Mark August Helfrich (born October 28, 1973) is an American former football coach who is an analyst for Fox Sports.

[2] Helfrich saw his most successful season in 1993 as he set school records for passing yards, touchdowns, and total offense.

[3] In the winter and spring of 1997, he played quarterback professionally, while also serving as assistant offensive coordinator in Europe for the Vienna Austria Vikings.

Under Helfrich's development, Hendricks won Big West Conference Player of the Year in 1999 and 2000 and guided the Broncos to the fourth best passing offense in the nation in 2000.

"[7] In 2006, Helfrich joined the Colorado staff to become the youngest offensive coordinator in college football on the BCS level at the age of 32.

The following season sophomore Darron Thomas guided an undefeated Oregon team to the 2011 BCS National Championship Game.

Thomas finished his career 23–3 as a starter with a school-record 66 touchdown passes[17] and led the Ducks to a 45–38 victory over #10 Wisconsin in the 2012 Rose Bowl.

[4] Rumors of Chip Kelly's departure from college football for the NFL were constant during his tenure as Oregon's coach.

Kelly refused to accept the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offer as head coach weeks after the 2012 Rose Bowl victory because he couldn't get a promise from Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens assuring him that Helfrich would be his successor.

[35] In Helfrich's second season, the Ducks won a school-record 13 games and reached the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship.

7 Michigan State, 46–27, ending the defending Big Ten and Rose Bowl-champion Spartans 11-game winning streak.

3 Florida State Seminoles, 59–20, in the Playoff Semifinal Rose Bowl Game and ended the defending national champions 29-game winning streak.

[40] Oregon advanced to the College Football Championship Game against the Ohio State Buckeyes and lost, 42–20.

[49] The Ducks dominated TCU in the first half of the Alamo Bowl by scoring at will on consecutive drives and led 31–0 at halftime.

[50] However, Oregon's offense and defense collapsed in the second half after losing starting quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. to a head injury.

[51] TCU scored on every second-half possession and rallied for the biggest comeback in college football bowl game history to beat Oregon, 47–41, in triple overtime.

[55] Following the Alamo Bowl loss, Don Pellum was demoted to linebackers coach, replacing Erik Chinander, who left to become the defensive coordinator for Frost at UCF.

[57] Replacing Pellum as defensive coordinator was former Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke, who was hired on January 16.