Ex-Auburn Head Coach Bryan Harsin Named Cal's Offensive Coordinator

Harsin, who will also serve as the Bears' quarterbacks coach, becomes Cal's fourth offensive coordinator in four years

Bryan Harsin (right) when he was the Auburn head coach in 2022 / Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cal officially announced on Tuesday that former Auburn and Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin has been named the Golden Bears' offensive coordinator..

Harsin, 48, has been out of coaching since since he was fired by Auburn in October 2022 midway through that season.

"Coach Harsin is one of the best offensive minds in football and we are excited to welcome him to Cal," Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said in a statement issued by the school. "I have spent several years of my coaching career on the same staff and in the same room with Coach Harsin. He is a proven winner whose record speaks for itself and he will make an immediate impact on our offense and in recruiting."  

The hiring of Harsin reunites him with Wilcox, who was Boise State's defensive coordinator while Harsin was the Broncos' offensive coordinator from 2006 to 2009 when Chris Petersen was Boise State's head coach.

Harsin becomes the Bears' fourth offensive coordinator in the past four seasons. Bill Musgrave was Cal's offensive coordinator until he was replaced by Jake Spavital after the 2022 season. Spavital served just one season as the Bears offensive coordinator before leaving to become Baylor's offensive coordinator following the 2023 season. He was replaced as offensive coordinator by Mike Bloesch, who was already on the Cal coaching staff as offensive line coach. But Bloesch lasted just one season as offensive coordinator with Harsin coming on board for the 2025 season.

Cal also announced that Harsin will be the Bears quarterbacks coach, which calls into question the status of Sterlin Gilbert, who served as Cal's quarterbacks coach this season. No announcement was made regarding the status of all of Cal's 2024 assistant coaches.

Cal announced last week that it was seeking a new offensive coordinator after Bloesch served as the Bears offensive coordinator for one season in 2024. Bloesch was also Cal's offensive line coach the past two seasons, and it's unclear whether Bloesch will retain his job as the Bears' offensive line coach or will leave for a position at another college.

Harsin was hired as Boise State's head coach prior to the 2014 season, and amassed a 69-19 record in seven seasons at his alma mater before being hired by Auburn following the 2020 season.

Auburn finished with a 6-7 record in Harsin's first season with the Tigers in 2021, and the team was 3-5 in 2022 when he was fired.

Auburn owed Harsin $15.3 million upon his termination. Half of it was paid immediately and the rest in four installments. That may explain why he did not bother to get a coaching job the past two seasons.

He has also been the head coach at Arkansas State in 2013, going 7-5 in his one season there before being hired at Boise State.

Harsin was the Boise State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2006 to 2010, and he also spent two seasons as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas in 2011 and 2012 before being hired at Arkansas State.

Follow Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

Find Cal Sports Report on Facebook by going to https://www.facebook.com/si.calsportsreport