WICHITA, Kan. – One might think Friends University football head coach Terry Harrison is a glutton for punishment. Just four seasons after taking over a Bethel College squad that was coming off a 1-9 season, Harrison did something eerily similar in assuming the reins of a Falcon program that was, you guessed it, 1-9 the previous season.

When Harrison arrived at Bethel, the Threshers hadn't had a winning season in 10 years.  At Friends, the challenge was reviving a program that was mired with five consecutive losing records and had failed to post a winning record since 2014.

It didn't take long for Harrison to turn things around at Bethel, leading the team to an 8-3 record in his second season followed by co-championships the following two seasons.

Here at Friends, the trajectory seems similar, with the Falcons recording a breakthrough 9-2 record in year number two of Harrison for the program's first winning season in 10 years.

"It was really hard to leave Bethel because of the relationships we had with the players and families at the time," said Harrison.  "We had a ton of success there and were able to win back-to-back KCAC Championships along with a playoff appearance.  Having said that, Friends was always in the back of my mind as a place that could be competitive nationally and had an institutional mission that aligned perfectly with my family." 

One common theme in Harrison's coaching career has been the flexbone offense, a system he trusts unwaveringly.  For those unfamiliar with the offense, the flexbone typically features a quarterback, five offensive linemen and three running backs. It is a run-heavy offense that can control the clock and tempo while keeping the team's defense fresh.

Harrison not only coaches the flexbone offense, but does it with pristine success, as he has now coached the last six NAIA team leaders in rushing offense (his last three years at Bethel and all three seasons at Friends).

"The flexbone has been a big part of our success," Harrison noted.  "While it draws a lot of attention it is only a small part of the success we have been able to have.  I think the biggest reason for that is the awesome players we have in our program and their willingness to be a part of something that doesn't revolve around one person.  It takes an entire offensive unit performing well together to be elite at it."

When asked the most important ingredients in building a football team for sustained success, most answers would range from recruiting the right players, a strong development program and hiring effective coaches. But Harrison believes structuring the right culture is even more critical, because without that, nothing else will matter.

"Culture is something that a lot of sports and organizations talk about, but for us, culture is everything," said Harrison.  "We want to win games, compete for KCAC Championships, and have playoff opportunities!  But for us winning championships will never be THE GOAL.  The goal of Friends University Football will always be to have the best team culture in all of NAIA Football."

When looking back at past rebuilds, there's typically a "face" to remember that signifies a change is coming, even if success isn't immediate. In 1989 when Jerry Jones purchased the Dallas Cowboys after a 3-13 campaign, he promptly fired legendary head coach Tom Landry, hired University of Miami's Jimmy Johnson as the new head coach and drafted quarterback Troy Aikman with the first overall pick in the 89 Draft. The Cowboys went through massive growing pains, going 1-15 that season but would win the Lombardi trophy just four years later, with Aikman being named Super Bowl MVP.

For the Falcons transformation under Harrison, one "face" that immediately comes to mind is running back Zach Dressler. Even though the Falcons went 4-7 in Harrison's first season at the helm, Dressler helped set the tone and showed flashes of what was in store in giving the team its first 1,000-yard rusher since 2016.

That progress was even more evident this past season, with K'Vonte Baker giving Harrison the perfect point man at quarterback.  A true dual-threat, Baker rushed for 1,268 yards and led the NAIA in rushing scores (25) to earn KCAC Player of the Year honors as a sophomore.

Another necessity for success in the flexbone offense is a road-grading offensive line, and Harrison has shown the ability to build that and then some. Led by Rimington award winner Keegan Martin, the Falcon offensive line paved the way for the nation's top rushing team in yards (4611), yards per game (419.2), yards per attempt (7.4) and touchdowns (59) this past season. The 7.4 yards per rush is tops in NAIA history and the 4611 rushing yards also rank as the third most all-time.

So how does Harrison rebuild teams with the efficiency and timeliness he has displayed, with the Falcons being his latest reclamation project?

"Rebuilding any program takes a ton of work," said Harrison.  "More than that, it takes a commitment to excellence from the leadership at Friends University.  I am grateful for the leadership of our board, President Dr. Amy Bragg Carey, and our Athletics Director, Dr. Rob Ramseyer.  We also have a program full of amazing parents and players that make Friends University Football a special program to be a part of."

An additional strategic measure that has aided the Falcon rebuild was the implementation of the 3D Institute within the program.  Key tenets of the 3D Institute include providing a model for coaches to deeper strategize how they manage every detail of their program from practices, games, character building, and personal interactions.

A firm believer in the 3D Institute, Harrison has seen first-hand the positive ramifications it has produced for his team.

"The 3D Institute has been the best resource for developing individual players both on and off the field for us as a program," said Friends football head coach Terry Harrison. "We routinely use their online platform and resource library to intentionally coach our guys across all three dimensions."

Following last season's 9-2 record, the Falcons have been picked to finish tied for first in the KCAC's Kessinger Division along with last year's top finisher Evangel University.  That means the Falcons have firmly transitioned from being the "hunter" to the "hunted", something that Harrison and the Falcons are prepared for heading into this season.

"Nothing really changes in our program as far as expectations and standards," Harrison said. "I think preseason rankings and national rankings are good for the program and families of our players. At some level it validates the energy and time that they put into our players and program. 

For the day-to-day members of the program, however, we are always working to 'play and practice to a standard'. Our young men have embraced the core theme of our program which is to 'Honor God' through the game of football.  For that to be the case we are always pushing the envelope to achieve excellence on and off the field, so it never feels like it's enough!  I am proud of the players and our staff!  It's an honor to get to lead the program every day."

If recent history is any indication, Harrison and the Falcons will continue their upward trajectory in 2024, with the best certainly yet to come.