Report: Pack zeros in on OC, Hofher leaves for Iowa State

The Wolf Pack has parted ways with two more of its offensive assistant coaches.

Wolf Pack associate head coach/wide receivers coach Jim Hofher accepted the position of the quarterbacks coach at Iowa State and offensive line coach Ron Hudson and the team mutually agreed to part ways. In addition to offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich's departure from Nevada to become Hawaii's head coach, a move that happened last month, the Wolf Pack's offensive staff will look far different in 2016 than it did this season.

Hofher replaced Rolovich as the Wolf Pack's interim play-caller in the Arizona Bowl after Rolovich left to the program. Polian and Hofher's relationship dates back to the early 2000s when Polian was an assistant on Hofher's staff at Buffalo. Polian said earlier this month that Hofher was a candidate for the full-time offensive coordinator position.

“Coach Hofher has accepted a position at another university in a power-five conference,” coach Brian Polian said in a news release. “Jim and I were communicating openly through the process and this move was not a surprise. We thank Jim for all of his work here at Nevada. On a personal level, he is longtime associate and mentor and Laura and I want nothing but the best for him and his family.”

Polian also made the move Wednesday to replace Hudson, who has been on Nevada's staff during all three of Polian's years running the Wolf Pack.

“Coach Hudson and I have mutually agreed to part ways,” Polian said in a release. “We appreciate the effort that Ron has given here over the past three seasons. He has been a professional and a tireless worker. We also wish him and his family all the best moving forward.

“Our staff has undergone some changes today. While these things are very difficult, they are also an unfortunate reality of our business. As a head coach, I take these decisions very seriously and have spent a great deal of time considering them. The process of identifying the new coaches has been ongoing and when the hires are official, we will make an announcement. I have been excited about the interest that our jobs have generated and I have no doubt that we will add three quality men to our Wolf Pack Family.”

In addition to the departures of Hofher and Hudson, FootballScoop has reported former Montana State offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey has been offered the Wolf Pack's offensive coordinator position. Nevada did not confirm that move.

Cramsey led one of the most prolific offenses in the FCS in 2015 when the Bobcats ranked third in the FBS in points (41.9 per game), fourth in total offense (519.8 yards per game), seventh in passing offense (303.8) and 18th in rushing offense (216.0). At Montana State, Cramsey mentored quarterback Dakota Prukop, who will transfer to Oregon for the 2016 season.

Prior to his three seasons at Montana State, Cramsey was a quarterback at New Hampshire from 1995-1998 and an assistant there from 2003-11, working closely with Chip Kelly, who was the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator from 19999-2006. Kelly eventually became Oregon’s head coach before being hired by the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles in 2013. He was fired Tuesday.

Cramsey spent the 2012 season at Florida International, his lone season at the FBS level before the staff was fired. He’s been Montana State’s offensive coordinator since 2013. Cramsey became a free agent after Montana State fired coach Rob Ash in November. Cramsey interviewed for the Montana State opening that eventually went to Jeff Choate, who was hired as the Bobcats’ head coach Dec. 4.

After losing Rolovich, Polian said he wanted his offensive coordinator to help a struggling passing attack, which averaged just 164.5 yards per game this season, which ranked 113th in the nation out of 127 FBS teams.

“What we need to do is score more points and become more effective,” Polian said. “Certainly we’ve run the ball pretty well but we have to become more effective in the passing game.”

The Wolf Pack had one of the best offenses in the nation after the introduction of the Pistol offense in 2005. Since Polian took over the program in 2013, the Wolf Pack's offense has mostly struggled. The team scored 26.9 points per game in 2013 (75th in the nation) before jumping to 29.2 points per game in 2014 (61st). It averaged 26.2 points per game this season (86th nationally).

Hofher made $140,000 this season as an assistant at Nevada, according to the USA Today assistant coach database. Iowa State didn't have a quarterbacks coach this season, but its assistant coaches, outside of its coordinators, averaged nearly $200,000, a number that is expected to increase under first-year coach Matt Campbell, who was hired from Toledo. Hofher and Campbell worked together as assistants at Bowling Green in 2008.

With the departures of Hofher, Rolovich and Hudson, the Wolf Pack is scheduled to return only two of its five offensive assistants from last season: running backs coach Lester Erb, who also is the special teams coordinator, and tight ends coach Cheston Blackshear.