Mike Sanford Jr. has been around the game of football for quite a while and is widely known for his success as an offensive coach. A former quarterback himself, Sanford has 15 years of college coaching experience under his belt -- mostly on the offensive side of the ball -- and brings a wealth of knowledge to Minnesota.
Entering his first season as the Gophers' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, including being the primary play caller, Sanford will be tasked with leading an offense that scored 34.1 points and averaged 432 yards per game in 2019.
With Minnesota kicking off its 2020 campaign on Saturday vs. Michigan at TCF Bank Stadium, The Gopher Report is taking a look at the offenses Sanford -- now 38 years old -- has coached over the years -- focusing primarily on stints at Boise State (2014, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach), Notre Dame (2015-16, OC and QBs coach), Western Kentucky (2017-18, head coach) and Utah State (2019, OC and QBs coach).
Sanford Jr.'s first stint as an offensive coordinator came in 2014 when he was hired at Boise State, where he played quarterback from 2000-04. That Broncos squad was an offensive-powered machine -- averaging 39.7 points and 494.3 yards per game behind standout running back Jay Ajayi (now a free agent after playing for the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles) , who rushed for 1,823 yards and 28 touchdowns on 347 carries while making 50 catches for 535 yards and four more TDs.
Boise State went 12-2 overall and 7-1 in the Mountain West Conference that year, which included a MWC championship and a win in the Fiesta Bowl.
Following a highly successful season at Boise State, Sanford Jr. accepted a job as Notre Dame's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and spent two years there in 2015 and 2016.
Sanford's offense in 2015 averaged 34.2 points and 466.4 yards per game for a Fighting Irish team that finished 10-3 overall and lost to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Sanford coached standout quarterback DeShone Kizer (now a free agent after playing for three different NFL teams), who completed 211-of-335 passes for 2,884 yards, 21 TDs and 10 interceptions -- in addition to wide receiver Will Fuller (now with the Houston Texans), who made 62 receptions for 1,258 yards and 14 TDs.
Notre Dame dropped off in 2016 as it went just 4-8 overall -- its worst record since 2007 -- but Sanford's offense averaged 30.9 points and 417.6 yards each outing. Kizer had a successful campaign, going 212-for-361 for 2,925 yards, 26 TDs and nine INTs while recording 472 yards and eight more TDs on the ground.
After two years in South Bend, Sanford Jr. received his first opportunity to be a collegiate head coach and was hired at Western Kentucky, where he spent the 2010 season as the Hilltoppers' passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
In Sanford's first season in 2017, WKU averaged 25.5 points and 395.8 yards per game as it went 6-7 overall, 4-4 in Conference USA and lost to Georgia State in Cure Bowl. Quarterback Mike White -- who now plays for the New York Jets -- completed 368-of-560 passes for 4,177 yards, 26 TDs and eight INTs while rushing for six more scores.
The Hilltoppers dropped off in 2018, going just 3-9 overall and 2-6 in C-USA. Sanford's squad put up just 21.1 points and 363.7 yards each contest, and quarterback Steven Duncan threw for just 1,071 yards and nine TDs with seven INTs.
Sanford led WKU to back-to-back wins to close the season, but the school decided to let him go the day after the Hilltoppers closed the regular season with a big road win at one of the league's top schools in Louisiana Tech.
Following the end of a short tenure at WKU, Sanford regrouped and earned a spot on Utah State's coaching staff as its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2019 season.
The Aggies -- who went 7-6 overall and 6-2 in the Mountain West Conference and lost to Kent State in the Frisco Bowl at the conclusion of last season -- scored 29.2 points and averaged 431.3 yards per game under Sanford's direction.
Quarterback Jordan Love -- who now plays for the Green Bay Packers -- completed 293-of-473 passes for 3,402 yards, 20 TDs and 17 INTs.
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