Cal makes bold hire for OC with former Auburn, Boise State head coach | Sporting News

Cal was not in the coaching carousel as far as head coach goes. The Golden Bears are retaining Justin Wilcox for a ninth season, but they needed a new offensive coordinator after moving on from Mike Bloesch. Now, they’ve made a somewhat splashy hire, bringing in former Auburn and Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin to lead the offense, according to Brett McMurphy at Action Network.

This move comes as Cal looks to build on its inaugural season in the ACC, where they finished 6-6 and earned berth to the LA Bowl.

Harsin brings a proven offensive pedigree to Berkeley, highlighted by his time at Boise State. As the Broncos’ offensive coordinator from 2006 to 2010, he guided a high-powered offense that helped the program achieve a 61-5 record, including two undefeated seasons and Fiesta Bowl victories over Oklahoma and TCU.

As Boise State’s head coach from 2014 to 2020, he compiled a 69-19 record and led the team to five seasons of 10 or more wins. In his first season, he guided the Broncos to a Mountain West Championship and a Fiesta Bowl victory over Arizona, marking one of the most successful coaching debuts in program history.

However, Harsin’s tenure at Auburn was far more turbulent. Hired in December 2020, Harsin’s time with the Tigers lasted less than two seasons and was marred by controversy.

In his first year, Auburn finished 6-7, the program’s worst record since 2012, though it included ranked wins over Arkansas and Ole Miss and a narrow 4OT loss to Alabama. Following that season, Harsin faced significant turnover among his coaching staff, including losing both his offensive and defensive coordinators, as well as the departure of 31 players, including starting quarterback Bo Nix, who described his experience as “miserable.”

In February 2022, Auburn conducted an inquiry into Harsin’s program amidst rumors and criticism, with several players and former staff speaking out against his leadership. Though Auburn retained him at the time, Harsin was ultimately fired midway through the 2022 season after a 3-5 start. He finished with a 9-12 record, the lowest winning percentage for a non-interim Auburn coach since the 1940s.

At Cal, Harsin will look to rebuild his reputation while addressing the Golden Bears’ offensive struggles. The team ranked No. 82 in scoring offense this past season, averaging just 26.1 points per game. His hiring signals a significant investment in improving Cal’s offensive production and positioning the team as a more competitive force in the ACC.

With Harsin’s proven track record of offensive success, Cal fans hope he can bring stability and innovation to a program that has lacked consistency on that side of the ball.