Michael Horan enters his fifth season as an assistant coach for Harvard football in 2013. Horan is in his second season in the top position with the defensive line in after serving for three years as assistant defensive line coach.

• Michael Horan Photos

He recruits student-athletes in Texas and the southwest United States, including Oklahoma and Colorado.

In Horan’s first season heading up the defensive line, the group helped Harvard lead the nation in rushing defense (69.4 yards allowed per game) and sacks (4.2 per game). Defensive ends Zach Hodges and John Lyon ’13 ranked among the nation’s top 20 in sacks per game, and three linemen earned All-Ivy honors.

In 2011, defensive tackle Josue Ortiz ’12 was named the Ivy League’s defensive player of the year and was an All-America selection. Harvard’s defense led the Ivies in scoring defense, rushing defense and sacks and ranked among the nation’s top 15 teams in each of those categories.

Since graduating from Bates College in 2005, Horan has coached at four colleges and one high school. He began his coaching career at Stoughton High School where he worked as an assistant coach under his former head coach, Greg Burke. After one season at Stoughton, Horan moved on to become the tight ends coach at Curry College. During his time at Curry, the Colonels went undefeated in the regular season, captured the New England Football Conference championship and qualified for the Division III playoffs. 

In 2007, Horan was named linebackers coach at Kings Point, and in 2008, he moved to Wagner, where he coached the defensive backs.

At Bates, Horan was a senior captain and a two-time All-New England Small College Athletic Conference selection at safety as well as an All-ECAC pick in 2004.

Horan resides in Brighton, Mass.