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Head Coach
Garin Higgins
Former Hornet Garin Higgins was named the 21st head football coach at Emporia State on December 15, 2006. Higgins was one of 72 formal applicants for the position.
Higgins compiled a 51-9 record (.857) as the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State University before becoming the co-offensive coordinator at NCAA Division II member Minnesota State in 2005. Last season he was the offensive coordinator at Northeastern State University of the Lone Star Conference. NSU was 3-2 in the LSC, their first winning conference record since 2000.
While at NWOSU, the Rangers qualified for the NAIA playoffs five consecutive seasons, had three national title game appearances and he was named the Central State Football League Coach of the Year five straight years from 2000 through 2004. He also led the Rangers to five CSFL titles during that span. Higgins’s offense rolled up over 42 points per game from 1999-2003 and his rushing offense led the nation in 1999 and 2000. The Rangers won 31 consecutive games from Oct. 1998 through December 2000 and were 15-3 against NCAA Division II schools under Higgins. His .857 winning percentage is the highest in NWOSU history.
Higgins has coached three players that have gone on to play in the NFL - Lynn Scott with the Dallas Cowboys, Sam Breeden with the Green Bay Packers and current Dallas Cowboy Patrick Crayton. This past season he coached Jarrett Byers to the 2006 Lone Star Conference North Wide Receiver of the Year Award
“Emporia State can and will compete for conference championships in football,” said Higgins. “And the MIAA is hands down the best conference in the nation.”
A native of Blackwell, Okla. where he was an all-state quarterback, Higgins earned his undergraduate degree at Emporia State in 1992. He was a four-year letterman for the Hornets and helped lead the team to a national runner-up finish in 1989. He has been involved with four teams that have played for or won national championships as a player, coordinator or head coach.
“Emporia State provided me a wonderful experience as a student-athlete and I hope to do the same for my players,” said Higgins. “We are going to recruit kids that want to come to ESU and represent this university well on the field, in the classroom and in the community.”
Higgins and his wife Heather, a 1995 graduate of ESU, are the parents of three children - son Halen and daughters Harlee and Gracyn.
THE HIGGINS FILE
Coaching Career
2006 Off. Coordinator - Northeastern State 4-6
2005 Co-Off. Coordinator - Minn. State 2-9
2004 Head Coach - Northwestern Okla. *9-2
2003 Head Coach - Northwestern Okla. #11-2
2002 Head Coach - Northwestern Okla. *11-1
2001 Head Coach - Northwestern Okla. *7-3
2000 Head Coach - Northwestern Okla. #13-1
1999 Offensive Coordinator - NWOSU !13-0
1998 Offensive Coordinator - NWOSU 7-3
1997 Offensive Coordinator - NWOSU 5-5
1996 RB/QB Coach - NWOSU *8-3
1995 RB/QB Coach - NWOSU 5-5
1994 RB/QB Coach - NWOSU 1-9
1993 Grad. Asst. - Northeastern State 7-3
1992 Grad. Asst. - Northeastern State 5-5
Playing Career
1990 Quarterback - Emporia State 6-4
1989 Quarterback - Emporia State #11-2
1988 Quarterback - Emporia State *8-3
1987 Quarterback - Emporia State *7-4
!NAIA National Champion
#NAIA National Runners-up
*NAIA Playoffs
What others say
“Garin Higgins is an outstanding football coach, but more importantly, a man of integrity who wants his players to succeed on and off the field. At Northwestern, he was an outstanding recruiter and created excitement among our students, our alumni and our community. Garin and his family will be outstanding representatives of Emporia State University.”
Janet Cunningham
President
Northwestern Oklahoma State University
“Coach Higgins was a valuable asset to the Northeastern State football family and was instrumental in our team’s successes this season as our offensive coordinator. He related well to our student-athletes and they responded to his philosophy.”
Eddie Griffin
Athletic Director
Northeastern State University
“I've known Garin Higgins throughout his entire career and have found him to be a man of integrity and very passionate about his work. He has shown tremendous rapport and communication skills with his players and their families. Garin is one of the most competitive people I know and has been able to carry that over to his teams. Emporia State University is very fortunate to have Garin Higgins lead its football program.”
Tim Albin
Offensive Coordinator
Ohio University
“Coach Higgins will bring success to Emporia State both on the field and in the classroom. He helped me tremendously as both a player and a person and made sure I got my degree.”
Patrick Crayton
Wide Receiver
Dallas Cowboys (played for Higgins at NWOSU)