Vanderbilt offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig watches during an NCAA college football practice Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
SALT LAKE CITY – University of Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham announced Friday Andy Ludwig will return as the program’s offensive coordinator.
“It’s great to have Andy back on our staff,” Whittingham said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as a collegiate offensive coordinator, as well as being an outstanding quarterbacks coach and recruiter. Andy is obviously very familiar with our program, which should make for a seamless transition.”
Ludwig was the offensive coordinator for the Utes from 2005-2008. He was on the staff of the 2008 team that won the Sugar Bowl and who went 13-0 that season. He had also been serving as the Vanderbilt offensive coordinator since 2015.
He will replace former Ute offensive coordinator Troy Taylor who took a head coaching job at Sacramento State. Ludwig is a Bonneville High and Snow College graduate.
“My family and I are very excited to return to the University of Utah,” Ludwig said in a released statement. “I have great respect and appreciation for the university’s commitment to the student-athletes, Coach Whittingham’s leadership, and the passion of the Ute fan base. I look forward to the hard work and am grateful for this opportunity.”
He will an inherit an offense that is returning seniors Tyler Huntley and Zack Moss, along with wide receiver standout Britain Covey.
Ludwig has bounced around as an offensive coach in a few different places. He served as a Graduate Assistant at Utah in 1992. His first job as offensive coordinator was at Cal Poly in 1997. From there he has coached at Fresno State, Utah, California, San Diego State, and Wisconsin in that order.
Ludwig originally left the Utes for what he saw as a better opportunity to take care of his family a little bit more saying at the time “that was the catalyst of the decision.”
He had success with the Utes when it played in the Mountain West Conference. In 2007 the program had the 2nd highest rushing attack in the conference. In 2008, they were the top scoring team in the league which eventually went on to win the Sugar Bowl in 2009.
Ludwig had success at Wisconsin as well as he helped the Badger offense average 468 yards per game and 34 points per contest in his two years there.
The Utes will travel to Provo for its first game of the year to take on BYU next August.