LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas State will name Texas co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin as its head football coach today, a week after Gus Malzahn bolted after one season as the Red Wolves’ coach to take the head coaching job at Auburn.
Harsin, 35, interviewed with ASU officials Tuesday, and multiple sources confirmed the hire late Tuesday night. Harsin is expected to be introduced today at a 2 p.m. news conference in Jonesboro.
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 Tuesday after ASU officials talked with former Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino over the weekend. Petrino accepted the head coaching the job at Western Kentucky on Monday.
Harsin earned $675,000 annually at Texas. In recent days, sources have told the
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
that any deal could be comparable to Malzahn’s five-year contract that paid $850,000 annually.
Harsin oversaw the development of quarterbacks and served as the chief play-caller during his two seasons at Texas. The Longhorns ranked 37th nationally in total offense with an average of 441 yards per game and 24th in scoring with an average of 36.1 points per game.
It’s unclear whether he will coach the for No. 23 Longhorns (8-4) when they face No. 13 Oregon State on Dec. 29 at the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.
Harsin split offensive coordinator duties with Major Applewhite, who served as running backs coach and worked with Harsin to formulate game plans.
In January 2011, Harsin arrived from Boise State after a five-year stint as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator for Chris Petersen. Boise State’s multiple attack, which could shift freely from the Pistol sets into jumbo packages, never ranked lower than 18th nationally in total offense and 12th in points per game during his tenure.
It was a move that took Harsin away from his hometown and his alma mater, where he played quarterback in 1996-1999. He joined Coach Mack Brown’s overhauled staff in the wake of a 5-7 season in 2010, when Brown brought in three coordinators younger than 40 to rejuvenate the program.
In 2010, Harsin’s final season, Boise State ranked second in the nation with averages of 521.3 yards per game and 45.1 points per game and defeated Utah 26-3 in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Boise State went 61-5 during Harsin’s five seasons as offensive coordinator, and he was a finalist in 2009 for the Broyles Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.
Bryan Harsin glance
AGE 35 HOMETOWN Boise, Idaho COLLEGE Boise State (1999) FAMILY Wife: Kes; Children: Devyn, Lynn, Dayn Mykena, Davis COACHING HISTORY Eastern Oregon, running backs/wide receivers (2000); Boise State, graduate assistant (2001), tight ends (2002-2005), offensive coordinator/quarterbacks (2006-2010); Texas, co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks (2011-2012)
Sports, Pages 19 on 12/12/2012