Staff Directory
Haines, Bryant
Bryant Haines
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
- Email:
A two-time Broyles Award semifinalist, Bryant Haines moves into his second season as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Indiana and his 11th season with Curt Cignetti.
A member of all four of Cignetti’s head coaching staffs, Haines has been the coordinator or co-coordinator of the defense for the last six seasons. The former collegiate linebacker at Ball State has coached the linebackers for nine straight campaigns after two seasons at IUP as the defensive line/strength and conditioning coach.
After building one of the nation’s elite defenses at JMU, Haines didn’t skip a beat in his first season at Indiana. His units led the nation in rushing defense (80.2), finished No. 2 in total defense (256.34) and No. 10 in passing yards allowed (176.1).
On its way to a College Football Playoff berth, Haines’ defense set program-best marks for fewest games allowing 100-yards rushing (8), lowest scoring average (15.6) and fewest yards rushing (1,043) and yards of total offense (3,332) in a season.
A trio of defenders earned All-America honors, led by first-team All-American linebacker Aiden Fisher. A first-team All-Big Ten pick, Fisher finished the season tied for No. 16 on the IU single-season charts with 118 tackles. All-American defensive lineman Mikail Kamara finished No. 13 nationally in sacks per game, while D’Angelo Ponds was an All-America honoree at defensive back.
In each of his first four seasons at JMU (2019-23), the Dukes ranked top 10 nationally in total defense. Each of his units sat among the top 10 in the FCS in scoring defense, while he led corps in the top 30 in the program’s first three FBS season (2022-24).
Over his final two seasons in Harrisonburg, Haines led one of the nation’s top defenses against the rush. In 2023, the Dukes owned the nation’s best rushing defense (61.5 ypg), which was bolstered by an FBS-best 9.1 tackles for loss per game. In 2022, JMU sat No. 2 in both categories at 79.5 rushing yards allowed per game and 8.6 tackles for loss.
Eight defenders earned All-America honors during his five seasons in the Shenandoah Valley with linebacker Dimitri Holloway earning second-team honors in 2019. Three Dukes were named finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award – FCS Defensive Player of the Year Award – which included runner-up Ron’Dell Carter in 2019.
On the conference level, he saw three defenders earn first-team All-Sun Belt and 13 total defensive players earn conference honors. Despite playing in just nine games due to a season-ending injury, defensive lineman Jalen Green led the nation with a Sun Belt record 15.5 sacks to earn Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in 2023.
Prior to James Madison’s move to the FBS, Haines helped eight Dukes earn first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association honors. Two of those were linebackers and the defensive line duo of Mike Green (2020, co) and Carter (2019) were each named CAA Defensive Player of the Year. Overall, 11 players earned all-conference honors with six of those linebackers.
In 2019 (John Daka, 16.5; Carter, 12.0) and 2023 (Green, 15.5; Jamaree Kromah, 11.0) James Madison’s defense produced the only duos to log double-digit sack totals in the same season in program history. Daka led the FCS with 16.5 sacks during the 2019 season, while Green’s 16.5 sacks were the most by an FBS defender in the 2023 regular season.
In its final season at the FCS level, Haines’ defense ranked atop the division in turnover margin (+1.36) and total turnovers forced (31) and No. 2 in tackles for loss (8.2).
His Dukes defenses own the top four third-down conversions percentages against in program history. The record was set in 2021 with a 27-percent conversion rate, while the first FBS team in school history ranks No. 2 at 28 percent.
Haines arrived at JMU following two seasons at Elon (2017-18). He helped Warren Messer to back-to-back seasons on the All-CAA first team and All-America accolades. Matt Baker also earned All-CAA status in 2018.
A season at UC Davis (2016) produced another all-conference pupil in Nas Anesi’s second-team All-Big Sky selection.
Cignetti first hired Haines as his defensive line coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2014-15). In two seasons at IUP he helped the Crimson Hawks lead the Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference in scoring defense, total defense, third-down defense, and red-zone defense in 2015.
Haines spent back-to-back seasons at Big Ten programs as a graduate assistant at Indiana (2012) and Ohio State (2013). The Buckeyes finished 2013 with an undefeated 12-0 record in the regular season. He also had stops at Adrian College (2010-11) and Manchester College (2009) prior to IU.
A 2009 graduate from Ball State with a bachelor’s degree in general studies, Haines was a four-year starter and All-Mid-American Conference linebacker for the Cardinals. He earned College Football News second-team Freshman All-America honors in 2005 and earned All-MAC in 2008.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Manchester College
2009: Defensive Line
Adrian College
2010-11: Defensive Line/Strength and Conditioning Coordinator
Indiana University
2012: Graduate Assistant - Defense
Ohio State University
2013: Graduate Assistant - Linebackers
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
2014-15: Defensive Line/Strength and Conditioning
University of California, Davis
2016: Linebackers
Elon University
2017-18: Linebackers
James Madison University
2019-21: Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
2022-23: Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
Indiana University
2024-: Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Ball State University
2005-08: Linebacker
A member of all four of Cignetti’s head coaching staffs, Haines has been the coordinator or co-coordinator of the defense for the last six seasons. The former collegiate linebacker at Ball State has coached the linebackers for nine straight campaigns after two seasons at IUP as the defensive line/strength and conditioning coach.
