Fresno State Football has found its next offensive coordinator, promoting wide receivers coach Pat McCann to the position.
Head Coach Jeff Tedford also promoted offensive quality control coach Matt Wade to quarterbacks coach.
The backstory: McCann is still relatively new to Fresno State. He joined Tedford’s staff ahead of last season after three years on staff at Eastern Washington. He also coached wide receivers at Northern Iowa, UC Davis and Stonehill College in Massachusetts.
- McCann is replacing Kirby Moore, who departed to Missouri as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after six seasons with the Bulldogs, including the last one leading the offense.
- Last year was also the first year in Fresno for Wade, who also spent time on staff at Southern Utah, Pacific University in Oregon and UC Davis.
The big picture: McCann successfully coached wide receiver Jalen Moreno-Cropper to a 1,000-yard season last year, the first Bulldog receiver to break that mark since 2018. Receiver Nikko Remigio also made an immediate impact under McCann with 852 receiver yards and 6 receiving touchdowns.
- The 2023 season, however, will present a bevy of challenges for McCann as quarterback Jake Haener and running back Jordan Mims join Moreno-Cropper and Remigio as some of the top departing talent.
Meanwhile elsewhere… A former Fresno State assistant coach will not take charge of Alabama’s offense under head coach Nick Saban.
- Former Bulldogs offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb flew to Tuscaloosa on Monday to interview with Saban, but reports Tuesday revealed that Grubb is staying at Washington with former Fresno State head coach Kalen DeBoer.
- Saban’s interest in Grubb was not the first time the seven-time national champion winner has had interest in a coach with Fresno State ties. He poached Jim McElwain from Fresno State in 2008, hired former Bulldogs coordinator Doug Nusssmeier in 2012 and also brought on former Fresno State quarterback and assistant Lane Kiffin in 2014.
