Offensive Coordinator Mike Sanford To Coach Games From The Press Box
By Andrew Hall
Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Mike Sanford To Coach Games From The Press Box
Offensive Coordinator Mike Sanford may only be the coordinator in title. In reality, Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly and Associate Head Coach Mike Denbrock are truly coordinating the Offense. However, Sanford’s impact on the Offense this season will be significant.
More from Slap the Sign
- PointsBet Promo: Bet $50, Win an Official Jersey at Fanatics!
- Notre Dame vs NC State: How to watch, odds, injuries, series history and more
- Caesars Indiana Sign-Up Promo: Win $250 GUARANTEED Bonus Betting on Notre Dame This Week!
- FanDuel + DraftKings Indiana Promos: Bet $10 on Notre Dame, Win $400 Bonus GUARANTEED!
- New Caesars + DraftKings Indiana Promos: $450 GUARANTEED Bonus Backing Notre Dame vs. Navy!
Brian Kelly said when Sanford was hired earlier this year, “We weren’t going to settle for somebody that was on the same plane. We wanted somebody that was going to challenge us on a day‑to‑day basis. Mike does that.”
When Sanford has been on the Offensive staff, the Offense(s) have been extremely successful.
He began coaching at the FBS level, full-time, at Western Kentucky. Sanford served as the Quarterbacks coach and the Passing Game Coordinator. The Hilltoppers passed for 143.5 yards per game.
Sanford then moved from Bowling Green, Kentucky to “The Farm” in Palo Alto, California. He coached the Cardinal Running Backs from 2011 to 2012 before switching to Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers in 2013.
In 2011, the Stanford Cardinal scored an average of 43.2 points per contest. In 2012, the Cardinal tallied 27.9 points per game. Following his shift to Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers, the Cardinal averaged 32.3 points per game.
Sanford then returned to his alma mater Boise State to become the Broncos’ Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks coach. Under Sanford, the Broncos scored 39.7 points per contest including 38 points in the Fiesta Bowl against Arizona.
With Sanford in tow, the Irish can expect to put up great numbers this season. In 2014, the Irish scored 32.8 points per contest. This total was the highest since Notre Dame scored 36.7 points per game in Charlie Weis’ inaugural campaign. If Notre Dame can become more consistent and eliminate the “bad” Offense games, like USC and Stanford, the final averages would be closer to 35 points.
Based on the returning Offensive talent and the brain trust of Sanford, Denbrock and Kelly, the Fighting Irish should top the 2005 unit.