re: Official: Bryan Harsin new Head Coach

quote:

---

There is a faction of the Boise State fan base that never jived with Bryan Harsin as the head coach and are happy he is leaving. Some cite his personality, others point out his record of losing games the Broncos have no business losing. You know, those head-scratchers we saw early in Harsin’s tenure with BSU.

Anything outside of that – like claiming he is a mediocre coach – is nonsensical garbage. Harsin is 69-19 (78%) as the Bronco head coach, has a Fiesta Bowl title, and three Mountain West championships in five appearances. Over a span of seven years, that’s damn good. You can criticize him for many things, but not his win/loss or championship record. The numbers speak for themselves. Full stop.


Look, I get the criticism. And, in my humble opinion, some of it is warranted. I have it boiled down to this: Harsin never truly fit in at Boise State. Isn’t that weird to say? But it’s true. Think about it. It's not necessarily his fault of course, following a living legend in Chris Petersen would make it nearly impossible for anyone truly fit in.

There was always some friction between him and some other entity: At first it was defensive coordinator Marcel Yates and DB coach Julius Brown, then for a while it was the fans on social media, then it was former AD Curt Apsey, the Mountain West Conference (especially commissioner Craig Thompson), and the overall leadership at Boise State. What’s the common denominator with all this friction? Harsin.

Now there are three sides to every story: One side, the other side, and the truth. I think Harsin is a super ambitious person and Boise State and the MWC wasn’t a big enough pond for him, which led to him butting heads with various entities.

Auburn will provide the opportunity for him to nut up or shut up. Harsin is now in the biggest body of water a college football coach can be in. He is betting on himself and the vision he has for his team, without any of the handcuffs a Group of 5 program naturally has.

With the Broncos, Harsin’s legacy is one of continuing the winning tradition, completely upping the ante for recruiting at Boise State, and giving his all for seven years. Not everything worked out, but rarely does it anywhere.




....................But in Boise, the personality fit is as important as the Xs and Os. Harsin didn’t quite fit the personality part. The new head coach will likely be a swing of the pendulum away from him. It will be someone who is not as stoic, stone-faced, or “my way or the highway.”

Trust me, the Boise State program needs a shift away from the intensity of Bryan Harsin. The new hire will be someone more charismatic and friendly with the media, boosters, university leadership, and fans.

---

quote:

---

Hank Bachmeier was a touted 4-star quarterback recruit in the 2019 class when the Murrieta Valley (Calif.) standout picked Boise State over at least a dozen Power-5 offers.

How did the Broncos win out?

Two words: Bryan Harsin.

As Boise State’s head coach, Harsin not only had developed a reputation for being a top offensive mind on the west coast but also as a quarterback developer. That didn’t just catch Bachmeier’s eye, it nudged him hard toward Idaho.

“People always say to never follow a coach but one of the biggest reasons why I went to Boise State was because of Coach Harsin,” Bachmeier told Auburn Undercover and 247Sports Tuesday night, just hours after Auburn hired Harsin as its coach. “He has a great track record of winning and developing great quarterbacks in a very complex and multiple offense that translates to the next level.”

What is Auburn getting in Harsin? What should fans know about his offense, his style, his work with quarterbacks? Bachmeier, who just finished his second season with the Broncos, is one of the few with up-close-and-personal knowledge of how the new head Tiger operates.

---

quote:

---

“Coach Hars is one of the most disciplined people that I have ever met in regards to committing to a process,” Bachmeier said. “He truly eliminates the things that are distractions in his life to reach his goals, mainly to win. He is all business and holds every player to a high standard. He wants each player to reach their maximum potential on and off the field.”

---

quote:

---

“Coach Hars has been pivotal in my development,” Bachmeier said. ”I’m still learning a lot but he provides an answer on every play if the quarterback is prepared versus that week’s opponent.”

Unlike Gus Malzahn, the man who Harsin follows at Auburn, Harsin relinquished playcalling duties consistently to his offensive coordinators during his time as Boise State’s head coach. But that doesn't mean he wasn't involved. Quite the contrary.

---

quote:

---

“The offense is centered around the quarterback to flourish if he prepares daily and has an understanding of the game plan,” Bachmeier said. “For me, Coach Hars has taught me the why behind every play. Each shift, motion, formation, play design has a specific reason versus that particular defensive structure. He is very intelligent on the offensive side of the ball and I have learned a tremendous amount from him and am truly grateful to have had him as my coach.”

As Harsin departs Boise State for the SEC, Bachmeier offered this advice for Auburn quarterback Bo Nix.

“For Bo, if he buys into Coach Hars and listens he will no doubt be successful and learn from an incredible offensive mind,” Bachmeier said. “Each play has answers and the quarterback must prepare properly to take full advantage of the offense.”

---

quote:

---

i really hope he brings a new Qb with him to put serious pressure on Bo

---