Boise State hires Arkansas State coach Bryan Harsin

Dan Wolken | USA TODAY Sports

Boise State has hired Arkansas State coach Bryan Harsin, the school announced Wednesday.

USA TODAY Sports reported the hiring earlier in the day.

Harsin, 37, went 7-5 last season in his first year as a head coach. He was an assistant at Boise from 2002-2010 before going to Texas as offensive coordinator for two years.

Harsin replaces Chris Petersen, who was hired Friday to take the job at Washington.

"We are extremely excited in our selection of Bryan Harsin as the next head football coach at Boise State," Boise State athletic director Mark Coyle said in a statement. "Bryan is one of the top young head coaches in college football and we are thrilled to bring him back to Boise to lead the Bronco program. Bryan played a key role in the development of the football program as an assistant for 10 years at Boise State and we look forward to his leadership as we continue the ascension of Bronco football."

Harsin's tenure at Arkansas State lasted one day short of a full year.

The buyout Harsin will owe Arkansas State is $1.75 million that must be paid within 10 calendar days. However, Boise State is getting $750,000 as a buyout from Petersen for his departure to Washington.

Petersen was 92-12 in his eight seasons at Boise State, turning the Broncos into a national program with two Fiesta Bowl titles. The Broncos won five conference championships under Petersen and between 2008-11 won 12 games in every season. The Broncos reached as high as No. 2 in the AP Top 25 in 2010.

While at Boise State, Harsin oversaw an offense led on the field by quarterback Kellen Moore, who won 50 games as a starter to become college football's winningest quarterback. During his five years as offensive coordinator, the Broncos put together a 61-5 record, won two BCS bowls and won at least 12 games in four seasons.

For Arkansas State, defensive coordinator John Thompson has been interim head coach. The Red Wolves will face Ball State on Jan. 5 in the GoDaddy Bowl.

"We appreciate everything Coach Harsin did for Arkansas State during his time as head football coach," said athletic director Terry Mohajir said in a statement. "We wish him and his family only the best in their future. We will now turn our attention to conducting a national search for a head coach to lead our three-time defending Sun Belt Conference champion football program."

Contributing: The Associated Press