MORGANTOWN — After spending the last two seasons as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at WVU, Gerad Parker is reportedly leaving the Mountaineers to become the tight ends coach at Notre Dame.
First reported by Pete Thamel of ESPN, Parker joins the Fighting Irish after being a big part in the play-calling duties at WVU, though head coach Neal Brown was the main play-caller the last two years.
Parker will join first-year head coach Marcus Freeman, who needed to replace tight ends coach John McNulty after McNulty left to become the offensive coordinator at Boston College.
In January, Brown announced former USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell was joining the Mountaineers to the same position, with Harrell expected to be the main play-caller. While Parker was still listed as the co-offensive coordinator, it was an apparent demotion for Parker as Brown was looking to spark a WVU offense that was stagnant in 2021.
Before WVU, Parker had stints at Penn State, Duke and Purdue.
Braham inks with Mountaineers
While the main football signing day is now in December, WVU did make one move on National Signing Day, inking junior college wide receiver Cortez Braham.
Brown announced Braham, a 6-2, 193-pound junior receiver from Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kan., announced the signing and Braham will have three years to play two seasons of eligibility.
2021 – Hutchinson CC
- Played 10 games for Coach Drew Dallas at Hutchinson CC
- Helped lead the Blue Dragons to a 9-2 record and the Salt City Bowl championship
- Ended career at Hutchinson fifth in school history for career receptions (68) and receiving yards (1,387)
- Finished with 32 catches for 723 yards and 10 touchdowns, ranking No. 10 nationally in touchdowns and No. 32 in receptions
- Season-best 150 yards on three catches, all touchdowns with career-long catch of 95 yards against Highland CC
- Registered season-best five catches for 128 yards and a touchdown with a long of 44 yards against Garden City CC
- Had five catches for 79 yards with a touchdown at Independence CC
- Recorded five catches for 63 yards with a touchdown against Hinds CC
- Finished with three catches for 60 yards with two touchdowns against Dodge City CC
- Three-star rated prospect by ESPN and 247Sports and two-star rating by Rivals
- Rated No. 3 wide receiver prospect, No. 28 nationally and No. 8 in South Carolina by 247Sports
2020 – Hutchinson CC
- Played seven games and tied for second on the team in receptions with 19 for a team-leading 429 yards and five touchdowns
- Ranked No. 5 nationally in touchdowns and No. 19 in receptions
- Season-best six catches for 141 yards and three touchdowns at Independence CC
- Registered four grabs for 112 yards against Snow College
- Had four catches for 41 yards against Coffeyville CC
- Recorded a 78-yard touchdown against Dodge City CC and a 42-yard touchdown against Highland CC
2019 – Hutchinson CC
- Played in nine games
- Finished with 16 catches for 223 yards and two touchdowns
- Four catches for 35 yards at Fort Scott CC
- Had three catches for 48 yards and a touchdown at Iowa Western CC
- Recorded three catches for 39 yards and a touchdown against Coffeyville CC
High School – Westwood High, Blytheville, S.C.
- Played for coach Dustin Curtis at Westwood High
- Finished with 79 career catches for 1,370 yards and 17 touchdowns
- Registered a season-best 46 receptions for 750 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior
- Recorded 26 catches for 467 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore
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