As the college football season and Notre Dame football season specifically creep ever closer, On3's Andy Staples continues to prepare his audience for the fall with predictions and previews. His latest on Tuesday was all about who the best offensive coordinators in the sport are, and it should honestly surprise no one that Mike Denbrock wasn't just in the Top 10 or Top 5 but was listed as the No. 2 OC in the entire sport.
Denbrock was brought to South Bend last offseason in hopes of revamping the Fighting Irish attack. He proceeded to help Notre Dame get to the National Title game as his offense evolved to better suit quarterback Riley Leonard. This year, he's expected to be something geared towards a little more passing yardage rather than rushing yardage for the QB, assuming CJ Carr wins the job.
Why Mike Denbrock’s second season with Notre Dame could be even more explosive
During his first season back in South Bend, Denbrock led the Fighting Irish offense to a 36.1-point per game average, which ranked tenth in college football in 2024. With a lot of talent returning this season, including running back Jeremiyah Love and wide receiver Jaden Greathouse, folks around Notre Dame are expecting the offense to take a nice step forward. That's especially true with the Notre Dame OC entering year two as the offensive playcaller.
NEW: Top 10 College Football Offensive Coordinators via @Andy_Staples👀
— On3 (@On3sports) July 29, 2025
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How Andy Staples ranked Notre Dame’s OC among the best in college football
Staples believes that Denbrock is the No. 2 offensive coordinator in the country, behind only Oregon's Will Stein. Staples has Miami's Shannon Dawson at No. 3 on his list, meaning that Irish defensive coordinator Chris Ash will have his hands full in the season opener.
Indiana's Mike Shanahan and Clemson's Garrett Riley round out the Top 5.
The only real question for the Notre Dame football offense in 2025 is just how quickly it can mesh with a new quarterback at the helm, whether that's Carr or Kenny Minchey. Should it mesh quickly, the Fighting Irish could be truly frightening.