UMass Football Hires Rutgers Defensive Coordinator Joe Harasymiak As New Head Coach

G5 Football Daily Staff | Dec 4, 2024

Defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak observes warm up exercises before Rutgers University football spring practice at Marco Battaglia Practice Complex in Piscataway, NJ Tuesday April 11, 2023. Ru02 / Tanya Breen / USA TODAY NETWORK

UMass has named Joe Harasymiak as the 32nd head coach in program history, as announced by the school on Wednesday morning.

Harasymiak spent the last three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Rutgers. Prior to his time with the Scarlet Knights, he led Maine from 2016-2018 and amassed a 20-15 record in three seasons with the Black Bears.

In his final season, Harasymiak was named 2018 National FCS Coach of the Year, after guiding Maine to a 10-4 record and a No. 4 overall ranking at the FCS level.

"We are thrilled to welcome Joe, his wife, Brittany, and daughters, Sophie and Ellie, to the Massachusetts Athletics family," said Umass Athletic Director Ryan Bamford. "With extensive ties to football in the northeast, which began in our back yard where he excelled at Springfield College, he is the perfect fit to lead us into a new era. A successful leader, recruiter and tactician, his feats have included a conference championship at Maine, and most recently helping Rutgers to back-to-back bowl seasons. Joe has been a proven winner at every level.

"I am thrilled and extremely grateful for this opportunity to be the next head coach at the University of Massachusetts," said Harasymiak.

Prior to Rutgers, Harasymiak was at Minnesota, where he served as the defensive backs/safeties coach (2018-19) and as the co-defensive coordinator (2020-21).

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