The FIU Panthers football coaching staff finally complete after two new hires
FIU’s football program finally has a full coaching staff.
Coach Butch Davis on Monday announced the hiring of offensive coordinator Andrew Breiner and special-teams guru Casey Horny. Breiner will also coach running backs.
Breiner is FIU’s third offensive coordinator in the past four-plus months. Rich Skrosky was let go after last season ended with a 0-5 record and a passing game that was ranked among the seven worst in the nation (121st out of 127 FBS teams).
Running backs coach Tim Harris Jr. was then elevated to offensive coordinator, but he almost immediately left to UCF. He became UCF’s co-offensive coordinator Feb. 21.
Horny, meanwhile, replaces Harrison Green.
Breiner, 36, spent last year in the NFL as a passing-game analyst for the Philadelphia Eagles. He had a similar position with Mississippi State in 2018 and 2019 and was Fordham’s head coach for two years, going 8-3 in 2016 and 4-7 the next season.
A Dallas native, Breiner grew up in Pittsburgh and played wide receiver at Lock Haven, an NCAA Division II university.
He was Fordham’s offensive coordinator for four years under coach Joe Moorhead. Breiner then succeeded Moorhead as Fordham coach only to follow him to Mississippi State two years later. Moorhead is now the offensive coordinator at the University of Oregon, working for — ironically — ex-FIU coach Mario Cristobal.
Breiner takes over an FIU offense that desperately needs to identify a standout quarterback. Max Bortenschlager, Kaylan Wiggins and Haden Carlson are FIU’s top three candidates.
On special teams, Horny, who like Breiner is a Texas native, inherits a standout punter in Tommy Heatherly. Kicker Chase Gabriel has potential, and FIU has some threats on returns such as Lexington Joseph (kickoffs) and Bryce Singleton (punts).
Horny spent the past four seasons at the University of Texas as a special-teams quality control coach.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and tight end Jonnu Smith are the most successful products of the FIU program. Hilton re-signed with the Colts for one year and $10 million, including $8 million guaranteed. Smith signed with the Patriots for four years, $50 million, including $31.25 million guaranteed.
▪ FIU’s baseball team (12-14) is riding a season-best three-game win streak after sweeping visiting Western Kentucky. FIU allowed a total of three runs in the sweep.
FIU will visit Miami on Wednesday. The Hurricanes pounded FIU 21-1 last Wednesday.
That Miami loss is part of an up-and-down year for FIU. The high points so far have been the sweep over Western Kentucky and splitting four games at Coastal Carolina. The low points have been the loss to UM, getting swept in three games by visiting Indiana State, a 21-4 loss to Miami of Ohio and a sweep loss at Old Dominion that included a 14-0 defeat.