John Harakal ’02 enters his fourth season as Thiel’s defensive coordinator.
Harakal had an immediate impact on Thiel’s defense in his first season as the unit’s coordinator in 2012. Under Harakal, the Tomcat defense finished second in the PAC in total defense, allowing an average of just 284.6 yards per game. The squad was also the best in the conference in stopping the run, giving up an average of 107.7 yards per game and racking up a conference-best 33 sacks.
Harakal coached eight PAC All-Conference players in 2012, including: first team defensive end Tim Taylor, and Kris Tursky, Cody McClelland, Ethan Ludwig, Jack Sindlinger, Tom Thorpe, Martae Hainesworth and Marshaun Hainesworth, who were all honorable mention selections.
Harakal mentored Taylor during his senior season in 2012, helping the defensive end set a new single-season record for sacks in a season (13.5), surpassing Jason Diley’s record (12), which stood since 1995. Taylor finished his career as the program’s all-time career leader in sacks (34.5) and tackles for loss (66.5).
Taylor was honored with multiple postseason honors following his senior campaign with the Tomcats. He was named to the Capital One Academic All-District IV First Team, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America First Team, the Associated Press (AP) Little All-America Third Team, the D3Football.com All-South Region Third Team, and was selected to play in the annual D3 Senior Classic Scout Bowl, where he helped the South team to a 37-21 victory with team-highs in sacks (2) and tackles for loss (4).
Before being named defensive coordinator at Thiel, Harakal spent two seasons (2010-11) at Leesburg High School in Lake County, Fla., as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
Prior to his time at Leesburg, Harakal spent three seasons in a variety of positions with the Rutgers University football program. Under Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano, Harakal served as the assistant defensive line coach during the 2009 season, where he was responsible for coaching the defensive ends, overseeing the quality control staff and playing a role in the recruitment of student-athletes.
After completing a stellar four-year career at Thiel as a fullback, and earning his bachelor’s degree in history in 2002, Harakal began his coaching career at his alma mater under then head football coach Jack Leipheimer in the fall of 2002, where he served as the assistant defensive line coach and was instrumental in establishing the team’s offseason weight training program.
