After numerous overtures to Power 5 programs, Bryan Harsin finally left his alma mater for greener … Plains. Harsin’s surprising move from Boise State to Auburn opens a highly sought after job late in the 2020 coaching cycle.
Harsin went 69-19 at Boise State and dominated the Mountain West, going 45-8 with three league titles and five division titles. He won the Fiesta Bowl in his first season, but was unable to return to the New Year’s Six stage, as Houston, UCF and the American Athletic Conference supplanted Boise State as the main attraction of the group of 5.
Still, Boise State remains extremely attractive to coaches, more so than many Power 5 jobs. The school’s last five head coaches all left for Power 5 opportunities: Harsin, Chris Petersen (Washington), Dan Hawkins (Colorado), Dirk Koetter (Arizona State), and Houston Nutt (Arkansas).
Boise State is in a transition period, seeking both an athletic director and a new coach. Fortunately, the school has a strong pool of candidates, especially those with direct ties.
I would be surprised if the search gets past the first two names on this list.
The candidates
Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore