When Maine football coach Jack Cosgrove retired after the 2015 season, the Black Bears’ athletic department quickly named defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak as his replacement.
Harasymiak was given the tag of interim coach in November of 2015 before he was named head coach on Dec. 16. At age 30, Harasymiak is the youngest coach in Division I football.
“For me, being in the program since 2011 had a lot to do with myself having the opportunity to become the next head coach when coach Cosgrove retired,” Harasymiak said “But my growth and development within the program and my familiarity with the unique challenges up here is probably why I had an upper hand in that.