AUSTIN, TEXAS (AP) - Seeking to add some punch to an offense that faltered badly last season, Texas coach Mack Brown hired Boise State offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin on Friday to handle the play-calling for the Longhorns.
Harsin will share the offensive coordinator title with former Texas quarterback Major Applewhite, who has been on staff the last three seasons as running backs coach.
“What a great opportunity to come to a place like Texas with its rich history and tradition,” Harsin said. “We’ve had success at Boise State over the years, but you look at a Texas and it has been a championship program for a long, long time and it’s just one of those places you want to be a part of.”
Harsin replaces Greg Davis, who won a national championship with Texas in 2005 and played for another in 2009, but resigned after the Longhorns went 5-7 last season.
Harsin spent 10 seasons on the Boise State staff, the last five as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was a finalist for the 2009 Broyles Award given to the nation’s top assistant coach.
Under Harsin, the Broncos had one of the nation’s most potent offensive attacks. Boise State went 61-5 over the last five seasons. The Broncos ranked among the top scoring teams in the country under his play calling.
“Bryan and Major working together gives us two of the best, young offensive minds in the country,” Brown said.
Hiring Harsin is the latest move in Texas coach Mack’ Brown staff shake-up. On Thursday, Texas introduced new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, who spent last season with Mississippi State. Five Texas assistants, including defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, who had been designated as Brown’s successor, left the program to take other jobs or resigned or retired.
Muschamp left Texas to be the head coach at Florida.
Davis had been with Brown at Texas since 1997 and had led some of the most successful offenses in program history. But he was the frequent target of fan frustration when Texas lost, which reached a fever pitch in Texas’ dismal 2010 season.
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