Last Thursday ESU’s football team led by 17-year head coach Garin Higgins defeated Northwest Missouri for the first time since 1994 breaking a 29-game losing streak to the Bearcats.
I was aware of Higgins during his playing career mostly as a reserve quarterback, but actually met him on Easter Sunday in either 2002 or 3 at lunch at the country club. He’s married to the former Emporian Heather North, Janelle and Tim’s daughter.
Higgins was in the middle of his 5-year career as head coach of NAIA powerhouse Northwestern Oklahoma.
At our Easter meeting in 2005, I asked Garin how things had gone the past season for his NW Rangers? He surprised me by saying he had left Northwest to become Offensive Coordinator at Minnesota State.
His answer as to why the change was informative.
Higgins told me he wanted to be a head football coach in Division II with coaching at Emporia State as his target, so needing to get into D-II they moved to Mankato.”
My next question was how did Heather handle the Minnesota winter?
“Not well,” he answered, “so we are going back to Oklahoma.”
The 2006 football season was not a good one for Emporia State so Athletic Director Kent Weiser made the decision to replace coach Dave Weimers.
The football coach opening at ESU wasn’t an hour old when my phone rang. Higgens asked me if I remembered him and then bluntly asked me if I’d help land the job.
I told him I was flattered by his call, but my influence on who got hired would not likely be significant.
I did tell Higgins what I would do was work on getting him an interview. I also had something else to share.
That something else was this. What he needed to fully understand was that head football coaches at Emporia State operate with fewer toys than some other coaches in the MIAA.
If he succeeded in landing the E-State job he’d need to not let jealousy haunt him. ESU will do everything it promises to support you, but unless a Hornet alum wins the lottery your playing field won’t always be level!
Seventeen years of success indicates Higgins has overcome any jealousy and created a culture athletic programs covet.
Doing things the Emporia State way has become Higgins legacy!
Kudos too, to retired AD Kent Weiser who recognized Higgins unique talent. Kent later shared with fans that Garin “blew him away” in his interview with his preparation, plan, and vision.
Credit Weiser too with sticking with Higgins who didn’t produce a winning season until year 6!
Congratulations Coach Higgins and his squad and staff and the ESU administration and fans for providing the resources and support to finally beat some pretty long odds. Stingers Up!
