Northwestern head coach David Braun has found a new offensive play caller, as South Dakota State offensive coordinator Zach Lujan is set to fill the same role for the Wildcats, Pete Thamel reported Sunday. Lujan has served as the Jackrabbits’ quarterbacks coach since 2019 and was elevated to offensive coordinator prior to the 2022 season.

Sources: Northwestern is expected to move quickly to hire South Dakota State offensive coordinator Zach Lujan. South Dakota State entered the FCS title game as the country’s No. 3 scoring offense. Lujan, 28, received interest from Vanderbilt earlier in this cycle.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 7, 2024

Replacing Mike Bajakian, who held NU’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach positions since December 2019, Lujan now steps into his first FBS coaching gig after seven years on South Dakota State’s staff.

An Anchorage, Alaska native, Lujan was a three-time All-State honoree at quarterback and a state champion in his senior high school season. Lujan went the junior college route out of high school, signing with California’s Chabot College.

After a standout freshman season that earned him Golden Gate Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2013, Lujan transferred to South Dakota State, where played from 2014 to 2016.

Lujan joined the Jackrabbits’ staff following graduation as an offensive quality control coach in 2017, before he was elevated to running backs coach the next season and quarterbacks coach the following year.

He oversaw then-freshman quarterback Mark Gronowski’s development in the COVID altered 2020-21 season. The Naperville native won the Phil Steele FCS Freshman of the Year award and garnered first-team All-MFVC honors.

Assuming offensive play call duties prior to the 2022 season, Lujan’s offense averaged 34.2 points per game and 348.6 yards per game. South Dakota State won its first national championship in program history in 2022, scoring 45 points against Braun’s North Dakota State defense in the championship game.

Fresh off his second consecutive national title, Lujan will look to improve upon the conference’s 10th ranked offensive unit — with several juggernauts entering the conference next fall.

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