After winning back-to-back FCS National Championships as the offensive coordinator at his alma mater South Dakota State, the 2023 FCS Coordinator of the Year and AFCA 35 Under 35 participant Zach Lujan enters his second season as Northwestern’s offensive coordinator.
Lujan spent seven seasons at South Dakota as quarterback coach, and added offensive coordinator responsibilities the last two seasons, helping the Jackrabbits to 29 consecutive victories (third longest winning streak in FCS history) and back-to-back FCS national titles in 2022 and 2023. South Dakota State completed a perfect 15-0 season in 2023, ranking sixth in FCS in both scoring offense (37.3) and total offense (449.9).
In 2023, Lujan's offense led the nation converting 53.5% of its third downs and converting on 96.5% of its trips in the red zone. Quarterback Mark Gronowski won the Walter Payton Award, which is awarded to the top offensive player in FCS. He led the nation in passing efficiency (179.7), ranked second in passing touchdowns (29), and seventh in passing yards (3,058).
Taking over play-calling duties in 2022, Lujan directed a balanced offensive attack, helping South Dakota State to its first-ever national title and perfect 14-0 record against FCS competition. The Jackrabbits averaged 34.2 points per game and 384.6 yards of total offense and hit their stride at the end of the season, racking up more than 200 rushing yards in each of their four FCS playoff victories.
In 2021 as quarterbacks coach, Lujan mentored graduate transfer Chris Oladokun, who seamlessly took over the position after an injury to the starter Gronowski, and earned honorable mention all-Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) recognition. Oladokun threw for 3,164 passing yards and 25 touchdowns while posting a completion percentage of 62.3% (238-of-384) to help lead the Jackrabbits to an 11-4 record and an FCS Semifinals berth. Following the season, Oladokun was selected in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
During the pandemic-altered 2020-21 season, Lujan oversaw the development of true first-year Gronowski, who started all 10 games under center and totaled 2,142 yards of offense and 23 total touchdowns (15 passing, 7 rushing, 1 receiving) as he helped lead the Jackrabbits to the FCS national title game for the first time in program history. Gronowski was named Phil Steele FCS Freshman of the Year, as well as the MVFC Freshman of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year following the season.
In Lujan's first season as quarterbacks coach in 2019, South Dakota State saw three different quarterbacks start multiple games, finishing the season with an 8-5 record and a first round bye in the FCS playoffs. The Jackrabbits ranked second among MVFC teams with a 154.4 passing efficiency rating and fourth among league teams averaging 195.7 passing yards per game while throwing for 21 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.
In his one season serving as running backs coach in 2018, Lujan coached a rushing attack that averaged 230.1 rushing yards per game, which ranked as the program's highest total since joining Division I in 2004. Four different Jackrabbit running backs rushed for at least 100 yards in a game that season, led by MVFC Freshman of the Year Pierre Strong, Jr. Strong rushed for 1,116 yards on only 117 carries (9.5 yards per attempt) and scored 11 touchdowns, becoming the first SDSU back to top 1,000 yards in a season since 2014.
Lujan spent his first season on the SDSU coaching staff as a quality control coach in 2017, where he oversaw organization of the scout team defense, assisted with video breakdown and provided input from the coaching booth on gamedays.
A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Lujan played quarterback for South Dakota State from 2014-16, compiling a 10-5 record as the Jackrabbits' starting quarterback. He was named to the MVFC All-Newcomer Team in 2014 and was elected a team captain for both the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Lujan finished his career with 29 career passing touchdowns and 3,877 career passing yards, ranking just outside top-10 in program history. Prior to his arrival in Brookings, Lujan began his collegiate playing career at Chabot College in California, where he was named 2013 Golden Gate Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
A 2017 graduate with a degree in economics, Lujan was a two-time member of the MVFC Honor Roll and was a recipient of the Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award.
"We are thrilled to have Zach Lujan as part of our program. His remarkable success as offensive coordinator at South Dakota State, including back-to-back FCS National Championships and the development of top-tier quarterbacks, speak volumes about his reputation as one of the brightest minds in our game today. We look forward to seeing Zach's innovative approach to our offense and his passion for developing our student-athletes translate to success on the field."
– Dan & Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun
"My fiancé and I are incredibly grateful and excited to be joining the Northwestern football family. The opportunity to work for Coach Braun and invest in the lives of our student athletes is incredibly honoring and humbling. I am excited to continue building off of the success of this past season, and get to work with our players and coaches."
– Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Zach Lujan
Lujan spent seven seasons at South Dakota as quarterback coach, and added offensive coordinator responsibilities the last two seasons, helping the Jackrabbits to 29 consecutive victories (third longest winning streak in FCS history) and back-to-back FCS national titles in 2022 and 2023. South Dakota State completed a perfect 15-0 season in 2023, ranking sixth in FCS in both scoring offense (37.3) and total offense (449.9).
In 2023, Lujan's offense led the nation converting 53.5% of its third downs and converting on 96.5% of its trips in the red zone. Quarterback Mark Gronowski won the Walter Payton Award, which is awarded to the top offensive player in FCS. He led the nation in passing efficiency (179.7), ranked second in passing touchdowns (29), and seventh in passing yards (3,058).
Taking over play-calling duties in 2022, Lujan directed a balanced offensive attack, helping South Dakota State to its first-ever national title and perfect 14-0 record against FCS competition. The Jackrabbits averaged 34.2 points per game and 384.6 yards of total offense and hit their stride at the end of the season, racking up more than 200 rushing yards in each of their four FCS playoff victories.
In 2021 as quarterbacks coach, Lujan mentored graduate transfer Chris Oladokun, who seamlessly took over the position after an injury to the starter Gronowski, and earned honorable mention all-Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) recognition. Oladokun threw for 3,164 passing yards and 25 touchdowns while posting a completion percentage of 62.3% (238-of-384) to help lead the Jackrabbits to an 11-4 record and an FCS Semifinals berth. Following the season, Oladokun was selected in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
During the pandemic-altered 2020-21 season, Lujan oversaw the development of true first-year Gronowski, who started all 10 games under center and totaled 2,142 yards of offense and 23 total touchdowns (15 passing, 7 rushing, 1 receiving) as he helped lead the Jackrabbits to the FCS national title game for the first time in program history. Gronowski was named Phil Steele FCS Freshman of the Year, as well as the MVFC Freshman of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year following the season.
In Lujan's first season as quarterbacks coach in 2019, South Dakota State saw three different quarterbacks start multiple games, finishing the season with an 8-5 record and a first round bye in the FCS playoffs. The Jackrabbits ranked second among MVFC teams with a 154.4 passing efficiency rating and fourth among league teams averaging 195.7 passing yards per game while throwing for 21 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.
In his one season serving as running backs coach in 2018, Lujan coached a rushing attack that averaged 230.1 rushing yards per game, which ranked as the program's highest total since joining Division I in 2004. Four different Jackrabbit running backs rushed for at least 100 yards in a game that season, led by MVFC Freshman of the Year Pierre Strong, Jr. Strong rushed for 1,116 yards on only 117 carries (9.5 yards per attempt) and scored 11 touchdowns, becoming the first SDSU back to top 1,000 yards in a season since 2014.
Lujan spent his first season on the SDSU coaching staff as a quality control coach in 2017, where he oversaw organization of the scout team defense, assisted with video breakdown and provided input from the coaching booth on gamedays.
A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Lujan played quarterback for South Dakota State from 2014-16, compiling a 10-5 record as the Jackrabbits' starting quarterback. He was named to the MVFC All-Newcomer Team in 2014 and was elected a team captain for both the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Lujan finished his career with 29 career passing touchdowns and 3,877 career passing yards, ranking just outside top-10 in program history. Prior to his arrival in Brookings, Lujan began his collegiate playing career at Chabot College in California, where he was named 2013 Golden Gate Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
A 2017 graduate with a degree in economics, Lujan was a two-time member of the MVFC Honor Roll and was a recipient of the Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award.
Quotables
"We are thrilled to have Zach Lujan as part of our program. His remarkable success as offensive coordinator at South Dakota State, including back-to-back FCS National Championships and the development of top-tier quarterbacks, speak volumes about his reputation as one of the brightest minds in our game today. We look forward to seeing Zach's innovative approach to our offense and his passion for developing our student-athletes translate to success on the field."– Dan & Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun
"My fiancé and I are incredibly grateful and excited to be joining the Northwestern football family. The opportunity to work for Coach Braun and invest in the lives of our student athletes is incredibly honoring and humbling. I am excited to continue building off of the success of this past season, and get to work with our players and coaches."
– Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Zach Lujan