Here is a comprehensive look at the Big Ten's 18 offensive coordinators entering the 2025 football season:
College football summer training camps are open and the calendar has turned to August. That means only a few weeks remain until the 2025 season kicks off.
Here at Badgers Wire, we spent much of June and July using every angle to preview the upcoming season. We ranked every Big Ten team's full schedule and conference schedule, took a broad view to power rank all 18 teams, and then took a specific look at each position (linked below).
Position Previews: Overall Offenses -- Quarterbacks -- Running Backs -- Wide Receivers -- Tight Ends -- Offensive Lines -- Overall Defenses -- Defensive Lines -- Pass-Rushers -- Inside Linebackers -- Cornerbacks -- Safeties -- Secondaries --Special TeamsUnits
With those position previews complete, it's time to turn attention to another group who will have a significant say in how the 2025 season pans out: each team's coaching staff. Up first are the conference's 18 offensive coordinators.
While the Big Ten enters 2025 with only one new head coach in place (Purdue's Barry Odom), it welcomes several new names at offensive coordinator.
Not all of those offseason changes were made equally. Wisconsin, on one hand, hired Kansas' Jeff Grimes after parting ways with Phil Longo during the 2024 season. Ohio State, on the other hand, made an internal promotion after Chip Kelly, our top-ranked OC from last season, left for the NFL. Some new faces are brought in to change a unit's trajectory, while some are tasked with maintaining momentum from a coach who has since left for another gig.
With those unique circumstances in mind, here is a comprehensive look at the Big Ten's 18 offensive coordinators entering the 2025 football season:
18. Zach Lujan (Northwestern Wildcats)
Recent coaching stops: South Dakota State QBs coach (2019-2021), SDSU OC/QBs coach (2022-2023), Northwestern OC/QBs coach (2024-present)
Northwestern's offense struggled in its first year under Lujan, finishing dead last in the conference in total offense (284.4 yards per game) and second to last in scoring (17.8 points per game). Part of that production was due to limited personnel, although Lujan's quarterback room struggled mightily to deliver consistent results.
17. Luke Huard (USC Trojans)
Recent coaching stops: Texas A&M offensive analyst (2019-21), USC inside WRs coach (2022-23), USC QBs coach (2024), USC OC/QBs coach (2025-present)
USC's offensive coordinator has a bit of an asterisk surrounding his duties, as head coach Lincoln Riley is the program's play-caller and offensive mastermind. Huard adds the coordinator title to his role as quarterbacks coach, which he moved to last season after previously coaching USC's inside wide receivers. The Trojans' offense will likely be terrific, but it's hard to know how much credit to give Huard in his first season in the role. The team's quarterback play will be a stronger indicator.
Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire
16. Josh Henson (Purdue Boilermakers)
Recent coaching stops: Texas A&M OL coach (2019-2021), USC OC/OL coach (2022-2024), Purdue OC/TEs coach (2025-present)
Henson joined the Boilermakers after Barry Odom's hire in December. He's a tough coordinator to evaluate, as he played a relatively minor role in the Trojans' offense -- a dynamic explained in Huard's placement. Henson will have
15. Jimmy Dougherty (Washington Huskies)
Recent coaching stops: UCLA WRs coach (2017-20), Arizona QBs coach (2021-23), Washington QBs coach (2024), Washington OC/QBs coach (2025)
Dougherty steps into the Washington offensive coordinator position after 2024 OC Brennan Carroll left to be the offensive line coach with the Las Vegas Raiders. Dougherty was the offensive coordinator for San Diego in 2008 and San Jose State from 2013-14. That track record is far from enough to lead to a high ranking. However, he could rise quickly. Washington enters 2025 with one of the most promising offenses in the conference.
Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire
14. Pep Hamilton (Maryland Terrapins)
Recent coaching stops: DC Defenders HC, GM (2020), Los Angeles Chargers QBs coach (2020), Houston Texans QBs coach (2021), Texans OC (2022), Maryland OC (2025-present)
Hamilton joins the Terrapins after two years out of the coaching world. He has extensive experience coaching the quarterback position, including for the New York Jets (2004), San Francisco 49ers (2006), Chicago Bears (2007-09), Stanford (2011-12), Cleveland Browns (2016), Chargers (2020) and Texans (2021), but has limited experience as an offensive coordinator and play-caller. He's tasked with fixing a Maryland offense that finished 2024 ranked No. 100 nationally in scoring offense.his hands full with the rebuild in West Lafayette. Purdue replaced nearly its entire roster after a 1-11 2024 campaign.
13. Greg Harbaugh Jr. and Matt Simon (Minnesota Golden Gophers)
Harbaugh and Simon enter their second season as Minnesota's co-offensive coordinators. The Gophers delivered an average season offensively in 2024, finishing ninth in the conference in scoring offense (26.2 points per game) and 12th in total offense (337.8 yards per game). 2025 will be an important year for the unit after the departure of standout quarterback Max Brosmer.
10. Brian Lindgren (Michigan State)
Recent coaching stops: Oregon State OC/QBs coach (2018-2023), Michigan State OC/QBs coach (2024-present)
Lindgren is among the most experienced coordinators in the conference -- he's held the position for various programs in every year since 2009. After an excellent run under Jonathan Smith at Oregon State from 2018-23, Lindgren's Michigan State offense struggled in 2024. It finished 15th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (19.3 points per game) and 13th in total offense (334.4 yards per game). The unit will be under significant pressure to perform in 2025 after the team missed a bowl game last season.
Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire
11. Chip Lindsey (Michigan Wolverines)
Recent coaching stops: Troy head coach (2019-21), UCF OC/QBs coach (2022), North Carolina OC/QBs coach (2023-24), Michigan OC/QBs coach (2025-present)
Lindsey takes over for Kirk Campbell, who was fired in December after just one season in charge of the Wolverines' offense. The Wolverines' new play-caller should benefit from improved quarterback play after the team ranked dead last in the Big Ten in passing offense (129.1). He'll play a critical role in Michigan's success, with its hopes potentially depending on the development of five-star freshman Bryce Underwood.
Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire
10. Tino Sunseri (UCLA Bruins)
Recent coaching stops: James Madison QBs coach (2021-23), Indiana co-OC/QBs coach (2024), UCLA OC/QBs coach (2025-present)
Sunseri parlayed a terrific 2024 season at Indiana into the full-time offensive coordinator role with the Bruins. Indiana finished last year fifth in the Big Ten in total offense (426.4 yards per game) and first in scoring offense (41.3 points per contest). While he'll need to validate those totals with the Bruins, he's one of the conference's rising names at the position.
Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire
9. Kirk Ciarrocca (Rutgers Scarlet Knights)
Recent coaching stops: Minnesota OC/QBs coach (2022), Rutgers OC/QBs coach (2023-present)
Ciarrocca is among the Big Ten's more experienced play-callers. Aside from 2021, he's led a Big Ten offense every year since 2017. That time includes some peak seasons with Minnesota, specifically 2019 (34.1 points, 432 yards per game). He gives Rutgers a high offensive floor, despite the team being somewhat limited personnel-wise.
8. Tim Lester (Iowa Hawkeyes)
Recent coaching stops: Western Michigan head coach (2017-22), Green Bay Packers analyst (2023), Iowa OC (2024-present)
Lester had a low bar to clear, taking over the Hawkeyes' offense in 2024. The team finished 2021, 2022 and 2023 just 121st, 130th and 133rd, respectively, in total offense. Iowa was much improved in 2024. Despite instability at quarterback, the team jumped to 8th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (27.7 points per game) and 14th in total offense (328.8 yards per game). A further improvement is expected with top Football Championship Subdivision transfer Mark Gronowski under center.
Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire
7. Jeff Grimes (Wisconsin Badgers)
Recent coaching stops: BYU OC (2018-20), Baylor OC/TEs coach (2021-23), Kansas OC (2024), Wisconsin OC (2025-present)
Grimes arrives in Madison as one of the true impact hires of the offseason. Wisconsin lost its way with Phil Longo leading its offense. Grimes brings a more traditional pro-style approach, which Big Ten fans can all agree fits Wisconsin's identity. 2025 could be a breakthrough for this unit, as well as Grimes' status in the conference.
6. Barry Lunney Jr. (Illinois Fighting Illini)
Recent coaching stops: Arkansas TEs coach (2013-2019), UTSA OC/QBs coach (2020-2021), Illinois OC/QBs coach (2022-present)
Lunney's offense has played a key role in Illinois' recent program resurgence. The team has not finished outside the top half of the Big Ten in total offense since his arrival in 2022. On a Bret Bielema team that guarantees to play strong defense and work to control the game, that production is all that's necessary. Look out entering 2025: Lunney's offense returns its entire line and starting quarterback. All signs point toward a breakthrough season.
5. Dana Holgorsen (Nebraska Cornhuskers)
Recent coaching stops: Houston head coach (2019-23), Nebraska OC (2024-present)
Nebraska promoted Holgorsen to offensive coordinator on November 11 of last year. He helped to right a unit that had struggled mightily in Big Ten play. Expectations should be high for the Cornhuskers' offense entering 2025, especially after Holgorsen got a full offseason to install his scheme. Since his sample size with Nebraska is small, Holgorsen's current ranking has mainly to do with the top-end success of his Houston offenses from 2019-22.
Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire
4. Mike Shanahan (Indiana Hoosiers)
Recent coaching stops: James Madison WRs coach (2019-2020), JMU OC/WRs coach (2021-2023), Indiana OC/WRs coach (2024-present)
Shanahan's offense was a major story of Indiana's resurgence in 2024. It led the Big Ten in scoring (41.3 points per game) and finished just fifth in total offense (426.4 yards per game). 2025 has the makings of a strong encore, due both to strong personnel and Shanahan's position as one of the top rising OCs in the game.
3. Brian Hartline (Ohio State Buckeyes)
Previous coaching stops: Ohio State WRs coach (2018-22), OSU OC/WRs coach (2023), OSU co-OC/WRs coach (2024), OSU OC/WRs coach (2025-present)
Hartline is back as Ohio State's full-time offensive coordinator after Chip Kelly's departure to the NFL. He held the role back in 2023, when the Buckeyes finished third in the Big Ten in scoring (30.5 points per game) and first in total offense (407.9 yards per game). Buckeye fans will hold his offense up to Kelly's, which led the program to its first national title in a decade. Even if the 2025 unit takes a step back, Hartline is one of the Big Ten's best at his position.
Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire
2. Andy Kotelnicki (Penn State Nittany Lions)
Previous coaching stops: Buffalo OC (2015-2020), Kansas OC (2021-2023), Penn State OC (2024-present)
Kotelnicki made a profound impact after joining the Nittany Lions ahead of the 2024 season. His offense, which helped to unlock quarterback Drew Allar, scored 37 on Oregon in the Big Ten title game, helped lead a blowout victory over SMU in the first round of the CFP and scored 31 on Boise State in the CFP quarterfinal. Its expectations are sky-high entering 2025 with nearly all of the team's key contributors back.
Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire
1. Will Stein (Oregon Ducks)
Previous coaching stops: UTSA WRs coach (2020-2021), UTSA co-OC/QBs coach (2022), Oregon OC/QBs coach (2023-present)
Oregon has developed into an offensive juggernaut under Stein. The Ducks led the Big Ten in total offense in their first season as a conference member. That context is valuable, as the three other former Pac-12 programs struggled to adapt to the new conference dynamics. Oregon has national finishes of No. 2 and No. 22 in total offense in Stein's two years at the helm. Even with new personnel all over the field, that production should continue in 2025.
Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Power ranking Big Ten offensive coordinators entering 2025 season
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