Dan Brainard enters his second season as the offensive coordinator of the Husson football team in 2019. He also serves as the team’s quarterbacks coach.
RECENTLY:
In his first season as the Eagle play-caller, Brainard had an immediate impact on the HU offense in 2018. With first-time starters at running back (Miece Loureiro), tight end (Keyshaun Robinson) and two wide receiver positions, and with a veteran quarterback (Cory Brandon), HU averaged 456.5 yards and 38.3 points per game. Brandon became the first quarterback in school history to throw for 2,500 yards and 25 or more touchdown passes, and his 2,447 yards of total offense ranks No. 1 in school history, while Loureiro rushed for 993 yards and nine touchdowns and Robinson set new single-season school records for tight ends for catches (38), yards (526) and touchdowns (7).
Also under Brainard, HU’s 2018 offense set school records for passes completed in a game (30 at Rensselaer) and a season (203), yards gained passing in a game (401 vs. Gallaudet) and a season (2,670), completion percentage in a season (64.0), touchdown passes thrown in a game (5 vs. Gallaudet) and a season (28), passing efficiency rating in a season (157.0), yards-per-attempt average in a game (15.4 vs. Gallaudet), yards per game average (242.7), first downs passing in a season (109), total offense yards in a game (739 at Alfred State), yards per play average in a season (6.65), first downs in a game (35 at Alfred State), longest run from scrimmage (90 yards by Loureiro vs. Gallaudet), passes attempted by an individual in a game (44 by Brandon at Rensselaer), passes completed by an individual in a game (30 by Brandon at Rensselaer) and a season (188 by Brandon), yards gained passing by an individual in a game (404 by Brandon vs. Gallaudet) and a season (2,535 by Brandon), touchdown passes thrown by an individual in a game (5 by Brandon vs. Gallaudet) and a season (27 by Brandon), yards per game average by an individual in a season (230.5 by Brandon), yards per completion average by an individual in game (26.9 by Brandon vs. Gallaudet), yards per attempt average by an individual in a game (19.2 by Brandon vs. Gallaudet) and a season (8.8 by Brandon), completion percentage by an individual in game (89.5 by Brandon at Alfred State) and a season (65.5 by Brandon), passing efficiency rating by an individual in a game (311.6 by Brandon vs. Gallaudet) and a season (165.2 by Brandon), total offense yards by an individual in a game (387 by Brandon vs. Gallaudet) and a season (2,447 by Brandon), total offense yards per play average by an individual in a game (17.6 by Brandon vs. Gallaudet) and a season (7.97 by Brandon), total offense yards per game by an individual in a season (222.5 by Brandon), and touchdowns responsible for by an individual in a game (5 by Brandon vs. Gallaudet).
Individually, Brainard’s offense produced six All-ECFC First Team selections (senior left guard Brad Weston, Loureiro, senior wide receiver Kyle Gaudet, Robinson, sophomore left tackle Jacob Cameron and senior wide receiver/return specialist Ty Bassett), one All-ECFC Second Team honoree (Brandon) and one All-ECFC honorable mention choice (senior center Dominic Boulrisse). Weston was named the program’s third ECFC Offensive Lineman of the Year, while being selected to the New England Football Writers (NEFW) All-England squad and d3football.com All-East Season Team.
As HU’s wide receivers coach, Brainard helped elevate the Eagle wideouts into the national spotlight as Gaudet became the first wide receiver in program history to earn a spot on the NEFW All-New England and d3football.com All-East squads after a record-breaking senior campaign in 2018. The 2018 ECFC First Team selection set new school record marks for passes caught in game (9 at Rensselaer) and a season (66), yards gained by receiving in a game (249 vs. Gallaudet) and a season (1,031), yards per catch average in a game (35.6 vs. Gallaudet), receptions per game average in a season (6.00) and consecutive games with a reception (20) en route to becoming the first wideout in program history to surpass the 1,000 receiving yard mark in a single-season. Gaudet completed his HU career with 114 receptions, 1,666 yards, and 19 TDs in 34 career games and left the program as the all-time career leader in receptions, yards and receptions-per-game average (3.35), while having the second most touchdown catches. He is the first player in HU history to record 100 catches, 1,500 or more yards and 15 or more TDs catches in their career.
Other wide receivers to blossom under Brainard’s watch in 2018 was Bassett and sophomore Tyler Halls. Bassett flourished as a dynamic playmaker in both the passing and running games as well as making an impact on specials teams, while Halls caught 28 passes for 318 yards with three touchdowns in his first season as an Eagle after spending the 2017 season as a member of the Western New England University Golden Bears football program.
PREVIOUSLY:
Brainard joined the HU coaching staff in the spring of 2018 after spending the past six seasons at his alma mater Hartwick College working with the Hawks’ wide receivers, tight ends, and special teams.
In 2017, Brainard helped a pair of Hawks’ receivers, Koree Reed and Brad Garcia, earned Empire 8 (E8) First Team honors as well being selected to d3football.com All-East squad for the second straight season. Reed topped the E8 in reception yards (1,067) and reception yards per game (106.7). He was the only player in the conference to break to 1,000-yard mark. Reed was also second in receiving touchdowns (11). Garcia led the E8 in touchdown receptions with 14 and he was second in both reception yards (914) and reception yards per game (91.4) this season.
In 2016, Brainard worked with Reed, who led the nation in reception yards per game and was named both an Associated Press Little All-American and to the American Football Coaches Assocation (AFCA) All-America First Team. In that same season, Garcia earned E8 First Team honors, and ranked 11th in the NCAA in reception yards per game.
In 2015, Brainard coached a pair of Hawks - Garcia and Tanner Williams - who combined for 132 receptions, 2,625 yards, 21 touchdowns, and each ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA in reception yards per game. Garcia led the country in the category (138.2) while Williams ranked ninth (124.3). Both players earned E8 First Team and All-ECAC honors.
PERSONAL:
Brainard was the starting quarterback for Hartwick during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. He finished his career ranked 5th in Hartwick history in passing yards (3,371) and 6th in passing touchdowns (22).
In his junior season, he completed 74 passes for 1,146 yards and eight touchdowns to help the Hawks to a 4-5 year. Brainard threw for a career-high 377 yards against Ithaca.
The following year he came close to doubling his offensive numbers, throwing for 2,225 yards and 14 touchdowns on 171 completions. He excelled down the stretch for Hartwick as he threw for 965 yards and eight touchdowns over the final three games of the season.
Brainard earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Hartwick College in 2012.
A native of Owego, N.Y., Brainard attended Owego Free Academy. He and his wife Kori reside in Bangor, Maine.
