MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Penn State wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Gerad Parker has been hired as West Virginia’s new offensive coordinator, the school announced Friday evening.
Parker will technically be returning to the state in which he was born in 1981, though that’s due to the fact Huntington was the nearest major city to his native Louisa, Ky.
Running backs coach Chad Scott will continue to serve as West Virginia’s co-offensive coordinator. Offensive line coach Matt Moore has been moved from his co-offensive coordinator role to the title of assistant head coach.
Parker crossed paths with Neal Brown at Kentucky in 2000, where both played wide receiver for the Wildcats. His first college coaching position was as a graduate assistant at Kentucky in 2007, followed by stops at UT-Martin, Marshall, Purdue and Duke.
“I’m excited to add Gerad to the coaching staff at West Virginia,” Brown said in an official release. “I have known him for many years, and we have similar roots in the state of Kentucky. He brings years of successful experience, not only on the field but also as a recruiter who has covered a lot of territory. He will make an immediate impact on our staff.
“I look forward to him and his wife, Kandi, and their family becoming a part of Mountaineer football.”
In 2016, Parker served as Purdue’s interim head coach for the final six games of the season after head coach Darrell Hazell was fired. Parker went 0-6 as the Boilermakers’ head coach at the age of 35. Parker served Purdue’s tight ends coach, wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator in four years under Hazell.
The following year, David Cutcliffe hired Parker as an operations assistant at Duke before promoting him to wide receivers coach in 2018.
Parker moved on to Penn State last season, where 5-foot-9 wide receiver KJ Hamler had a breakout year as a redshirt sophomore.
“I’m excited to be joining Neal Brown’s staff at West Virginia and becoming a part of the Mountaineer football family,” Parker said. “I have known Neal for a long time and have the utmost respect for him as a coach, a man, husband and father. I have seen his progression and have kept up with him as a head coach and know he is special.
“My father worked in a coal mine and in the coal industry, and I have a lot of respect for this state and for what it stands. I am honored and thankful to join this staff and work with these players.”