Notre Dame announces hiring of new quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli
Mike Berardino
SOUTH BEND — Two weeks after Gino Guidugli's name first surfaced in reports, Notre Dame made his long-expected addition as quarterbacks coach official on Wednesday.
The 39-year-old Kentucky native assumes the position-coaching role that Tommy Rees held for six seasons before leaving Feb. 3 to become the offensive coordinator at Alabama. Guidugli, a record-setting quarterback at Cincinnati two decades ago, spent four seasons (2017-20) on the Bearcats' coaching staff with Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman.
Guidugli, who spent the 2022 season as Cincinnati's offensive coordinator, will assist Irish offensive coordinator Gerad Parker, the former West Virginia OC (2020-21) who was promoted on Feb. 18 after one season coaching Notre Dame's tight ends.
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Former Virginia Tech offensive line coach Joe Rudolph, expected to follow the retiring Harry Hiestand at Notre Dame, also has extensive experience as an offensive coordinator at Wisconsin (2015-20).
Guidugli spent less than two months at Wisconsin, where he was named tight ends coach in early January after following Badgers coach Luke Fickell from Cincinnati. Phil Longo, the former North Carolina offensive coordinator, was hired in December to the same role with the Badgers.
“We are thrilled to welcome Gino to our program,” Freeman said in a statement. “I have seen firsthand his talent in developing quarterbacks and teaching them how to consistently perform at an elite level in college and go on to have success in the NFL. He also brings a lot of experience in helping guide an offense to execute at a high level. He is a great addition to our staff.”
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Guidugli brings 13 years of coaching experience, with more than half of those coming at Central Michigan (2010-16), where he spent his final season as offensive coordinator. In his final five seasons at Cincinnati, where he initially followed Parker as running backs coach in 2017, the Bearcats completed over 60% of their passes for 14,317 yards and 116 touchdowns.
Desmond Ridder, who finished his rookie season as the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, went 44-6 as a four-year starter at Cincinnati under Guidugli's tutelage. Ridder, who led the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff in 2021, teamed with Guidugli that season to end Notre Dame's 26-game home winning streak.
Guidugli takes over a Notre Dame quarterback group that includes highly touted graduate transfer Sam Hartman from Wake Forest as well as redshirt sophomore Tyler Buchner, who started the first two games of 2022 before missing the rest of the regular season with a broken collarbone.
While Hartman enters as the FBS level’s active leader in career passing yards and touchdown passes, Buchner offers dual-threat skills that helped him beat out Drew Pyne for the starting job last offseason. After Pyne transferred to Arizona State, Buchner accounted for five touchdowns and was named MVP of Notre Dame's Gator Bowl win over South Carolina on Dec. 30.
Also in the mix for Guidugli is sophomore Steve Angeli, junior Ron Powlus III and four-star freshman Kenny Minchey, a midyear enrollee.
The Irish will begin spring practice on March 22, squeezing in 15 sessions before the April 22 Blue-Gold Game.
Follow Notre Dame football writer Mike Berardino on Twitter @MikeBerardino.
THE GUIDUGLI FILE
- Name: Gino Guidugli (pronounced guh-DOO-lee)
- Hometown: Fort Thomas, Kentucky
- High School: Highlands High School
- Education: Cincinnati (2005, B.S.); Central Michigan (2012, M.S.)
- Wife: Michelle
- Children: Ryland, Ezra, Willow
PLAYING CAREER
- 2001-04 Cincinnati (Quarterback)
- 2005 Tennessee Titans (Quarterback)
- 2007 British Columbia Lions (CFL), Green Bay Blizzard (AFL2) (Quarterback)
- 2008 British Columbia Lions (CFL), New York Dragons (AFL) (Quarterback)
- 2009 Green Bay Blizzard (AFL2) (Quarterback)
- 2012 Milwaukee Mustangs (AFL) (Quarterback)
COACHING CAREER
- 2010-12 Central Michigan Graduate Assistant
- 2013-15 Central Michigan Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
- 2016 Central Michigan Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
- 2017 Cincinnati Running Backs
- 2018-19 Cincinnati Quarterbacks
- 2020-21 Cincinnati Passing Game Coordinator/QBs
- 2022 Cincinnati Offensive Coordinator/QBs
BOWLS COACHED IN
- 2014 Central Michigan (Bahamas)
- 2015 Central Michigan (Quick Lane)
- 2016 Central Michigan (Miami Beach)
- 2018 Cincinnati (Military)
- 2019 Cincinnati (Birmingham)
- 2020 Cincinnati (Peach)
- 2021 Cincinnati (Cotton/CFP Semifinal)
- 2022 Cincinnati (Fenway Bowl)