Former Boise State players react to Harsin leaving for Auburn, offer advice on search
The Boise State football team is looking for a new head coach after Bryan Harsin was announced Tuesday as Auburn’s next head coach.
Reactions are rolling in from current and former players, Harsin’s new employer and a few of the 2021 recruits the Broncos signed last Wednesday on early signing day.
Former Boise State kicker Tyler Rausa said Auburn was a perfect fit for Harsin, who led the Broncos to three Mountain West titles and a regular spot in the AP Top 25 in seven seasons as their head coach.
“It’s an environment that he will fit into really well and a school that he fits into,” Rausa said by phone Tuesday. “Being the head coach, you have to establish the culture and the winning mentality. There’s a reason he went 69-19 (at Boise State). You don’t do that by getting lucky.”
Rausa said he and Harsin regularly bounced ideas off each other when it came to special teams.
“He was big on getting the heartbeat of the team,” Rausa said. “He knew what was going on and responded to how players were feeling.”
If the Broncos’ former kicker had his way, Oregon defensive coordinator and former Boise State player and coach Andy Avalos would be the Broncos’ next head coach.
He also said it would be interesting to see if former Boise State and Washington coach Chris Petersen would be interested in rejoining the staff in some capacity. Petersen was the Broncos’ head coach from 2006 to 2013.
“It would be great to see him back with the program to help develop it even more,” Rausa said.
More reaction from former players on Twitter:
Former players were quick to offer names of possible replacements, including Montana State head coach Jeff Choate, who was an assistant at Boise State from 2006 to 2011.
Choate led the Bobcats to the FCS playoffs in 2018 and 2019. His 28 wins in four years at Montana State are already tied for No. 9 in program history.
Former Boise State defensive lineman Shea McClellin suggested the school’s administration should take this opportunity to not only hire a new coach but find a new conference.
Former Boise State quarterback Jaylon Henderson said Harsin will be good for Auburn’s quarterbacks.
“He’s really hard on the quarterbacks. He demands excellence from them and I think he’ll do a great job with (Auburn quarterback) Bo Nix,” Henderson said.
Many of Boise State’s current players were shocked to learn the news on social media Tuesday night.
Incoming quarterback recruit Taylen Green said he and several of his classmates remain firm in their commitment, but wide receiver Jalen Richmond wasn’t so sure.
Richmond said he remains committed, but he’s heard many of Harsin’s offensive assistant coaches may also be leaving, and he called that “a little concerning.”
Richmond — a three-star recruit from perennial powerhouse Chandler (Arizona) High — developed a strong relationship with wide receivers coach Matt Miller during the recruiting process.
“Your position coach is the person who dictates who is getting on the field. The head coach has the final say, but he’s getting what he knows from the position coach,” Richmond said. “Some players can get better because of their coaches. Some players can get held back by their coaches.”
Richmond’s high school teammate, running back Eli Sanders, is verbally committed to the Broncos but has yet to sign.
Boise State President Marlene Tromp weighed in on Harsin’s time with the Broncos on Tuesday night.
“Bryan Harsin has contributed to Boise State University as a student-athlete, as an assistant coach and in his last seven seasons as our head coach. We are proud of what he has been able to accomplish on The Blue, and we wish him the very best of luck at Auburn,” Tromp said.
Auburn President Jay Gogue welcomed Harsin.
“We started the search with two goals: We want a coach who will lead our team to consistently compete at the highest levels and to make Auburn proud on and off the field. We found both in Coach Harsin,” Gogue said.
This story was originally published December 22, 2020 at 9:12 PM.
