Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Mason announces Ganz as tight ends coach
1/22/2024 11:30:00 AM | Football
Former QB at Nebraska who set 23 school records
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee head football coach Derek Mason announced today the hiring of Joe Ganz as tight ends coach.
Prior to joining the Blue Raiders, Ganz spent four years at Northern Iowa coaching wide receivers and working under current MTSU offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder.
"Joe has had the opportunity to work with Bodie Reeder and was with Bo Pelini at Youngstown State where they won several titles," said Mason. "He is a winner. He played quarterback, which gives us another offensive mind in that room who understands the Xs and Os and how to get it from the class to the grass quickly and efficiently."
In 2023, Ganz coached Sam Schnee, who was both UNI's and the Missouri Valley Conference's leading receiver with 1,041 total receiving yards. Schnee averaged 94.64 per game as well as 18.26 yards per reception. Schnee had three 100+ receiving yard games including a season-high 174 yards against No. 9 North Dakota State and recorded a season-long 66-yard reception against Missouri State. A 2023 team captain, he finished seventh on UNI's all-time receiving yards list and was the 11th Panther to join the 2,000+ receiving yard club.
Before arriving at Northern Iowa, Ganz spent four years at Youngstown State. In 2019 he helped utilize multiple quarterbacks successfully for the Penguins to go 5-2 at home. Senior Nathan Mays had the best year of his career completing 91-of-149 passes for 1,287 yards and 13 touchdowns while sophomore Joe Craycraft completed 66-of-127 passes for 893 yards and eight scores. On the ground, Mays rushed for 311 yards on 88 carries and scored six touchdowns while Craycraft ran for 143 yards on 59 attempts and scored three times.
YSU had five 200-plus yard passing efforts for the year, including a streak of four straight, as well while throwing a touchdown pass in 11 of 12 contests.
Ganz spent two years as the Penguins' tight end coach before working with the quarterbacks for the first time in 2018. The unit was key in a rushing attack that had a pair of 1,000-yard rushers and amassed a school-record 3,883 yards. YSU averaged 242.7 yards rushing per game, the most by the program since 2001.
In 2017, a veteran group of Shane Kuhn, Kevin Rader, Anthony Parente and newcomer Chris Durkin provided the offense with more versatility. Rader, an honorable-mention All-MVFC selection, caught a career-best 22 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns. The four players combined for 25 receptions on the season and Kuhn added five rushing attempts. As blockers, the Penguins offense averaged 222.5 yards rushing per game and tailback Tevin McCaster went over 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career.
Ganz had strong ties with former Youngstown coach Bo Pelini prior to joining the YSU staff. He spent four years in various roles, including the final two as a graduate assistant on his staff at Nebraska. Ganz played quarterback for Pelini for two seasons as well.
Although he had to wait until the latter half of the 2007 season for his chance to shine, Ganz ended his career setting 23 Nebraska school records.
He established Husker records with 510 passing yards, 528 yards of total offense and seven passing touchdowns against Kansas State in 2007 in only his second career start. Two weeks later he threw for 484 yards at Colorado. Ganz also holds Nebraska game records for pass completions (36 at Texas Tech in 2008), attempts (58 at Colorado in 2007) and total offense attempts (64).
A native of Palos Heights, Ill., Ganz holds Nebraska season records for passing yards, yards per game (274.5), completions (285) and total offense, all set during his senior year in 2008. That season, Ganz completed 67.9 percent of his passes while throwing for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns. His 25-touchdown passes were the second most in school history. He added 258 yards on the ground with five rushing touchdowns. Ganz finished his career second in school history in passing yards (5,125) and touchdown passes (44).
Ganz threw for more than 300 yards five times in 2008 and topped that number eight times in 16 career starts. In 2008, Ganz also showed his dual-threat ability. He ran for 258 yards and five touchdowns on the season, including 95 yards and two touchdowns at Kansas State.
A team captain in 2008, Ganz was also named the Huskers' MVP and capped his career by being named the MVP of the 2009 Konica Minolta Gator Bowl as Nebraska defeated Clemson.
