Joe Moorhead
Head Coach, Akron

AGE: 49
HOMETOWN: Pittsburg, PA
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s, Fordham (1996)
FAMILY: Wife, Jennifer, and children, Kyra, Mason, and Donovan

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Moorhead Effect
2021 Total Offense: 340.8 YPG (Rank #106)
2022 Total Offense with Moorhead: 372.7 YPG (Rank #79)
2021 Passing Offense: 217 YPG (Rank #79)
2022 Passing Offense with Moorhead: 283 YPG (Rank #18)
2019 Rushing Offense: 174.9 YPG (Rank #51)
2021 Rushing Offense with Moorhead: 202 YPG (Rank #24)
2019 Red Zone Offense: 77.8% (Rank #T-96)
2020 Red Zone Offense with Moorhead: 86.7% (Rank #T-36)
2019 3rd Down Conversion: 41.8% (Rank #44)
2021 3rd Down Conversion with Moorhead: 51% (Rank #4)
  • Second Mississippi Head Coach ever to reach a bowl game in his first season
  • Mississippi State offense led the SEC with 16 200-yard rushing performances in his two seasons as head coach
  • Three of Mississippi State’s eight games in school history with 600 or more yards of offense came under Moorhead
2015 Total Offense: 348.6 YPG (Rank #105)
2016 Total Offense with Moorhead: 432.6 YPG (Rank #49)
2015 Scoring Offense: 23.2 PPG (Rank #101)
2016 Scoring Offense with Moorhead: 37.2 PPG (Rank #21)
Player Development
  • Saquon Barkley – New York Giants RB
  • Drafted Round 1, Pick 2
  • Rookie of the Year (2018)
  • Offensive Rookie of the Year (2018)
  • All Rookie Team (2018)
  • Pro Bowl (2018)
  • Jeffery Simmons – Tennessee Titans DE
  • Drafted Round 1, Pick 19
  • Pro Bowl (2021)
  • Second-Team All-Pro (2021)
  • Montez Sweat – Washington Commanders DE
  • Drafted Round 1, Pick 26
  • Johnathan Abram – Las Vegas Raiders S
  • Drafted Round 1, Pick 27
  • Penei Sewell – Detroit Lions OT
  • Drafted Round 1, Pick 7
Experience

  • 2022 – Present: Akron (Head Coach)

  • 2020 – 2021: Oregon (OC/QB)

  • 2018 – 2019: Mississippi State (Head Coach)

  • 2016 – 2017: Penn State (OC/QB)

  • 2012 – 2015: Fordham (Head Coach)

  • 2011: Connecticut (QB)

  • 2009 – 2010: Connecticut (OC/QB)

  • 2006 – 2008: Akron (Associate HC/Pass Game Coordinator/WR/Recruiting Coordinator)

  • 2005: Akron (Associate HC/Pass Game Coordinator/WR/Recruiting Coordinator)

  • 2004: Akron (WR/Recruiting Coordinator)

  • 2003: Georgetown (OC/QB)

  • 2001 – 2002: Georgetown (QB)

  • 2000: Georgetown (RB)

  • 1998 -1999: Pittsburgh (Grad. Assistant)

Bio

Joe Moorhead brings 25 years of coaching experience in his return to the Zips as Head Coach. After two seasons at Pittsburgh and four seasons at Georgetown, Moorhead became the Wide Receivers coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Akron in 2004. During his first stint with the Zips, Moorhead helped the team claim the MAC Championship in 2005 en route to securing the school’s first-ever bowl appearance. After three seasons at Connecticut, Moorhead returned to his alma mater where he led Fordham to a 12-2 season in 2013 and a Patriot League title in 2014. Moorhead then spent two seasons at Penn State where he was twice honored as National Offensive Coordinator of the Year. Moorhead’s success at Penn State led him to take over as Head Coach at Mississippi State in 2018. While in Starkville, he became the first Mississippi State head coach to lead the team to back-to-back bowl appearances in their first two seasons. Most recently, Moorhead served as Offensive Coordinator at Oregon where his efforts as the primary play caller led the Ducks to back-to-back Pac-12 Championship game appearances and a Pac-12 Championship win in 2020.

In addition to his offensive expertise, Moorhead has proven his ability to develop players throughout his career. In the past 6 years alone, Moorhead has mentored 23 NFL Draft picks, including 4 first-round picks. Most notably, in his time at Penn State, Moorhead coached the Number 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Saquon Barkley, to two First-Team All-Big Ten selections, two Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors, the 2017 Paul Hornung Award recognizing the most versatile player in college football, and a 2017 Consensus All-American selection. In 2019, Moorhead saw three Bulldog players drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft, tying Alabama and Clemson for most that year.

Reputation

“Joe is an incredible mentor to student-athletes on and off the field and we are so proud to welcome him back to The University of Akron as the leader of our football program… Zips Nation get ready! Joe’s dynamic approach is sure to bring energy back to lnfoCision Stadium but, at the heart of it, I know he will work relentlessly with his staff and our student-athletes to bring the joy of winning football back to Akron. He is passionate and focused on our collective goal to win MAC Championships. I can’t wait to introduce him to our student-athletes, University community, fans and the greater City of Akron.”

Charles Guthrie
University of Akron Director of Athletics