Recently head coach Bryan Harsin spoke about the tumultuous last couple of months on the Plains. The second-year head coach wasn’t quite sure if he would be leading the program in 2022 after his job security came under question by the administration and outgoing school president Jay Gogue.
“From a professional standpoint, I’ve been really proud of our football team,” Harsin said on The Next Round radio show. “To see this the guys come together. We went through some tough times and to see guys step up and lead and really bring the team together. That is something that we have always felt here is really important, that you have a player-driven team.”
Players such as center Nick Brahms and tight end John Samuel Shenker were among the players that went to bat for their head coach. Brahms even invited the Board of Trustees to meet with the team that spends the most time with Harsin. Ultimately, the situation ended with Harsin returning for his second year as the Tigers head coach.
It wasn’t easy for Harsin after his family had to deal with something entirely new to them, the vitriol from social media.
“Personally, one of the most difficult times that my family and I ever been through,” Harsin said. “Just some of the things that played out on social media, just the attacks, the information that was baseless.”
As Harsin would say, some of the things that were directed at him and his family went too far. It is one thing to question a head coach but a family of a head coach should never have to endure some of those attacks. However, as Harsin notes, it is just part of the profession.
“There’s a lot of stuff on there that’s just like the sewer that you’ve got to be very careful of. When this was over, the mob just moves on. They’re just on to their next victim. They’re onto the next thing, they’re on to whatever they’re going to talk about next, and so as you’re dealing with it, sometimes in these situations it just takes some time. You know what the facts are, you know what’s being said is not true, but you got to go through a process. It just takes time while things are being said.”