HCU Announces Selection of New Head Football Coach

Braxton Harris was announced as the new Houston Christian University (HCU) head football coach at a noon press conference held on campus, Tuesday, December 13, 2023. Administrators, staff and local media outlets gathered to hear the announcement by HCU Director of Athletics Steve Moniaci and HCU President Robert Sloan.

Harris was selected as the second head coach in the HCU football program’s 10-year history following a nationwide search of over 100 applicants.

“Braxton Harris is a great fit for Houston Christian University,” Sloan said. “We welcome him, his wife, Jennifer, and their four children to the HCU family. His record of achievement with respect to building successful programs, combined with his love of young people, as reflected in his ability to recruit players and lead them to success, both academically and competitively, give the Huskies a promising future.”

Former associate head coach, linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Campbell University, Harris placed a program-record 12 student-athletes on the All-Big South teams this past season. During the December 2021 Early Signing Period, the Camels landed the top freshman class in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) according to Lights On College Sports, signing three of the nation’s top 10 recruits.

Moniaci commended Harris during the press conference as a candidate who satisfied the University’s top criteria as a man of faith, an enthusiastic leader and talented athletic recruiter.

“We had targeted Coach Harris from the start,” Moniaci said. “We were looking for someone who will energize the football program and someone with strong Houston and Texas ties to recruit at an elite level. Our talent pool during the search was tremendous, as we visited with some great coaches, but in the end, we came back to where we started and feel Coach Harris is the best fit for HCU.”

During the conference, Harris expressed excitement on his selection and said that he is ready to “hit the ground running” as he aims to build a winning team of players on and off the field and a football program that can compete in the Southland Conference and win championships.

“This is not just a football product, this is a HCU product and we’re excited to be a part of that. We will build a program that makes everyone proud to be a HCU Husky,” said Harris.

No stranger to winning, Harris, in his first season at Campbell, Harris helped the Camels rank fourth in the FCS in takeaways (25) and defensive touchdowns (4). One of the program’s players, CJ Tillman earned Freshman All-America honors and was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award given to the top freshman in the FCS.

As head coach at Howard Payne from 2017-19, Harris led the Yellow Jackets to a 5-5 record in his final season, posting the program’s most overall wins and conference wins (4) since 2006.

As the assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator at Texas Lutheran University (TLU) from 2013-16, Harris helped guide a previously 0-10 program to a 25-5 record over three years and three consecutive conference championships (2013, 2014, 2015). Harris originally joined the TLU staff in 2011 as the defensive ends and linebackers coach, as well as special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator.

Harris enjoys the support of his wife, Jennifer and his four children, Brooks, Fisher, Cooper and Cate, and is excited to carry on the HCU Football Program’s pillar of Family, Faith and Football.

HCU will kick off the 2023 Football Season on Sept. 2 with a home opener against Trinity.