EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings announced Wednesday that Pat Shurmur will assume duties as the team's Interim Offensive Coordinator.
Shurmur is in his first season in Minnesota and was hired as the tight ends coach in January.
"Pat is going to take over there, and he's going to call the plays," Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer said Wednesday morning from Winter Park. "I think that whole group (of coaches) has had a lot of good conversation, a lot of good work together.
"We're going to continue to move forward and try to get better," he added.
Shurmur takes over for Norv Turner, who resigned Wednesday and had been with the Vikings since 2014.
Shurmur spent the previous three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, including last season with Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford. He was Philadelphia's offensive coordinator and also served as the interim head coach for one game in 2015.
Shurmur served as Cleveland's head coach for the 2011-12 seasons. In his first season with the Browns, Shurmur helped improve a Cleveland offense that committed just 19 turnovers, which was tied for the fourth fewest in the NFL during the 2011 season.
Prior to his time in Cleveland, Shurmur spent two seasons (2009-10) as the St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator, helping the Rams improve to a 7-9 record following its 1-15 campaign in 2009. Shurmur was the offensive coordinator when the Rams drafted Bradford No. 1 overall in 2010.
"Obviously I've worked with Pat in several places," Bradford said. "What we did in St. Louis was a little different than what we did in Philly.
"But I've always enjoyed working with Pat. I think he's a great football mind," he added. "Really just looking forward to sitting down and talking to him and trying to figure out the direction in which we're going to go."
Shurmur played a role in assessing Bradford when the Vikings acquired the quarterback in a September trade from Philadelphia.
Bradford said the offense needs to find the rhythm it had during a 5-0 start.
"Halfway through the season, I'm not really sure if you can completely change an offense and the terminology for everyone," Bradford said. "I think we'll find out more today when we go to meetings and see the game plan for Detroit.
"I think that no matter what the scheme is, we have to go out there and we have to execute," he added. "We have to be better than what we have the last couple weeks."
Minnesota's offense ranks 31st in both yards per game (293.3) and rushing yards per game (71.9). The Vikings are 5-2 following two straight losses and are prepping for Sunday's home game against the Lions.
Bradford said he enjoyed working with Turner over the last two months and was surprised at his resignation.
"Norv was awesome with me, just helping me out trying to understand schematically what we were doing in the pass game," Bradford said. "Where he thought the ball should go versus certain coverages. I really enjoyed working with Norv.
"Obviously, he's seen a lot of football. He's been around a long time. I think we all probably learned a lot from Norv," he added. "It was great every day just watching practice tape with him. Getting to hear his thoughts about what went on at practice. I'm very grateful for the seven weeks that I got to be with Norv."
Zimmer said Turner had been his "right-hand man" since they linked up in 2014, adding that he considers Turner a great friend.
"He has helped me tremendously in the three years that I've been here," Zimmer said. "He has had an unbelievable career. He has been, really, my right hand man, really, since I've been here, and he decided it was in the best interest of him to do this, and I accept the reasons."
