Sawvel Announces Addition of Running Back Coach Gary Harrell to Coaching Staff

He has over 20 years of coaching experience

LARAMIE, Wyo. (April 8, 2025) – Head football coach Jay Sawvel announced the addition of running back coach Gary Harrell to the Cowboy coaching staff on Tuesday. Harrell comes to Wyoming after serving as the running back coach at Colorado since the 2023 season.

“Coach Harrell really stood out during the interview process with his experience with the position and his overall experience as a coach which includes time as a head coach at his Alma Mater,” Sawvel said. “He is well-respected with a great sense for the game offensively, and we are excited to have him here at the University of Wyoming and excited to get him in the room and out on the field with our team.”

Affectionately known as "The Flea," Harrell is a native of Miami, Fla., and played collegiately at Howard University where he is a member of the School’s Hall of Fame. He spent two seasons in the NFL and spent time in the World league and the Canadian Football League. He also served as head coach at his alma mater.

“I’m very excited for this next step and excited to be amongst this staff,” Harrell said. “I have heard great things about the atmosphere here at the University of Wyoming and excited for this opportunity to bring my energy and work with this great group of young men.”

He was named running back coach at Colorado in December of 2022. He helped lead the Buffs to the 2024 Alamo Bowl. Prior to his time in Boulder, Harrell coached at Jackson State joining the program in November of 2020, after serving as running backs coach for a season at Alabama State.

Prior to joining Alabama State, he served two years under Lane Kiffin at Florida Atlantic. He joined the Florida Atlantic staff in January of 2017. His attention was given to the wide receivers who rotated throughout the season seeing the quarterbacks utilize a total of nine receivers. Senior Kalib Woods was named the Conference USA Championship MVP, and Willie Wright was the team’s most consistent wideout leading the Owls with 56 catches and a total of six touchdowns. Following the year, Wright earned a spot on the Conference USA All-Freshman team.

Prior to his time at Florida Atlantic, he spent time as the head coach at Howard starting in 2011. He served as Howard’s head coach for five seasons. During his tenure, student-athletes worked under the premise that athletics and academics were evaluated equally. In 2012, Harrell was honored by the D.C. Touchdown Club as the Local College Coach of the Year. During his time at Howard, he finished with a 20-36 overall record including a 7-4 mark in 2012.

Prior to his time at Howard, Harrell spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator for Bowie State, from 2009-10. Harrell began at Morgan State in 2008 where he remained through 2009 before seizing the opportunity to move from a position coach with the Rattlers to an offensive coordinator position at Bowie State. He was a part of a team that finished 6-6 in 2008 and 6-5 in 2009 while at Morgan State.

Harrell started his career coaching Howard’s wide receivers from 2002-04. He served as a Texas Southern assistant coach, for wide receivers, from 2004-06. Harrell returned to the east coast as an assistant coach in 2006.

He played two NFL seasons, seeing action in four games in 1994 and '95, with the New York Giants. He also played one season (March 1996-June 1996) for the World League’s Frankfurt Galaxy and two seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Montreal Alouettes (1996-97).

He was a four-year letter winner as a wide receiver and punt return specialist at Howard. He started every game for Howard’s undefeated 1993 team and was a member of the MEAC Championship team that same season. Harrell holds the Howard record for most receptions in a game (13) and in a career (184). He was inducted into the Howard University Hall of Fame in 2005, and also received a proclamation from the City of Miami declaring it Gary “Flea” Harrell Day. Prior to attending Howard, he was a varsity athlete for Miami’s Northwestern High School.

Harrell earned his degree in Marketing from Howard in 1994. He and his wife (Tenika) have two children, a daughter – Jasmine – and son – Gary, Jr., who played football at Howard.

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