Parker named Troy Head Coach

STAFF REPORT

BSN

TROY, Ala. — One of the nation’s top offensive coordinators, Gerad Parker, has been named Troy University’s new football head coach, TU Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., and Director of Athletics Brent Jones announced on Monday, Dec. 18. Parker takes over the Troy program following two years at Notre Dame, including this past season as the Fighting Irish’s offensive coordinator.

Parker was set to formally be introduced at a press conference in the Stadium Club at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, Dec. 19.

“I thank Athletics Director Brent Jones and the screening committee for their dedication to recommending our next head coach from a pool of outstanding candidates,” Chancellor Hawkins said. “We are excited to appoint Gerad Parker to lead our proud and storied football program. His experience at Notre Dame and several other premier programs in America and his proven plan of success will provide a clear path to continue our championship winning status. He comes to Troy with outstanding credentials and with the highest recommendations. We are proud to welcome Gerad and his family into the Trojan Family.”

“Gerad Parker is a proven winner with an infectious personality and passion for success who has significant experience at some of the best programs in America,” Jones said. “He competed in the SEC as a player, has been a recruiting coordinator in the Big Ten and has coordinated highly productive offenses in the Big 12 and now at Notre Dame. He has an extremely diverse background that spans from coaching in high school, the FCS and throughout FBS in the SEC, American, Big Ten, Sun Belt, ACC and Big 12.

“He understands the commitment to excellence that we have at Troy University and embraces the total student-athlete experience. His proven pedigree will maintain our status as the leader in the Sun Belt Conference and the Group of Five. Gerad’s energy and dedication to building relationships with the community, fans and student-athletes will resonate with all of Trojan Nation.”

Parker led a Notre Dame offense in 2023 that ranked eighth nationally, averaging 39.1 points per game, in addition to ranking 12th in passing efficiency and 29th in total offense. Audric Estime was one of the nation’s elite running backs, ranking third in rushing touchdowns (18), eighth in rushing yards per game (111.8) and ninth in rushing yards (1,341).

Behind Parker’s offense, the Fighting Irish posted a 9-3 record against one of the nation’s most challenging schedules, including four straight games against ranked opponents. Offensive tackle Joe Alt was a consensus All-America selection, while Estime was named to the Associated Press All-America Team.

Notre Dame’s offense increased production across the board in Parker’s lone season calling the plays in South Bend. The Irish improved their scoring by more than a touchdown per game, in addition to seeing increases in yards per game, passing yards per game, yards per play and red zone scoring.

In his first season at Notre Dame, Parker coached the Irish tight ends and helped guide Michael Mayer to a consensus All-America season, as Mayer finished his career as the most prolific pass catching end in school history. Mayer led the Irish with 67 catches for 809 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022, finishing his time at Notre Dame first on the program charts for tight end catches (180), receiving yards (2,099) and touchdowns (18).

Parker joined the Notre Dame staff following two seasons with former Troy head coach Neal Brown at West Virginia, where he was the offensive coordinator and receivers coach.

In his final season with the Mountaineers, WVU knocked off Texas and No. 15 Virginia Tech en route to an appearance in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. In 2020, despite having to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, West Virginia had one of the most improved offenses in the nation in terms of total yards, showing gains of more than 60 yards rushing per game, almost 30 yards passing a game, more than 90 yards of total offense and almost seven more points a game.

The offensive line had a productive year, with Leddie Brown rushing for 1,010 yards and nine touchdowns and Jarret Doege throwing for more than 2,500 yards and 14 touchdowns.

As Penn State’s receivers coach and passing game coordinator in 2019, the Nittany Lions’ offense averaged 35.8 points per game, ranking 15th nationally. Additionally, Penn State ranked 21st in red zone offense (90.4) and averaged 13.3 yards per completion, ranking No. 33 nationally.

Parker spent two years on the football staff at Duke (2017-18). During the 2018 season, his wide receivers accounted for 2,252 passing yards of the Blue Devils’ 3,199 total offensive yards (70.4%).

He served his first year as the football operations assistant working with the offense in 2017. The Blue Devils offense had three All-ACC selections and, for the first time in program history, had three players with 500 or more rushing yards and a quarterback throw for more than 2,500 yards. Parker spent the spring as the running backs coach at Cincinnati before heading to Duke.

Prior to that, Parker spent four seasons at Purdue, where he coached the tight ends (2013-14) and wide receivers (2015-16). He was the recruiting coordinator and served as the interim head coach for the final six weeks of the 2016 season.

Parker spent two years as the wide receivers coach at Marshall (2011-12). The Thundering Herd led the nation in passing offense, averaging 365.1 yards per game. Receiver Tommy Shuler led the country and set the school record for receptions (110), ranking 18th nationally in yards per game (94.8).

Parker spent three seasons at UT-Martin as the running backs coach (2008), wide receivers coach (2009-10) and the passing game coordinator and recruiting coordinator (2010). He started his coaching career at Raceland High School in Raceland, Kentucky, and spent the 2007 season as a graduate assistant coach at Kentucky.

Parker earned two degrees from Kentucky, his bachelor’s degree in business management in 2003 and his master’s in education in 2005. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Wildcats, where he was a Southeastern Conference Scholar Athlete Honor Roll selection (2002-03) and CoSIDA Academic All-District IV Second Team honoree (2004). Additionally, he was a college teammate of former Troy head coach Jon Sumrall.

A native of Louisa, Parker played at Lawrence County High School and set state receiving records with 238 catches, 4,814 yards and 52 touchdowns.

He and his wife, Kandi, have three daughters, Kolbi, Gwyneth and Rosalyn, and a son, Oliver.