It’s been a busy morning for the Florida State Seminoles football program. CBSSports’ Brandon Marcello first broke the news that offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn would be retiring from football and the FSU
program. Within minutes, Marcello was also able to confirm that Tim Harris Jr. would replace Malzahn as offensive coordinator for FSU. Harris had been serving as wide receivers coach and the pass game coordinator.
Harris, who also has collegiate offensive coordinator experience at UCF and FIU, is in his second season on staff after joining as FSU’s pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2025. Last season, he helped develop an offense that led the ACC in total offense, rushing offense, third-down offense and yards per completion. The Seminoles ranked in the top 15 nationally in all four categories, placing fourth with 15.21 yards per completion, sixth in total offense with an average of 472.1 yards per game, eighth with a third-down percentage of 50.9, and 13th in rushing offense after averaging 218.7 yards per game on the ground.
Harris’ group, led by first-team All-ACC selection and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist Duce Robinson, showcased remarkable playmaking ability in 2025. Robinson caught 56 passes for 1,081 yards and six touchdowns, posting the ninth-highest single-season receiving yards total in program history. Robinson also produced the 14th 1,000-yard season in program history and became only the 11th different FSU receiver to reach the 1,000-yard milestone in a season. He led the ACC in 30- and 40-yard receptions, and his average of 19.3 yards per reception ranked second in the conference, behind only teammate Micahi Danzy.
In addition to Robinson, Danzy and other young receivers showed impressive development. Danzy made 27 receptions for 571 yards and three touchdowns through the air and added 227 yards and three touchdowns on 12 rushing attempts. Danzy led the ACC and ranked fourth nationally with an average of 21.2 yards per reception, and he joined Peter Warrick as the only FSU wide receivers with three rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns in the same season. Robinson and Danzy were responsible for eight individual 100-yard receiving games in 2025.
In 2024 at UCF, Harris coordinated the nation’s No. 7 rushing offense and No. 16 total offense as the Knights averaged 248.1 yards per game on the ground, the highest average in the Big 12, and 447.8 yards of total offense per game. In addition to leading the Big 12 in rushing, UCF also ranked in the top five of the conference in total offense, first downs gained and passing yards per completion.
First-team All-Big 12 running back RJ Harvey shined with Harris coordinating the offense. Harvey ranked in the top five nationally in all-purpose yards, points per game, rushing yards per game, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns and points scored per game. Wide receiver Kobe Hudson’s average of 16.38 yards per reception was the conference’s seventh-highest average.
In 2022, as co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach at UCF, he helped the Knights reach the AAC Championship Game with an offense that averaged 469.6 yards per game, the nation’s 16th-highest average, and ranked seventh in the country with an average of 228.4 rushing yards per game. That year, second-team all-conference performer Isaiah Bowser’s 16 rushing touchdowns were second in the conference and 14th in the country. Harris spent the 2015-20 seasons on staff at Florida International, first as running backs coach and then as offensive coordinator. He helped oversee the best stretch in FIU history as the Panthers won a program-record nine games, including the Bahamas Bowl, in 2018 one season after tying the previous record with eight wins in 2017. FIU qualified for a bowl game every year from 2017-19, the longest streak in program history. The 2019 team earned FIU’s third straight bowl trip with a 30-24 win over Miami, the first win over an ACC team in school history.
In 2020, with Harris serving as offensive coordinator and running backs coach, D’vonte Price led the conference with his average of 6.84 yards per carry and ranked 11th nationally with an average of 116.2 rushing yards per game. The 2019 offense was paced by future NFL running backs Anthony Jones and Napoleon Maxwell. Jones produced three consecutive 100-yard rushing games, only the second such streak in program history, and Jones and Maxwell both broke the 100-yard mark in a win over Charlotte. It was only the seventh time FIU produced two 100-yard rushers in the same game and the fifth time it occurred under Harris’ leadership.
Before beginning his collegiate coaching career, Harris spent six seasons at Booker T. Washington High School in Miami. As the head coach in 2014, he led the Tornadoes to a perfect 14-0 record, the 4A state championship and a No. 2 national ranking by USA Today. He was named the Florida Dairy Farmers Football Coach of the Year, the Miami Dolphins George Smith South Florida High School Football Coach of the Year, the NIKE Football State Coach of the Year and a finalist for the U.S. Army All-American National Coach of the Year.
Harris was Booker T. Washington’s offensive coordinator from 2009-13. He helped the Tornadoes win state titles in 2012 and 2013 and earn the national championship in 2013 with an offense that averaged 41.9 points per game. He also served as the head track and field coach from 2010-14, leading Booker T. Washington to the 2A state championship in 2014 after a runner-up finish in 2013. He was named the 2013 Miami-Dade County Boys Track & Field Coach of the Year.
