In a surprising move, Penn State University announced on Sunday that offensive coordinator, Mike Yurcich, has been fired. Yurcich, who was in his third season with the Nittany Lions, had previously served at Texas, Ohio State, and Oklahoma State before joining Penn State.

The decision to part ways with Yurcich comes just a day after Penn State's disappointing 24-15 loss to Michigan. The Nittany Lions' offense managed only 238 total yards in the game, highlighting the team's ongoing struggles on that side of the ball.

Head coach James Franklin will now face the challenge of finding his sixth offensive coordinator since his arrival at the university in 2014. This constant turnover in leadership has been a recurring issue for Penn State's offense, making it difficult to establish continuity and consistent performance.

In the interim, the school has appointed running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider and tight ends coach Ty Howle to take on the play-calling duties. This shared responsibility reflects the urgency to address the team's offensive struggles promptly.

Under Yurcich's guidance, Penn State had managed to secure highly touted quarterback Drew Allar as a recruit. Allar, a five-star prospect, was drawn to the program partly due to Yurcich's belief in him. However, in his first season as the starter, the offense has been plagued by inconsistency and a lack of explosive plays.

The Nittany Lions currently rank 15th in scoring but are disappointingly placed 102nd in yards per play. Additionally, only a meager 8.9 percent of their plays qualify as explosive gains, ranking them 126th in the nation. Their struggles in this department are further magnified by the fact that they have the lowest percentage of plays gaining 20 yards or more in the entire Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) at just 3.4 percent.

One pivotal moment that likely influenced Penn State's decision to part ways with Yurcich was their loss to Ohio State in October. In that game, quarterback Drew Allar appeared uneasy, while Yurcich resorted to various trick plays in an attempt to spark the stagnant offense. Against Michigan, Allar's performance was lackluster once again, throwing for just 70 yards and one touchdown on 22 attempts.

Head coach James Franklin's desire for a more effective game plan was evident when he expressed the need for the offense to provide easier completions for the quarterback. Franklin's dissatisfaction with Yurcich's play-calling was evident, ultimately leading to his dismissal less than 24 hours later.

The firing of Yurcich raises questions about James Franklin's ability to find a suitable offensive coordinator for the long term. Since his appointment, Franklin has already gone through five coordinators and five wide receiver coaches. Of those coordinators, three were fired, while two left for head coaching positions.

Overall, Penn State's decision to terminate Mike Yurcich's contract underscores the urgent need for improvement and consistency in their offensive strategies. As the search for a new coordinator begins, the Nittany Lions will aim to find a leader who can effectively turn their struggling offense around and bring them back to their winning ways.