The Utah State football team is in the market for another offensive coordinator.
The University of Minnesota announced Friday that Mike Sanford has joined the Gophers as their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Sanford came to the Aggies with the addition of coach Gary Andersen last season.
“I am thrilled to welcome Mike, his wife Anne-Marie and kids Peyton, Gunnar and Griffin to Minnesota,” Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said in a statement. “I have known Mike for many years, and he will be an elite addition to our staff. Mike is one of the brightest young minds in the game and brings a wealth of experience to our offensive staff room and our offensive system.”
Utah State did not comment on Sanford’s departure.
Sanford led a USU offense that averaged 29.2 points and 431.4 yards of total offense per game. It also converted third downs at a rate of 42.6%.
Those numbers were down compared to the 2018 season, when USU scored nearly 50 points per game under OC David Yost. The Aggies went 11-2 last season and won their bowl game against North Texas.
Once the team finds Sanford’s potential replacement, that person will be the third offensive coordinator in as many seasons for Utah State.
Before his stint with the Aggies, Sanford was the head coach of Western Kentucky for two seasons. He worked as the OC and quarterbacks coach at Notre Dame from 2015-2016 and also at Boise State, his alma mater, in 2014.
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