Gophers re-hire Ciarrocca as offensive coordinator

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota has re-hired Kirk Ciarrocca as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The team’s production sagged during the two seasons he was elsewhere. Ciarrocca replaces Mike Sanford. Ciarrocca was coach P.J. Fleck’s offensive coordinator at Western Michigan from 2013-16 and at Minnesota from 2017-19. He took the same position at Penn State in 2020. He was fired after one season. He spent 2021 with West Virginia as an offensive analyst. Minnesota and West Virginia play in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl this month. Ciarrocca agreed to take the job before bowl matchups were revealed. He will not coach in the bowl game.