He earned his degree in business administration from Nebraska in December of 2008. He was named to the program's 2008 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team.
Prior to joining the Blue Raiders, Ganz spent four years at Northern Iowa coaching wide receivers and working under current MTSU offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder.
"Joe has had the opportunity to work with Bodie Reeder and was with Bo Pelini at Youngstown State where they won several titles," said Mason. "He is a winner. He played quarterback, which gives us another offensive mind in that room who understands the Xs and Os and how to get it from the class to the grass quickly and efficiently."
In 2023, Ganz coached Sam Schnee, who was both UNI's and the Missouri Valley Conference's leading receiver with 1,041 total receiving yards. Schnee averaged 94.64 per game as well as 18.26 yards per reception. Schnee had three 100+ receiving yard games including a season-high 174 yards against No. 9 North Dakota State and recorded a season-long 66-yard reception against Missouri State. A 2023 team captain, he finished seventh on UNI's all-time receiving yards list and was the 11th Panther to join the 2,000+ receiving yard club.
Before arriving at Northern Iowa, Ganz spent four years at Youngstown State. In 2019 he helped utilize multiple quarterbacks successfully for the Penguins to go 5-2 at home. Senior Nathan Mays had the best year of his career completing 91-of-149 passes for 1,287 yards and 13 touchdowns while sophomore Joe Craycraft completed 66-of-127 passes for 893 yards and eight scores. On the ground, Mays rushed for 311 yards on 88 carries and scored six touchdowns while Craycraft ran for 143 yards on 59 attempts and scored three times.
YSU had five 200-plus yard passing efforts for the year, including a streak of four straight, as well while throwing a touchdown pass in 11 of 12 contests.
Ganz spent two years as the Penguins' tight end coach before working with the quarterbacks for the first time in 2018. The unit was key in a rushing attack that had a pair of 1,000-yard rushers and amassed a school-record 3,883 yards. YSU averaged 242.7 yards rushing per game, the most by the program since 2001.
In 2017, a veteran group of Shane Kuhn, Kevin Rader, Anthony Parente and newcomer Chris Durkin provided the offense with more versatility. Rader, an honorable-mention All-MVFC selection, caught a career-best 22 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns. The four players combined for 25 receptions on the season and Kuhn added five rushing attempts. As blockers, the Penguins offense averaged 222.5 yards rushing per game and tailback Tevin McCaster went over 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career.
Ganz had strong ties with former Youngstown coach Bo Pelini prior to joining the YSU staff. He spent four years in various roles, including the final two as a graduate assistant on his staff at Nebraska. Ganz played quarterback for Pelini for two seasons as well.
Although he had to wait until the latter half of the 2007 season for his chance to shine, Ganz ended his career setting 23 Nebraska school records.
He established Husker records with 510 passing yards, 528 yards of total offense and seven passing touchdowns against Kansas State in 2007 in only his second career start. Two weeks later he threw for 484 yards at Colorado. Ganz also holds Nebraska game records for pass completions (36 at Texas Tech in 2008), attempts (58 at Colorado in 2007) and total offense attempts (64).
A native of Palos Heights, Ill., Ganz holds Nebraska season records for passing yards, yards per game (274.5), completions (285) and total offense, all set during his senior year in 2008. That season, Ganz completed 67.9 percent of his passes while throwing for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns. His 25-touchdown passes were the second most in school history. He added 258 yards on the ground with five rushing touchdowns. Ganz finished his career second in school history in passing yards (5,125) and touchdown passes (44).
Ganz threw for more than 300 yards five times in 2008 and topped that number eight times in 16 career starts. In 2008, Ganz also showed his dual-threat ability. He ran for 258 yards and five touchdowns on the season, including 95 yards and two touchdowns at Kansas State.
A team captain in 2008, Ganz was also named the Huskers' MVP and capped his career by being named the MVP of the 2009 Konica Minolta Gator Bowl as Nebraska defeated Clemson.
He earned his degree in business administration from Nebraska in December of 2008. He was named to the program's 2008 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team.
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