Indiana football defensive coordinator Bryant Haines was named the Broyles Award winner Thursday night during a ceremony in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Haines was a finalist for the award given out to college football’s top assistant coach alongside Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, Miami defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and Texas Tech defensive coordinator Shiel Wood.
He’s the first Indiana assistant coach to win the prize that celebrated its 30th anniversary this season.
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Haines, who was also a finalist for the award after the 2024 season, put together a defensive unit that helped the Hoosiers win the CFP national title with a 16-0 record. They were ranked No. 4 in total defense (266 yards allowed per game) and No. 2 in scoring defense (11.7 points per game).
Indiana had the second most sacks (46), most tackles for loss (129), forced the third-most turnovers (30) and ranked in the top-10 in third-down defense (30.1% opponent conversions).
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti has cited Haines’ creativity and scheme, along with the continuity on his coaching staff, as key reasons for the program’s success. Haines has been calling plays for Cignetti going back to the 2022 season at James Madison and has been on his staff for all but one season going back to 2014.
“Haines is like the mad scientist,” Cignetti told The Herald-Times. “He’s going to throw the kitchen sink at you. You are going to get four down, three down, bear, odd packages, blitzes, a lot of different stuff. It evolves every year, every week. He’s really smart.”
Haines will be back on the sidelines with IU next season after signing a lucrative new three-year contract that makes him one of the highest-paid assistants in the FBS with a starting salary of $3 million a year. The Hoosiers have been proactive about keeping him in the fold, with high-profile programs reaching out to him each of the last two years.
“He’s happy, he works under a great coach and has great players and a great staff and loves the guys that coach for him,” former IU grad assistant and Haines’ longtime friend Chris Shula told The Herald-Times. “The grass isn’t always greener.”
The Hoosiers are bringing back six starters in 2026, including four players — defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker, linebackers Rolijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones, and safety Amare Ferrell — who earned All-Big Ten honors.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana football has its first Broyles winner, the ‘mad scientist’
Reporting by Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
