By Jeremy Schneider (@jerschneid14) 

Last week, Wisconsin Head Football Coach Luke Fickell announced the firing of Offensive Coordinator Phil Longo. Longo, touted as an offensive guru with his air raid scheme, departs after just under two seasons at Wisconsin. Now, Fickell is tasked with finding a replacement that will put the program back on track and reignite a frustrated fanbase. Below, I'll list and evaluate some potential candidates for Wisconsin offensive coordinator.

Gino Guidugli- Notre Dame quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator 

If I had to arbitrarily pick a candidate to be the “favorite,” I'd say it's Gino Guidugli. Guidugli, 41, is currently the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator at Notre Dame, which is currently ranked sixth in the College Football Playoff. Before Notre Dame, Guidugli was expected to follow Fickell to Wisconsin after being with him for the entirety of Fickell's tenure at Cincinnati in multiple roles. In 2022, Guidugli was Cincinnati's offensive coordinator and his unit produced 29.2 points per game (PPG) despite losing stars such as Desmond Ridder, Jerome Ford and Alec Pierce. His lack of play-calling experience at a power program is a concern, but given his generally strong track record and connection with Fickell, Guidugli is a very logical fit for Wisconsin. 

Brennan Marion- UNLV offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach

Brennan Marion is a rising star in the college coaching ranks and will almost certainly be moving up to a power conference gig soon, but will it be at Wisconsin? Marion, 37, has served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at UNLV since 2023. Taking over a mediocre offense that ranked near 100 in most offensive categories in 2022, Marion had UNLV scoring 34.4 PPG in 2023, good for 22nd in the country. So far in 2024, the Rebels rank sixth nationally with a whopping 39.9 PPG. Marion employs the gogo offense, a modern and up-tempo philosophy that frequently features a split backfield and focuses on downhill running. His innovative offense has been highly effective, but after failure with Longo's specific scheme, Wisconsin may be apprehensive and opt for a more old-school offensive philosophy. Similarly to Guidugli, Marion has no experience calling plays at a power school, although he has been on staff at programs like Texas and Pittsburgh. Personally, I'd be thrilled with Marion and the gogo in Madison and he'd be one of my top choices.  

Brian Hartline- Ohio State co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach

If you follow college football recruiting, then the name Brian Hartline should sound very familiar. Hartline, 41, has been on staff at Ohio State since 2017 and has served as the wide receivers coach since 2018. Year in and year out he's been one of the best recruiters in the country, credited with landing NFL stars like C.J. Stroud, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr. and current college stars Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. It would be foolish to think that Hartline's elite recruiting success would entirely translate to Wisconsin, but his recruiting prowess is undeniable and intriguing. Offensive coordinator was added as part of his title in 2023, but head coach Ryan Day was the primary play-caller last season and new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly assumed play-calling duties this season. While all other listed candidates have full-time play-calling experience, Hartline simply doesn't. Hiring Hartline would be a huge swing for upside, but his lack of experience may be a cause for concern for Fickell and Wisconsin decision makers. Additionally, Hartline seems content at Ohio State (his alma mater) and would likely need a handsome sum of money to leave.

Mike Denbrock- Notre Dame offensive coordinator/tight ends coach

Speaking of handsome sums of money, Wisconsin would have to unload a massive amount of cash to lure Mike Denbrock to Madison. Denbrock, 60, was Fickell's offensive coordinator at Cincinnati from 2017 to 2021, when the Bearcats went to the College Football Playoff. In his final season at Cincinnati, Denbrock's offense ranked 11th in the country with 36.9 PPG and ran roughshod over every team they played, with the exception of the Sugar Bowl against Alabama. Denbrock would move on to LSU for two seasons, where he coached 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels and star wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. Now at Notre Dame, Denbrock's offense is scoring 38.0 PPG and in position to compete in the College Football Playoff. All of this is to say that Denbrock would be a grand slam hire for Wisconsin, I'm just wary of the chances that he leaves a very successful program after just one year. Given his ties with Fickell and the need for Wisconsin to nail this hire I won't rule out Denbrock completely, but it would be a fairly humongous (but quite welcomed!) surprise if he landed with Wisconsin.

Mike Shanahan- Indiana offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach

For starters, no, not that Mike Shanahan. Shanahan, 34, is not related to the legendary Mike Shanahan or San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, but is a budding name in the coaching industry. Shanahan followed Curt Cignetti to Indiana from James Madison after last season, assuming the role of offensive coordinator in Bloomington. To say he's been successful so far is an understatement, as the Hoosiers are 10-0 this season and averaging 43.9 PPG, second only to Miami. What stands out to me is Shanahan's work with quarterback Kurtis Rourke, an Ohio transfer that has looked like one of the better passers in the country. Wisconsin desperately needs improved play at quarterback and to attack the transfer portal efficiently. Luring Shanahan away would be challenging, given that he's due for a big raise at Indiana, but he feels like a terrific fit that Fickell and Wisconsin should at least reach out to and inquire on. 

Kenny Guiton- Wisconsin wide receivers coach/interim quarterbacks coach

I find it unlikely that Fickell will promote from within to fill the vacant offensive coordinator position, but I thought I would highlight Kenny Guiton as a possible candidate if Wisconsin did go that route. Guiton, 33, joined Wisconsin's staff this season as wide receivers coach and was recently appointed quarterbacks coach after the firing of Longo. Previously, Guiton coached wide receivers at Arkansas from 2021-2023, where he filled in as interim offensive coordinator in 2023 for the final four games of the season. Guiton has very limited experience as a coach, but seems to be regarded highly by Fickell, so nothing should be ruled out. With that being said, an internal hire, Guiton or someone else, would certainly feel lackluster and disappointing.