Kirk Campbell fired: Why did Michigan fire its OC?
A championship season followed by a disappointing 7-5 season was bound to have repercussions and it comes in the form of Michigan firing its offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell.
Sherrone Moore's team ended the season on a high note, registering an upset 13-10 victory over the-then No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. Michigan has a bowl game coming up in which tight ends coach Steve Casula will serve as interim offensive coordinator.
“After a thorough assessment of our offense, I made the decision to relieve Kirk Campbell of his duties and move in a different direction,” Moore said in a statement.
“This was a decision that I felt was in the best interest of our football program. I want to thank Kirk for his hard work and dedication to the university, Michigan Football and our student-athletes. I wish him well in his future coaching endeavors.”
Bryce Underwood's recruitment could have played part in Kirk Campbell's firing
A couple of weeks ago, Michigan's recruitment effort earned a big win as they managed to flip Bryce Underwood's commitment from LSU to Michigan. Underwood from Belleville, Michigan, is the nation's No. 1 recruit.
Underwood is a pass-heavy quarterback prospect and with Campbell, the confidence waned over the season. Sherrone Moore's next coaching hire could be an attempt to diversify the offense and match the recruit's skillset.
Kirk Campbell began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at West Virginia Wesleyan in 2009–2010 before joining Tiffin University in 2011, where he coached wide receivers and tight ends. From 2012 to 2016, he served as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Alderson Broaddus University, playing a key role in developing their offense.
He moved to Penn State in 2017, working as an offensive analyst until 2019, and then took on the role of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Old Dominion University from 2020 to 2021. In 2022, Campbell joined the University of Michigan as an offensive analyst and was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2023. In 2024, he advanced further, becoming Michigan's offensive coordinator while continuing to coach quarterbacks.
After the dismissal, he'll search for a new job by next season.