As Tiger fans wait to see if Coach Brian Kelly makes changes with assistant coaches on the defensive side of the ball, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock is set to receive a contract extension and raise.
The Denbrock contract extension news was first reported by Yahoo Sports.
Denbrock is the play caller for one of the most explosive offenses in college football history. He’s also helped develop quarterback Jayden Daniels into a Heisman finalist.
Denbrock is completing the second year of a three-year contract worth 1.5 million dollars a year, but a new deal will likely pay him around two million dollars annually.
Football Scoop reports new Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko attempted to steal Denbrock away from LSU. There’s a good chance Denbrock would get a raise away, but it becomes an easier decision for LSU when a conference rival tries to raid one of your top assistant coaches.
Denbrock is 59. He’s a Michigan native and he played tight end at Grand Valley State from 1982-85.
When LSU head coach Brian Kelly was the head coach at Grand Valley State, Denbrock was his offensive coordinator from 1992-98.
He also served on Kelly’s staff at Notre Dame from 2010-16 in a variety of roles, helping the Fighting Irish reach the 2012 BCS National Championship.
Related
He left Notre Dame to become the offensive coordinator at Cincinnati in 2017. The 2021 Bearkats team went 13-0 in the regular season and made it into the College Football Playoffs.
The head coach of that Cincinnati team was Luke Fickell, who is now the head coach at Wisconsin, who LSU will play on New Year’s Day.
But getting back to Denbrock, as I mentioned, he’s 59. You don’t see many 60-year-old something coaches get their first head coaching gig. So, unless he goes to the NFL, there’s a chance Denbrock could be at LSU for a while.
Another Tiger in the transfer portal
Freshman tight end Jackson McGohan has entered the transfer portal. McGohan was one of three tight ends that came in as part of the 2023 recruiting class. He was a highly recruited player coming out of Ohio but didn’t catch a pass this season.
It’s a crowded tight end room. Mason Taylor will return for his junior season and there’s Mac Markway, Ka’Morreun Pimpton, and Connor Gilbreath, Plus, four-star recruit Trey’Dez Green from Zachary is coming to LSU.
Green is a freak athlete at 6-6, 240 pounds. He’s caught 45 passes for 863 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Green and the Broncos will play Ruston for the Division I non-select state title game on Saturday night in the Caesars Superdome.