Kirk Ciarrocca named Penn State's new offensive coordinator
Penn State has found its next offensive coordinator, the football program announced Thursday morning.
Kirk Ciarrocca, offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Golden Gophers the past two seasons on P.J. Fleck's staff, is leaving to take the same position at Penn State.
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"We couldn't be more excited to bring in someone of Kirk's caliber to our Penn State football family," Penn State head coach James Franklin said via press release. "He is a veteran coordinator who also has deep Pennsylvania roots and ties. His most recent successes as an offensive coordinator caught our eye. What impressed me most about Kirk in the hiring process was his humility and his willingness to make this an easy transition for our players. We are thrilled to welcome Kirk and his family home to Pennsylvania and to Happy Valley!"
Ciarrocca has spent the last seven seasons coaching alongside Fleck, joining his Western Michigan staff during the 2013 season before making the move to Minnesota beginning with the 2017 season.
A graduate of Temple and originally from Lewisberry, Pa., Ciarrocca's coaching career spans back to 1990 during his graduate assistant start with the Owls and has included stops at Western Connecticut State, Delaware Valley, Princeton, Penn, Delaware, and Richmond, before landing at Western Michigan and Minnesota.
"I couldn't be more excited about the opportunity to work at a program as rich in tradition as Penn State University," Ciarrocca said via press release. "It is an honor and a privilege to join Coach Franklin's staff and to work alongside such a successful head football coach. Having grown up a Penn State fan, I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as your offensive coordinator. My family and I are overjoyed to be coming home to Happy Valley."
In advance of Penn State's meeting with the Gophers this season, Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin noted his lengthy relationship with Ciarrocca.
"You look at offensively, Kirk Ciarrocca, who is a native from Lewisberry, went to Redland High School. I've known him for a long time, he’s done a really good job," Franklin said, before praising the Gophers' offensive line, quarterback, and rushing attack in a game Minnesota ultimately won, 31-26.
This season at Minnesota, Ciarrocca helped guide the Gophers to one of their most productive seasons offensively in school history, earning a 10-2 record and the nation's No. 22-ranked scoring offense (tied with Penn State) at 34.3 points per game.
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