After one season on the Kennesaw State football team staff, former defensive coordinator Blake Harrell accepted a position for the same role at East Carolina University on Wednesday, Jan. 29, according to ECU Athletics.
Harrell will vacate his positions on the KSU coaching staff as both defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
In 2019, Harrell helped lead KSU to a final ranking of eighth overall and an appearance in the second round of the FCS Playoffs. The Owls finished with a season record of 11-3, going 6-1 within the Big South Conference. The team tallied 13 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries on the year while outscoring its opponents by an average score of 38-19.
The Owls’ defense excelled under Harrell’s leadership in 2019. The team finished its season ranked third in the FCS in total defense after allowing just 278.7 yards per game, according to NCAA.com. KSU also ranked among the top-five rushing defenses in the country, as its opponents averaged only 88.9 yards per game on the ground.
During his tenure at KSU, Harrell helped junior linebacker Bryson Armstrong continue his development as one of the top players in the FCS.
Armstrong was named the 2019 Big South Defensive Player of the year after leading the team in 2019 with 95 tackles and two forced fumbles, while adding 3.5 sacks and an interception. He also became just the second player in school history to be named on the Associated Press All-America Second Team, according to KSU Athletics.
In January 2019, KSU named Harrell its new defensive coordinator after he spent five years coaching at The Citadel.
In the past year, Harrell also assisted the KSU football program in the area of recruiting. For the third consecutive season, the Owls signed the No. 1 class in the Big South conference, according to 247sports.com. During the early signing period for the 2020 recruiting class, Harrell signed seven defenders, including three-star defensive tackle Carlos Allen Jr. and two-star defensive end Cameron Donald.
Harrell will transition from the FCS to the Football Bowl Subdivision, which is the highest level of competition in college football. The ECU Pirates are a member of the American Athletic Conference, with its most recent postseason appearance in the 2015 Birmingham Bowl. Harrell will inherit a challenging situation at ECU, as the team posted a 1-7 conference record in 2019.
Last season, the Pirates allowed 53 touchdowns on the way to a 4-8 overall record. At the season’s end, ECU ranked 110th in FBS scoring defense with 33.7 points allowed per game, according to NCAA.com. Harrell will seek a quick turnaround for the defense as it prepares for a challenging 2020 schedule that includes offensive forces South Carolina, Navy and Memphis.
For the second time in as many years, KSU must hire a new defensive coordinator as spring practice approaches. The Owls will kick off the 2020 season against Point University at Fifth Third Bank Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5. The team has yet to announce a date for its annual spring game.