After building one of the nation’s elite defenses at JMU, Haines didn’t skip a beat in his first season at Indiana. His units led the nation in rushing defense (80.2), finished No. 2 in total defense (256.34) and No. 10 in passing yards allowed (176.1).
On its way to a College Football Playoff berth, Haines’ defense set program-best marks for fewest games allowing 100-yards rushing (8), lowest scoring average (15.6) and fewest yards rushing (1,043) and yards of total offense (3,332) in a season.
A trio of defenders earned All-America honors, led by first-team All-American linebacker Aiden Fisher. A first-team All-Big Ten pick, Fisher finished the season tied for No. 16 on the IU single-season charts with 118 tackles. All-American defensive lineman Mikail Kamara finished No. 13 nationally in sacks per game, while D’Angelo Ponds was an All-America honoree at defensive back.
In each of his first four seasons at JMU (2019-23), the Dukes ranked top 10 nationally in total defense. Each of his units sat among the top 10 in the FCS in scoring defense, while he led corps in the top 30 in the program’s first three FBS season (2022-24).
Over his final two seasons in Harrisonburg, Haines led one of the nation’s top defenses against the rush. In 2023, the Dukes owned the nation’s best rushing defense (61.5 ypg), which was bolstered by an FBS-best 9.1 tackles for loss per game. In 2022, JMU sat No. 2 in both categories at 79.5 rushing yards allowed per game and 8.6 tackles for loss.
Eight defenders earned All-America honors during his five seasons in the Shenandoah Valley with linebacker Dimitri Holloway earning second-team honors in 2019. Three Dukes were named finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award – FCS Defensive Player of the Year Award – which included runner-up Ron’Dell Carter in 2019.
On the conference level, he saw three defenders earn first-team All-Sun Belt and 13 total defensive players earn conference honors. Despite playing in just nine games due to a season-ending injury, defensive lineman Jalen Green led the nation with a Sun Belt record 15.5 sacks to earn Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in 2023.
Prior to James Madison’s move to the FBS, Haines helped eight Dukes earn first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association honors. Two of those were linebackers and the defensive line duo of Mike Green (2020, co) and Carter (2019) were each named CAA Defensive Player of the Year. Overall, 11 players earned all-conference honors with six of those linebackers.
In 2019 (John Daka, 16.5; Carter, 12.0) and 2023 (Green, 15.5; Jamaree Kromah, 11.0) James Madison’s defense produced the only duos to log double-digit sack totals in the same season in program history. Daka led the FCS with 16.5 sacks during the 2019 season, while Green’s 16.5 sacks were the most by an FBS defender in the 2023 regular season.
In its final season at the FCS level, Haines’ defense ranked atop the division in turnover margin (+1.36) and total turnovers forced (31) and No. 2 in tackles for loss (8.2).
His Dukes defenses own the top four third-down conversions percentages against in program history. The record was set in 2021 with a 27-percent conversion rate, while the first FBS team in school history ranks No. 2 at 28 percent.
Haines arrived at JMU following two seasons at Elon (2017-18). He helped Warren Messer to back-to-back seasons on the All-CAA first team and All-America accolades. Matt Baker also earned All-CAA status in 2018.
A season at UC Davis (2016) produced another all-conference pupil in Nas Anesi’s second-team All-Big Sky selection.
Cignetti first hired Haines as his defensive line coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2014-15). In two seasons at IUP he helped the Crimson Hawks lead the Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference in scoring defense, total defense, third-down defense, and red-zone defense in 2015.
Haines spent back-to-back seasons at Big Ten programs as a graduate assistant at Indiana (2012) and Ohio State (2013). The Buckeyes finished 2013 with an undefeated 12-0 record in the regular season. He also had stops at Adrian College (2010-11) and Manchester College (2009) prior to IU.
A 2009 graduate from Ball State with a bachelor’s degree in general studies, Haines was a four-year starter and All-Mid-American Conference linebacker for the Cardinals. He earned College Football News second-team Freshman All-America honors in 2005 and earned All-MAC in 2008.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Manchester College
2009: Defensive Line
Adrian College
2010-11: Defensive Line/Strength and Conditioning Coordinator
Indiana University
2012: Graduate Assistant - Defense
Ohio State University
2013: Graduate Assistant - Linebackers
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
2014-15: Defensive Line/Strength and Conditioning
University of California, Davis
2016: Linebackers
Elon University
2017-18: Linebackers
James Madison University
2019-21: Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
2022-23: Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
Indiana University
2024-: Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Ball State University
2005-08: Linebacker
FB: Inside IU Football with Curt Cignetti - Week 2 (Kennesaw State)
Thursday, September 04
FB: Under the Hood with Indiana Football - Week 2 (Kennesaw State)
Wednesday, September 03
FB: Pat Coogan Media Availability (9/2/25)
Tuesday, September 02
FB: D'Angelo Ponds Media Availability (9/2/25)
Tuesday, September 02
