Chip Long Named Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator: Latest Details, Reaction

Notre Dame wasted no time in finding a new offensive coordinator, as Chip Long will take over the role in 2017.

The Fighting Irish announced the move on Monday, providing a statement from Long:

"

It's an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to serve as the offensive coordinator at the University of Notre Dame. The challenge to lead at a University with such high standards is incredibly motivating. I'm very grateful to Brian Kelly and Jack Swarbrick for extending this opportunity.

It's Notre Dame: the values, the culture, and the leadership. My wife, Kari, and I are excited to move to South Bend and to join the Notre Dame family.

"

Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports first reported the hire on Dec. 30, noting Long will receive a three-year contract from the Fighting Irish after spending 2016 as the offensive coordinator at Memphis. 

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has been forced to replace key parts of his coaching staff this winter. Mike Sanford, the Irish offensive coordinator for the previous two seasons, was hired as head coach at Western Kentucky on Dec. 14.

Per Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel, Notre Dame associate head coach and wide receivers coach Mike Denbrock left to become the offensive coordinator at Cincinnati on Dec. 28.

In addition to those departures, Tim Ring of CBS 5 noted the other coaching changes on Notre Dame's staff since the 2016 season ended:

The Irish are coming off a 4-8 season, their worst mark since 2007. They weren't effective on either side of the ball, as the offense ranked 53rd with 30.9 points per game, while the defense finished 62nd by allowing 27.8 points per game.

New defensive coordinator Mike Elko left Wake Forest to take the Notre Dame job, and he has a lot of work to do.

Long had a successful stint at Memphis, as the offense averaged 38.8 points per game in 2016, the year after the team lost star quarterback Paxton Lynch to the NFL.

Notre Dame will be breaking in its own new quarterback next season, as DeShone Kizer has declared for the draft and Malik Zaire is transferring.

Long's recent track record of success of handling new quarterback situations gives him a leg up heading to Notre Dame. Expectations will be high because that's the program's standard, but the spotlight won't be too large for him to leave an imprint right away.