Bryan Harsin And Auburn Announce Staff Promotions, Including Offensive Coordinator

After a wild few weeks in Auburn, things seem to be calming down, at least for a bit. Bryan Harsin was allowed to keep his job as head coach and now he's starting to make a few coaching moves on his staff.

After Austin Davis resigned from his position a few weeks ago, Bryan Harsin has now promoted wide receivers coach Eric Kiesau to offensive coordinator. Kiesau was named the WR coach this past September, after Harsin fired Cornelius Williams just four games into the 2021 season. Kiesau spent the previous four seasons at Boise State before going the Auburn staff as an analyst.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some really good coaches in my career, but very few have the offensive mind, the attention to detail and the overall plan for execution like Coach Harsin,” said Kiesau. “I’m fired up to work in a collaborative offensive environment like we have, from the head coach to the coordinator and position coaches to the analysts and all the way down to the graduate assistants. This gives you an opportunity to be successful, and our players feel that chemistry.”

In other news on the plains, Harsin has moved defensive analyst Roc Bellatoni to edge linebackers coach and special teams coordinator. Bellantoni was the special teams coordinator and defensive assistant at Utah State in 2020. During his tenure with the Aggies he served as interim defensive coordinator for two games. He spent the 2019 season as the interim defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Washington State. He will now run the special teams unit and be an integral part of the defensive game planning.

Bryan Harsin had this to say about the promotions.

“One of the biggest things our players and program needs going from year one to year two with us is consistency - consistency with the system, the coaches and our plan for success,” Harsin said. “Coach Kiesau and Coach Bellantoni are excellent football coaches and teachers of the game with 44 years of Division I experience between them, including 22 combined years in coordinator roles. Both have been part of the relationship building process over this past year here at Auburn, with the team and staff. They understand fully and are bought in on our goal and process.”

These weren't the only moves, as Harsin also promoted secondary coach Zac Etheridge to Associate Head Coach.

Now Auburn will continue working to prepare for spring practice and try to mend the public relations mess on the recruiting trail.