NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt head football coach Clark Lea built out a significant portion of his offensive staff Tuesday with David Raih as the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach and Joey Lynch as pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Following seven years in the National Football League, Raih returns to college football with the Commodores. He spent two seasons (2019-20) as the wide receivers coach with the Arizona Cardinals and five (2014-18) with the Green Bay Packers in a variety of roles after six seasons in collegiate football.
With the Cardinals, Raih’s work with the offense in 2020 had Arizona average 244.8 passing yards/game and 25.6 points/game. Individually, Raih helped DeAndre Hopkins finish second in the NFL in receptions with 115, third in receiving yards with 1,407 and fifth in receiving yards/game with 87.9.
In 2019, Arizona’s offense went from No. 32 overall in scoring in 2018 to No. 16 and improved from 32nd overall in scoring drives in 2018 to ninth in 2019. Raih’s receivers worked with Associated Press Rookie of the Year quarterback Kyler Murray while Larry Fitzgerald moved into second place on the NFL’s all-time receptions list and finished the year with 700 or more yards for an NFL-record 16th consecutive season.
While with Green Bay, Raih served as the wide receivers coach (2018), offensive perimeter coach (2017), assistant offensive line coach (2016) and coaching administrator (2014-15).
Under Raih’s tutelage in 2018, Packers Pro Bowl wide receiver Devante Adams caught 13 touchdown passes, which led the NFC and trailed only wide receiver Antonio Brown (15) for the league lead.
Before jumping to the NFL, Raih spent one season at Texas Tech.
Beginning his coaching career as an intern at UCLA for two seasons (2008-09), Raih worked with quarterbacks under head coach Rick Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Norm Chow before returning to his alma mater, the University of Iowa. Raih spent three seasons at Iowa, where he worked with tight ends (2012) and the offensive line (2010-11) as a graduate assistant.
Raih played quarterback at Iowa (1999-2003) and helped the Hawkeyes to a 2002 Big Ten Conference Championship and a berth in the 2003 FedEx Orange Bowl. He was also part of the Hawkeyes’ 2001 Alamo Bowl team, Iowa’s first bowl berth under head coach Kirk Ferentz.
Lynch, a veteran quarterback coach and prolific passer in his own playing days, has spent the last seven years coaching quarterbacks. He was with Colorado State for the 2020 season after completing a 11-year stint at Ball State, his alma mater.
During his one season with the Rams, Colorado State played four games in 2020, averaging 22.2 points/game and 199.5 passing yards/game. Quarterbacks Patrick O’Brien and Todd Centeio combined to throw for 798 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for two more scores.
Lynch arrived in Fort Collins after 11 seasons at Ball State, including the final six as offensive coordinator and the last as the assistant head coach.
During the 2019 campaign, Lynch’s offensive attack was the most potent in the Mid-American Conference as the Cardinals led the league in scoring (34.8), total offensive yards/game (463.0) and plays/game (75.8). Nationally, the Cardinals ranked No. 16 in total offense and No. 22 in rushing offense in 2019. It was the program’s highest mark in total offense/game in more than 10 seasons. For his efforts, Lynch was nominated for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant.
Lynch’s passing attack led the conference in 2018 in both yards/game and attempts/game as the Cardinals were one of only three MAC schools to have two receivers, Hall and Riley Miller, rank inside the top 12 in receiving yards/game.
While working with the Cardinal tight ends in 2012 and 2013, Ball State advanced to a pair of bowl games, the 2012 Beef O’Brady’s Bowl and 2013 GoDaddy Bowl. As the Cardinals’ wide receivers coach in 2009 and 2010, Lynch guided Briggs Orsbon to a team-high 51 catches and 461 receiving yards in 2010.
Lynch spent the 2008 season as the Ashland University offensive coordinator, helping the program to averages of 324 yards passing, 146 yards rushing and 38.0 points/game in 2008. His work with quarterback Billy Cundiff resulted in All-America first team honors as the Eagles won their first postseason game in program history with a 27-16 victory on Nov. 15, 2008, against Minnesota State-Mankato. Cundiff was also tabbed the conference player of the year and a nominee for the Harlon Hill Trophy.
St. Joseph’s marked Lynch’s first coaching stop as he worked with quarterbacks and as the offensive coordinator in 2007.
A 2002 graduate of Delta High School, Lynch headed to Ball State, where he was a four-year letter winner. He graduated as one of the most prolific passers in Cardinal history, completing 391-of-613 passes for 4,292 yards with 37 touchdowns and a .638 career passing percentage. When his career ended, Lynch was ranked second in Ball State history for career completion percentage and tied for first with six games of 250 or more yards passing. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 2007.
