Bryan Harsin

Bryan Dale Harsin (born November 1, 1976) is an American football coach who was most recently the head coach for the Auburn Tigers. Prior to coaching at Auburn, he coached the Boise State University Broncos from the 2014 season through the 2020 season where he posted a 69–19 overall record while at Boise. He began his head coaching career at Arkansas State University for the 2013 season.[1] Harsin was the co-offensive coordinator at the University of Texas for two seasons. Before leaving for Texas in 2011, Harsin was an assistant at Boise State for 10 seasons, the last five as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.[2]

Bryan Harsin
Harsin in 2016
Biographical details
Born (1976-11-01) November 1, 1976
Boise, Idaho, U.S.
Playing career
1995–1999Boise State
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2000Eastern Oregon (RB/WR)
2001Boise State (GA)
2002–2005Boise State (TE)
2006–2010Boise State (OC/QB)
2011–2012Texas (co-OC/QB)
2013Arkansas State
2014–2020Boise State
2021–2022Auburn
Head coaching record
Overall85–36
Bowls3–3
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 Sun Belt (2013)
3 Mountain West (2014, 2017, 2019)
5 Mountain Division (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
Awards
Broyles Award finalist (2009)

From Boise, Idaho, Harsin is a graduate of Boise's Capital High School, and a former quarterback at Boise State. He was the first alumnus of Boise State to serve as the Broncos head football coach.

Playing career

Born and raised in Boise, Harsin graduated from Capital High School and was a quarterback at Boise State University from 1995 to 1999, where he was a three-year letterman and earned a bachelor's degree in Business Management in 2000.[3][4]

Coaching career

Eastern Oregon

Harsin got his start at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, coaching running backs and quarterbacks in the 2000 season.[5][6]

Boise State

In 2001, he returned to Boise State as a graduate assistant under first year coach Dan Hawkins.[7] Harsin was hired as tight ends coach in 2002 and remained in that position through 2005.[8] During this period the Broncos led the nation in scoring twice and remained in the top 10 scoring offenses all four years. In 2005, four Broncos tight ends combined to catch 27 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns.

When Hawkins left BSU for Colorado, offensive coordinator Chris Petersen was promoted to head coach for the 2006 season. Harsin was moved up to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and guided the Broncos offense to an undefeated season. Running back Ian Johnson rushed for 1,713 yards and led the nation in rushing touchdowns and scoring. In 2008, Kellen Moore took over the quarterback position and under Harsin's guidance earned WAC Freshman of the Year honors, completing an NCAA freshman record 69.4 completion percentage (281–405) with 25 touchdown passes and only 10 interceptions.

During Harsin's tenure as offensive coordinator, Boise State posted a 61–5 (.924) record, which included two undefeated seasons and two Fiesta Bowl victories, over Oklahoma (2007) and TCU (2010).

Texas
Harsin in April 2011

After the 2010 season, Harsin moved to the University of Texas in Austin for the 2011 and 2012 seasons and was the primary play-caller for the Longhorns, paired with Major Applewhite as co-offensive coordinators.[9] During this time he also served as quarterbacks coach for the Longhorns.[10]

Arkansas State

Harsin became the 29th head coach at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro on December 12, 2012, succeeding Gus Malzahn, who left for Auburn after just one season.[11] Because Malzahn and his predecessor Hugh Freeze left after just one season in Jonesboro, Harsin's contract at Arkansas State included a $1.75 million buyout clause.[12]

Harsin led the Red Wolves to a 7–5 regular season record in 2013 and a share of the Sun Belt Conference title with a 5–2 record.[13][14] The Red Wolves earned a berth in the GoDaddy Bowl against Ball State on January 5, a 23–20 victory.[15]

Return to Boise State

Harsin returned to Boise State as head coach on December 11, 2013. He replaced his mentor Petersen, who left for the University of Washington in Seattle.[16] In his first season at helm, he led his team to winning the Mountain West Championship against Fresno State 28–14, and earned a spot in the Fiesta Bowl against Arizona. The Broncos won the Fiesta Bowl 38–30 and Harsin won 12 games in his first season.[17][18] Harsin led the Broncos to 10+ wins in 5 out of his 7 seasons.

