Utah elevates Mike Bajakian to interim offensive coordinator

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Mike Bajakian was elevated Monday to Utah's interim offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Bajakian, an offensive analyst, will replace Andy Ludwig, who resigned on Sunday, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said in his weekly press conference.

The Utes have lost three straight games and totaled 36 points in those losses.

Whittingham said Bajakian will have “complete autonomy” on calling plays.

“It will be his show,” Whittingham said.

Bajakian joined Utah this year as an analyst after spending four seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northwestern.

Bajakian also had stints as an offensive coordinator with Boston College, Tennessee, Cincinnati and Central Michigan. He also served as the quarterbacks coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2015 to 2018.

Ludwig stepped down after Utah’s offense bottomed out in a 13-7 loss to TCU on Saturday night. The Utes (4-3, 1-3 Big 12) rank 14th in scoring offense (24.0 ppg) and 15th in total offense (385.9 ypg) among Big 12 teams after seven games.

Whittingham said Ludwig, who was serving his second stint as Utah's offensive coordinator, was not forced out after 10 seasons with the Utes.

“Andy just felt it was time for the offense to hear a new voice,” Whittingham said. “He was at a loss for why we’re in the situation we’re in.”

Bajakian was fired from Northwestern last December and subsequently filed a lawsuit against the university in July alleging defamation and spreading false information related to a hazing scandal within the Wildcats’ football program that led to longtime head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s dismissal in July 2023.

In Bajakian’s four seasons at Northwestern, the Wildcats never ranked higher than ninth in total offense or 10th in scoring offense in the Big Ten.

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John Coon, The Associated Press