as the offensive coordinator at the University of Notre Dame,” Long said in a press release. “The challenge to lead at a university with such high standards is incredibly motivating. I’m very grateful to [head coach] Brian Kelly and [Vice President and Director of Athletics] 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.”
Long’s offense at Memphis ranked in the top 20 in the nation in passing, scoring, passing efficiency and completion percentage this past season. Kelly said Long will take over play-calling duties in the 2017 season.
“Chip will be given the full responsibility to call plays in 2017,” Kelly said in a press release. “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.”
Long joins a Notre Dame coaching staff with a couple of new faces. Former Nevada head coach Brian Polian took over as the special teams coach and former Wake Forest defensive coordinator Mike Elko will fulfill that same role with the Irish.
Before his time at Memphis, Long was the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Arizona State for four seasons.
