ASU to introduce Harsin as Red Wolves coach

Bryan Harsin, 35, will be the next coach at Arkansas State. Harsin spent last season as the co-offensive coordinator at Texas.
Bryan Harsin, 35, will be the next coach at Arkansas State. Harsin spent last season as the co-offensive coordinator at Texas.

— Arkansas State will name Texas co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin as the Red Wolves head coach at a 2 p.m. press conference Wednesday in Jonesboro — the move coming a week after former coach Gus Malzahn left for Auburn.

Harsin, 35, and multiple sources confirmed the hire to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette late Tuesday night. The move comes after ASU interviewed Harsin, Florida State running-backs coach Eddie Gran and Sam Houston State Coach Willie Fritz.

Harsin emerged as the front-runner over the course of Tuesday, a day after ASU passed on brokering a deal with rumored early target and former Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino, who on Monday accepted the job at Western Kentucky.

Contract terms were not available late Tuesday night, but Harsin earned $675,000 annually at Texas. In recent days, sources have told the Democrat-Gazette any deal could be comparable to Malzahn's five-year contract, which paid $850,000 annually. During his two seasons at Texas, Harsin oversaw the development of quarterbacks and served as the chief play caller. Texas ranked No. 37 nationally in total offense at 441 yards per game and 24th in scoring at 36.1 points per game.

It's unclear whether he will coach the No. 23 Longhorns, who went 8-4 this season, in the Alamo Bowl against No. 13 Oregon State on Dec. 29 in San Antonio, Texas.

Follow ArkansasOnline for updates from the 2 p.m. press conference in Jonesboro.

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