Auburn

Harsin was hired on December 22, 2020, as the 27th head coach of the Auburn Tigers, taking over after the termination of Gus Malzahn.[19] His salary was $5.25 million.[20] In his inaugural season with the Tigers, Harsin went 6–7, the team's worst record since 2012.[21][22][23] Despite the losing record, the season saw ranked victories over Arkansas and Ole Miss to go along with a narrow 24–22 4OT loss to #3 Alabama.[24][25][26] Following the season, Harsin fired offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and hired former Seattle Seahawks quarterback coach, Austin Davis, to replace Bobo before losing Davis just six weeks later due to personal reasons.[27][28][29] Harsin also lost defensive coordinator Derek Mason to Oklahoma State where Mason took the same role for less money.[30] In addition to the coordinatoring changeovers, twenty players left the program including starting quarterback Bo Nix who described his time under Harsin as "miserable".[31][32]

Following the loss of players and coaches, as well as rumors that began circulating in February 2022, Auburn began to collect information to understand any issues surrounding the football program.[33] Harsin told ESPN that "I'm not planning on going anywhere".[31] Multiple players, current and former, came out in support of and in opposition to Harsin.[33] In the end, Auburn decided to retain Harsin as head coach.[34] Harsin would later, in July 2022, describe the situation this way: "There was an inquiry. It was uncomfortable. It was unfounded. It presented an opportunity for people to personally attack me, my family and also our program. And it didn't work."[35]

Harsin was fired as Auburn's head coach on Monday, October 31, 2022, following a 3–5 start to the season.[36] He finished with a 9–12 record and recorded the lowest winning percentage for a non-interim head coach at Auburn since Earl Brown (1948–1950).[37]

In a 2023 column for Alabama Media Group, Joseph Goodman wrote that at least one prominent Alabama high school coach was frustrated that Harsin never reached out to him to ask about his son, a top prospect, even though his son made no secret he wanted to play for Auburn. Goodman added that Harsin's squads were dangerously thin on the offensive line, and that Nix was all but forced to leave due to being "seriously injured" by inadequate protection.[38]

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Arkansas State Red Wolves (Sun Belt Conference) (2013)
2013 Arkansas State 7–55–2T–1stGoDaddy*
Arkansas State: 7–55–2* Departed Arkansas State for Boise State before bowl game
Boise State Broncos (Mountain West Conference) (2014–2020)
2014 Boise State 12–27–11st (Mountain)W Fiesta†1616
2015 Boise State 9–45–3T–2nd (Mountain)W Poinsettia
2016 Boise State 10–36–2T–1st (Mountain)L Cactus
2017 Boise State 11–37–11st (Mountain)W Las Vegas2222
2018 Boise State 10–37–1T–1st (Mountain)First Responder[lower-alpha 1]2324
2019 Boise State 12–28–01st (Mountain)L Las Vegas2223
2020 Boise State 5–25–02nd
Boise State: 69–1945–8
Auburn Tigers (Southeastern Conference) (2021–2022)
2021 Auburn 6–73–5T–6th (Western)L Birmingham
2022 Auburn 3–5[lower-alpha 2]1–4 (Western)
Auburn: 9–124–9
Total:85–36
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
  1. The First Responder Bowl was cancelled due to inclement weather and ruled a no contest.
  2. Auburn fired Harsin with four games remaining.

Notes

    References
    1. "Arkansas State hires UT aide to coach". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 12, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
    2. "Bryan Harsin". Boise State Broncos Athletics. Archived from the original on December 19, 2010.
    3. Tramel, Berry (September 11, 2018). "Boise State's Bryan Harsin knows what it's like to follow Idaho icons". The Oklahoman. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    4. Miller, Kevin (October 31, 2022). "How A Former Boise State Coach Got Fired And is now A Millionaire". KIDO Talk Radio. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    5. Roussel, Scott (December 5, 2019). "The curious case of Bryan Harsin". Footballscoop. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    6. Green, Tom (December 25, 2020). "What led Bryan Harsin to leave a lifetime at Boise State for Auburn?". AL.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    7. Low, Chris (May 25, 2023). "Bryan Harsin is back in Idaho and 'thriving' in his post-Auburn life". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    8. Green, Tom (September 8, 2021). "Bryan Harsin sees value in tight ends, and it showed in Auburn's opener". AL.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    9. "Texas introduces former Boise State OC Harsin". ESPN.com. January 10, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    10. "Bryan Harsin - Football Coach". University of Texas Athletics. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    11. "Arkansas State hires former Texas OC Harsin". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 12, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    12. "Boise State hires Bryan Harsin". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
    13. "2013 Arkansas State Red Wolves Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    14. "2013 Sun Belt Conference Year Summary". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    15. "GoDaddy.com Bowl - Arkansas State vs Ball State Box Score, January 5, 2014". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    16. "Bryan Harsin Hired as Boise State Football Head Coach". Boise State Broncos Athletics. December 11, 2013. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
    17. "2014 Boise State Broncos Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    18. "Fiesta Bowl - Boise State vs Arizona Box Score, December 31, 2014". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    19. Hill, Matthew D. (December 22, 2020). "Auburn hires Boise State's Bryan Harsin as head coach". Opelika-Auburn New. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
    20. Rittenberg, Adam (March 15, 2021). "Harsin's Auburn deal pays an average of $5.25M". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    21. "Auburn Tigers College Football History, Stats, Records". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    22. "2021 Auburn Tigers Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    23. "Bryan Harsin College Coaching Records, Awards and Leaderboards". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    24. "Auburn at Arkansas Box Score, October 16, 2021". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    25. "Ole Miss at Auburn Box Score, October 30, 2021". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    26. Thames, Alanis (November 28, 2021). "Iron Bowl Thriller Behind It, Alabama Prepares for No. 1 Georgia". New York Times. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
    27. Rittenberg, Adam (November 30, 2021). "Bobo out as Auburn O-coordinator after one year". ESPN.com. Associated Press. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
    28. "Austin Davis named Offensive Coordinator at Auburn". Auburn University Athletics. December 18, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
    29. "Auburn Offensive Coordinator Austin Davis Resigning". Auburn University Athletics. January 31, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
    30. Conn, Patrick (February 7, 2022). "Report: Former DC Derek Mason took a $400K pay cut for a lateral move". Auburn Wire. USA Today. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
    31. Low, Chris; Thamel, Pete (February 4, 2022). "Harsin resolute amid Auburn inquiry: 'No Plan B'". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
    32. Hughes, Andrew (October 28, 2022). "Auburn football: Bo Nix says he was 'miserable' every week under Bryan Harsin". Fly War Eagle. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
    33. Waters, Jacob (February 4, 2022). "Auburn football players voice their opinions of Bryan Harsin on social media". The Auburn Plainsman. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
    34. Lyons, Dan (February 11, 2022). "Auburn Officially Announces Decision on Bryan Harsin". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
    35. Lyles Jr., Harry (July 21, 2022). "Harsin says Auburn inquiry a personal attack". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
    36. Green, Tom (October 31, 2022). "Bryan Harsin fired as Auburn coach after 21 games, losing record". AL.com. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
    37. Dawe, Lance (November 1, 2022). "By the numbers: Bryan Harsin is one of the worst coaches in Auburn football history". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
    38. Joseph Goodman (September 25, 2023). "Bo Nix is an Auburn hero for exposing the truth about Bryan Harsin". Alabama Media Group.
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