Buddy Teevens knows what it is like to be the youngest head football coach in Division I.
In 1985, Teevens made his debut as the head coach at the University of Maine at the tender age of 28, which earned him that distinction.
Now, 29-year-old Joe Harasymiak will claim that title after the Black Bears’ defensive coordinator was named to replace his mentor, Jack Cosgrove, as the head coach.
Teevens said being a young head coach can be problematic at some schools, but it wasn’t for him at Maine. He also said he doesn’t expect it to be a problem for Harasymiak.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for a young guy,” said Teevens. “It’s nice to see the university recognize a guy with potential and put their support behind him. I wish him the best of luck.”
Teevens said he didn’t dwell on his age when he was named the head coach at UMaine.
“Ignorance is bliss,” said Teevens on Wednesday. “In my case, I didn’t think about my age. I was prepared. I had worked [as the offensive coordinator] under Rick Taylor at Boston University, and I watched how he handled situations. He included me in a lot of different things.”
He said he also benefitted from a wonderful support system at UMaine.
“Stu Haskell was the athletic director at the time, and he was wonderful in terms of moving the program forward, and Walt [Abbott, former head coach and athletic director] was still there, and he was wonderful from a historical perspective,” he said.
“I was smart enough to rely on other folks who had been around a little bit. That is advice I would give any young coach. Find some people who have been around [football] and seek some anecdotes or recommendations from them. Find people you can bounce ideas off,” said Teevens.
Teevens said there also are a number of longtime UMaine boosters who are extremely loyal to the program and they make the job easier with their encouragement.
“There’s a uniqueness about it. The state takes great pride in the institution. I was really appreciative of the support and of the fact they took a chance on me. I really enjoyed Maine,” he said.
Teevens said the biggest adjustment for Harasymiak will be the administrative aspects of the job and that it will be important for him to name a top-notch staff he can rely on.
“You can’t do it all yourself. That’s the hardest lesson I had to learn,” said Teevens. “I had a good, loyal staff when I was at Maine that included [current Harvard head coach] Tim Murphy as my offensive coordinator and [current University of California-Berkeley cornerbacks coach] John Lovett as my defensive coordinator. That made the transition easier for me.
Dartmouth shared the Ivy League championship this year with Murphy’s Crimson and the University of Pennsylvania.
Harasymiak’s former college head coach and UMaine players spoke highly of him.
“Joe is an exceptional young man,” said Mike DeLong, who recently retired after 32 years as the head coach at Springfield College where Harasymiak was a two-time, all-conference defensive back.
“He’s very smart, he has high energy, he has all the pieces you would want in a head coach,” added DeLong, who also served as the head coach for two seasons at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.
“That’s my guy. The team will be in good hands,” said Black Bears senior All-Colonial Athletic Conference defensive end Trevor Bates of Westbrook. “He’s the best. He has a great relationship with the players. He cares about all of us and gets the best out of us.”
Bates said Harasymiak is an outstanding communicator who lets his players know where they stand.
“He’s a straight shooter. He’s very clear about what needs to be done and how to go about getting things done,” said Bates. “He’ll point out your mistakes, but once you correct them, he moves on.”
Bates also said Harasymiak possesses tremendous enthusiasm and excitement at practice as well as during the games.
“Whenever somebody would make a big play, he would be just as excited as the rest of us on the sidelines,” said Bates.
As a defensive back at Springfield, Harasymiak tied the school record for interceptions in a season (10) and in a career (17).
“He was very bright back there and was never in bad position,” said DeLong. “He was a very hard worker and was a well-respected kid.”
Senior Randy Samuels, an All-CAA second-team linebacker this season, called Harasymiak, “the best coach I’ve ever played for.
“All the players and coaches respect him and look up to him,” said Samuels. “This is big for the program.”
Samuels said Harasymiak is one of the primary reasons he developed into an all-conference linebacker.
DeLong said Harasymiak will be effective leading the program on and off the field.
“He’ll also be good with the alums. He has great maturity for a young coach,” said DeLong.
“He’ll have a good handle on the offensive aspect of the game because, as a defensive coordinator, you study offenses because you have to try to stop them,” he added.