Andy Ludwig resigns as Utah offensive coordinator – Deseret News

After a 13-7 loss to TCU in which the Utes offense scored just once on 14 drives, Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig has resigned from his position.

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham announced the news in a statement Sunday evening.

“Assistant Coach Andy Ludwig has made the decision to resign from his position with Utah Football,” Whittingham said.

“Andy is the ultimate professional and we would like to thank him for his total commitment to our program throughout his ten seasons with us. Coach Ludwig has been instrumental to our success here at Utah, and I personally have great respect and admiration for Andy, both as a coach and as a person. We wish him nothing but the best in all his future endeavors.”

For the second straight year without Cam Rising under center, Utah's offense was pedestrian, ranking 72nd in total offense (385.9 yards per game), 71st in passing offense (226.3 yards per game) and 95th in the scoring offense (24 points per game).

Red zone struggles have been well-documented, with Utah scoring on just 80.8% of its drives inside the 20-yard line and reaching the end zone just 46.2% of the time, which ranks 120th in the FBS.

Things reached a breaking point Saturday night after Utah gained just 267 yards, never reached the red zone and either punted or turned the ball over on downs on 13 of its 14 drives. After the game, Whittingham said he would “take a really hard look at everything over the next 48 hours and make some tough decisions.”

Less than 24 hours after Whittingham said this, he announced that Ludwig would resign.

Mike Bajakian will be Utah's interim offensive coordinator for the remainder of the season. Bajakian is in his first year with the program as an offensive analyst and has worked with the quarterbacks this season. Prior to Utah, Bajakian served as offensive coordinator for Northwestern from 2020 to 2023 and also served as quarterbacks coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2015 to 2018.

Bajakian, a 28-year coaching veteran, also has announced games for Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Tennessee and Boston College.

Although Ludwig's second stint as offensive coordinator at Utah ended unceremoniously, he helped write some of the most memorable moments in school history, starting with his first stint in Salt Lake City.

In 2008, led by quarterback Brian Johnson and a rushing attack led by Matt Asiata and Darrell Mack, Ludwig's playmaking effort helped lead the Utes to their second undefeated season in four years, culminating in a Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama culminated.

The 2009 Sugar Bowl may have been Ludwig's best game, as Utah scored 21 points in the first quarter with a fast-paced offense and a well-thought-out game plan and had the Crimson Tide on their heels.

After stints at Cal, San Diego State, Wisconsin and Vanderbilt, Ludwig returned as Utah's offensive coordinator in 2019. In his first season, Ludwig helped breathe life back into Utah's offense – particularly the passing game. The 2019 team, led by Tyler Huntley and Zack Moss, scored 32 points per game and reached the Pac-12 Championship.

Huntley threw for 3,092 yards, the first time a Utes quarterback threw for over 2,900 yards since Johnson in 2008, also under Ludwig.

Ludwig's offense reached new heights under Rising, who threw for 2,493 yards and 20 touchdowns during the 2021 season while leading the Utes to their first-ever Pac-12 championship. A year later, the Utes won back-to-back Pac-12 crowns, led by Rising's 3,034 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Utah scored 38.6 points per game in the 2022 season, the first time the Utes scored more than 38 points per game since the undefeated 2004 season.