Hoosiers Officially Name Nick Sheridan Offensive Coordinator, Promote Two Others
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Image: Amanda Pavelka Hoosier Huddle
Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)
The Indiana Hoosiers officially announced the promotion of tight ends coach Nick Sheridan to offensive coordinator on Friday morning. Additionally, the Hoosiers promoted running backs coach Mike Hart to associate head coach and wide receivers coach Grant Heard to co-offensive coordinator. Sheridan will also return to coaching quarterbacks, a position he coached in 2017 and 2018.
“I'm extremely humbled and grateful for this opportunity," Sheridan said in an IU release on Friday morning. "Thank you to Coach Allen for his confidence and belief in me. I'm very excited to continue to work with an incredible staff that truly Loves Each Other. Lastly, and most importantly, I want to thank our players for how hard they competed and how well they performed this season. I'm very excited about the future here at IU and thankful to be a part of it."
Sheridan had earned the praises from his head coach who brought him to Indiana as Tom Allen said, “Nick is one of the bright, young offensive minds in our game, I have the absolute confidence that he is prepared to keep the continuity in our offensive system and allow us to build off of the success we had in 2019."
Sheridan will be replacing Kalen DeBoer, who spent one year directing the Indiana offense and is leaving IU to become the head coach of”
In a release from Indiana University, Hoosiers head coach Tom Allen said, “Nick is one of the bright, young offensive minds in our game, I have the absolute confidence that he is prepared to keep the continuity in our offensive system and allow us to build off of the success we had in 2019."
Sheridan will be replacing Kalen DeBoer, who spent one year directing the Indiana offense and is leaving IU to become the head coach of the Fresno State Bulldogs. In the same Indiana Athletics release DeBoer had these parting words about his replacement: “Working alongside Nick was a big reason why our offense had success last year," DeBoer said. "He is able to see the big picture, but he is also very detail-oriented. Nick was able to excel in so many different roles, not just as a position coach, but managing the game, continuing to push ideas in the game plan, and providing thoughts and direction throughout the course of a game. I quickly realized Nick was ready to be an offensive coordinator. His teaching style, personality and knowledge of the game make him a perfect fit. I really couldn't be happier for Nick, and I'm also pleased the offensive staff will remain together. I wish them and IU nothing but the best moving forward."
Sheridan arrived at IU in 2017 from Tennessee where he was a graduate assistant, to coach the quarterbacks. Before coaching for the Volunteers, Sheridan broke into the coaching profession in 2011 as a GA at Western Kentucky where he was promoted to quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator in 2012. In 2013, followed Willie Taggart to the University of South Florida in the same roles. He performed well enough for 247Sports to name him one of their top 30 coaches under 30 years old in 2017.
Joshua Dobbs, who played for Sheridan at Tennessee and later in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars, praised Sheridan for his contributions to his development in the release put out by Indiana University on Friday.
"Coach Sheridan was made to be an offensive coordinator," Dobbs said. "From playing quarterback at Michigan to developing me into an NFL QB during our time together at Tennessee, Coach Sheridan brings a unique and creative approach to coordinating an offense. The same passion that he has for the game of football is the same passion that he has for each player in his room. I am excited to watch the offense that he puts together and am excited to see him ring up the scoreboard each Saturday as we did at Tennessee. Congratulations Coach Sheridan on the new position, but I know this isn't the final goal...it's just the beginning!"
The Indiana Hoosiers finished the 2019 season 8-5 (5-4) and will start the 2020 regular season with a trip to Camp Randall to face the Wisconsin Badgers on Friday, September 4th.