Penn State challenge overshadows homecomings for two Gophers coordinators

Kirk Ciarrocca grew up in Lewisberry, Pa., played collegiately at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., and graduated from Temple in Philadelphia.

Joe Rossi grew up in Pittsburgh, played at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., and began his coaching career at Thiel College in Greenville, Pa.

Yes, the Pennsylvania roots run deep for Ciarrocca, the Gophers offensive coordinator, and Rossi, the defensive boss. So that means Minnesota's game at Penn State on Saturday will be a homecoming with a trip down memory lane, right?

Yes and no.

Both Ciarrocca and Rossi acknowledged the local ties and nostalgia, but they have bigger things on their mind, namely finding a way to end a two-game losing streak as the Gophers face the 16th-ranked Nittany Lions during the "White Out'' game at Beaver Stadium.

"It'll be nice for me to see some family and friends," Ciarrocca said. "It's nice that these people that I know, on probably every other Saturday, are rooting for Penn State. … But they'll be rooting for Minnesota this Saturday. But to me it's another game, and it's a big game."

Said Rossi, "It's cool to go back and be in your home state."

The Gophers (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten) have lost back-to-back games after a dominant September, and both Ciarrocca's offense and Rossi's defense can shoulder the blame in the setbacks.

Minnesota's offense has dried up, producing only 47 rushing yards in a 20-10 loss to Purdue on Oct. 1. Two weeks later, after a bye, the passing game garnered only 38 yards in a 26-14 loss at Illinois.

"We just have to become more consistent," Ciarrocca said. "We have to develop the ability to make more explosive plays. … Just be more consistent overall, in every phase."

On defense, the Gophers allowed a first-possession touchdown and faded in the fourth quarter against Purdue. In the loss at Illinois, Rossi's troops couldn't get off the field as the Fighting Illini ran 90 plays, converted four fourth-down situations and held the ball for 40 minutes, 4 seconds.

"The game comes down to the fourth-down stops," Rossi said. "All four of those drives, points were scored. If you stopped two of them, it's a different game."

For Ciarrocca, the return to Happy Valley carries added meaning. He left the Gophers for Penn State after the 2019 regular season for a chance to return to his home state and coordinate the Nittany Lions offense.

However, he lasted only one year at Penn State as James Franklin fired him after the Nittany Lions went 4-5 in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. Injuries and the ineffectiveness of quarterback Sean Clifford contributed to Franklin's decision. Penn State averaged 29.8 points in 2020 after scoring 35.8 per game in 2019.

Franklin replaced Ciarrocca with Mike Yurcich, a highly sought-after coordinator who had successful stints at Ohio State and Texas. Under Yurcich, though, Penn State's offense was worse in a 7-6 season in 2021, averaging only 25 points. This year, Penn State (5-1, 2-1) is scoring 31.8 points per game.

Ciarrocca isn't holding grudges, saying he has no ill feelings toward Franklin or Penn State.

"Let's say this: it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, and so that's disappointing, right?" Ciarrocca said. "And there were a lot of reasons for that, but … I'm a better person for it and a better coach. I wouldn't change my journey that I've had in the coaching world for anything."

Rossi, a standout defensive lineman at Allegheny who came up through the Division III ranks as a coach, had some homecoming work to do in filling ticket requests from family and friends.

"I talked to my dad, and he's like, 'I'm probably gonna need 30 tickets.' I said, 'Thirty tickets? I get four!' " Rossi said. "And he's like, 'Well, I told everyone that you could get that.' I said, 'You told them wrong.'

"That was a couple of months ago," Rossi added, "and it's been shaved down significantly since then."