Sources: Minnesota is naming co-coordinators to replace former offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. Matt Simon, who was a co-coordinator, will be joined in that spot by Greg Harbaugh. Harbaugh served as Minnesota’s tight end coach. Both will receive pay raises.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 9, 2023

The offensive double threat. #RTB

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— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) January 9, 2023

Gopher football beat writer and recruiting expert, Ryan Burns (GopherIllustrated.com), believes Simon will call plays and that Harbaugh will be promoted to QB coach. Simon was already listed as a co-oc but didn’t call plays.

He doesn’t have much experience doing so, either, but did call them vs West Virginia during the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl, after Ciarrocca announced he was leaving for Penn State.

Fleck Turns to Internal Hires

This time around, Kirk Ciarrocca took a $500K raise to turn his back on PJ Fleck and move his office East. Thus, Fleck had a decision to make. Should he hire from within or look to an outside talent, like he did with Mike Sanford the last time Kirk left Dinkytown?

In the end, he decided to look inward this time around. The proof will be in the pudding as to what the right choice was.

Matt Simon Coaching Experience

2020-present: Minnesota – Co-Offensive Coordinator / Wide Receivers
2019: Minnesota – Passing Game Coordinator / Wide Receivers 
2017-18: Minnesota – Wide Receivers
2014-16: Western Michigan – Wide Receivers
2013: Rutgers – Wide Receivers
2012: Rutgers – Player Development
2011: University of St. Thomas (Minn.) – Tight Ends
2010: Northern Illinois – Offensive Quality Control

Greg Harbaugh Jr Coaching Experience

2023-present: Minnesota – Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2022: Minnesota – Tight Ends
2020-21: Western Michigan – Wide Receivers
2019: Minnesota – Quality Control
2018: Chattanooga – Wide Receivers
2017: Minnesota – Quality Control 
2015-16: Western Michigan – Graduate Assistant
2013-14: Marietta College – Passing Game Coordinator / Recruiting Coordinator / Video Coordinator / Academic Coordinator 
2011-12: Methodist University – Assistant Coach
2009-10: North Carolina Wesleyan College – Wide Receivers / Running Backs

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Source: Minnesota WR coach Matt Simon will be promoted to co-offensive coordinator. He had a huge bowl game as Minnesota's OC, as the Gophers gained 494 yards against a rugged Auburn defense. https://t.co/3XAM9oM0Tk

I was taken a bit aback by this announcement, when I first saw it, because I didn’t expect PJ to go outside of the program to hire a new offensive coordinator this quickly. If he was going to move expeditiously like this, I was expecting Matt Simon to be named the guy. Then, Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports, reports that the Gophers have hired Utah State OC, Matt Sanford to be the new offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Gophers.

But less than 10 minutes later, he reports that the Gophers are also promoting Matt Simon to be Co-Offensive Coordinator next to incoming Mike Sanford. This is a very intriguing decision… who is going to talk to the media ever Tuesday? That’s the real question….

Sanford was once a head coach at Western Kentucky, but was fired in 2018 after a 1-9 showing. He was then hired as the offensive coordinator for Utah State, where he led an Aggies offense that was the catalyst to 7-6 season that included a bowl game this last season. Win or lose… offense wasn’t the problem for Utah State, where Mike’s offense averaged 430 YPG and 29.2 points.

Just like his new Co-Offensive Coordinator Matt Simon, Mike Sanford is known as one of the brightest young minds in college football and also holds most of his experience as a QB Coach. According to Thamel, who reported this originally, says the Gophers are still expected to run the same type of “multiple” offense.

PJ Fleck is not afraid to bring in the best and brightest minds he can find, and then he lets them go to work. If he is intrigued enough by Sanford, to place him next to Simon and trust the two to run the offense in 2020… then I’m excited too.

#RTB

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan