Bryan Harsin’s connection with the Boise State coaching position is no longer just speculation.
A source familiar with the Arkansas State program confirmed multiple reports that Harsin, Arkansas State’s first-year coach was in Boise, Idaho, on Monday interviewing with Broncos Athletic Director Mark Coyle for the position recently vacated by Chris Petersen.
Neither ASU Athletic Director Terry Mohajir nor Harsin’s agent, Patrick H Strong of Birmingham, Ala., responded to messages seeking comment on Monday, but reports by the Idaho Statesman and the Idaho Press-Tribune in Nampa that Harsin was in town to interview.
Harsin, 37, has deep roots in the Boise community and the university.
Harsin was born and raised in Boise, has family in the city, played for the Broncos and went on to coach there as an assistant for 10 seasons.
But Harsin isn’t the only coach under consideration who has strong Boise ties. The Statesman reported Monday that Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, who was Boise State’s head coach from 1998-2000, interviewed with Coyle by phone Monday. Bob Gregory, Boise State’s interim coach, told reporters he has also interviewed for the full-time job.
The Broncos’ job has been open since Friday, when Petersen was hired to coach Washington. Harsin’s name has been at the top of lists speculating candidates ever since.
Five of Harsin’s seasons coaching at Boise came with Petersen, at a time when the Broncos emerged as a national program that made two BCS appearances, winning the 2007 and 2010 Fiesta Bowls.
Harsin left Boise State in 2010 and spent two seasons as co-offensive coordinator for Coach Mack Brown at Texas, before taking the ASU job almost one year ago after Gus Malzahn left for Auburn.
ASU is 7-5 under Harsin, sharing the Sun Belt Conference championship with Louisiana Lafayette after winning back-to-back outright championships under Hugh Freeze and Malzahn. The Red Wolves will be making their third consecutive trip to the GoDaddy Bowl.
On Saturday, Harsin’s father, Dale, said Bryan was “kind of weighing things both ways,” but there had yet to be contact between administrations from both schools as of Saturday.
ASU will be searching for a new coach for the fourth consecutive season if Harsin departs. Freeze, who succeeded longtime coach Steve Roberts in 2010, left after one season for Ole Miss in 2011 and Malzahn left for Auburn last year. Both of those seasons ended with an interim coach leading ASU into the GoDaddy Bowl - David Gunn in 2011 and John Thompson last year.
The Red Wolves were supposed to begin preparations for the Jan. 5 bowl game in Mobile, Ala., this past Saturday. But inclement weather canceled those plans. ASU is scheduled to restart practicing Thursday.
Ball State (10-2), ASU’s opponent in the GoDaddy Bowl, is coached by Pete Lembo, who is reportedly a candidate for the openings at Connecticut and Wake Forest. Lembo is 25-12 in three seasons at Ball State.
Sports, Pages 17 on 12/10/2013