| Brian Polian | |
| Current Title: | Athletic director |
| Current Team: | John Carroll |
| Current Conference: | OAC |
| Birth Date: | 22 December 1974 |
| Birth Place: | Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | John Carroll University |
| Player Years1: | 1993–1996 |
| Player Team1: | John Carroll |
| Player Positions: | Linebacker |
| Coach Years1: | 1997 |
| Coach Team1: | Michigan State (GA) |
| Coach Years2: | 1998 |
| Coach Team2: | Buffalo (TE/AOL) |
| Coach Years3: | 1999–2000 |
| Coach Team3: | Baylor (GA) |
| Coach Years4: | 2001–2003 |
| Coach Team4: | Buffalo (RB/ST) |
| Coach Years5: | 2004 |
| Coach Team5: | UCF (RB/RC) |
| Coach Years6: | 2005 |
| Coach Team6: | Notre Dame (ST/ADB) |
| Coach Years7: | 2006 |
| Coach Team7: | Notre Dame (ST/LBA) |
| Coach Years8: | 2007 |
| Coach Team8: | Notre Dame (ST/ILB) |
| Coach Years9: | 2008–2009 |
| Coach Team9: | Notre Dame (ST) |
| Coach Years10: | 2010 |
| Coach Team10: | Stanford (ST/S) |
| Coach Years11: | 2011 |
| Coach Team11: | Stanford (ST/S/RC) |
| Coach Years12: | 2012 |
| Coach Team12: | Texas A&M (ST/TE) |
| Coach Years13: | 2013–2016 |
| Coach Team13: | Nevada |
| Coach Years14: | 2017–2020 |
| Coach Team14: | Notre Dame (ST/RC) |
| Coach Years15: | 2021 |
| Coach Team15: | Notre Dame (ST/AHC) |
| Coach Years16: | 2022 |
| Coach Team16: | LSU (ST/RC) |
| Admin Years1: | 2023–present |
| Admin Team1: | John Carroll |
| Overall Record: | 23–27 |
| Bowl Record: | 1–1 |
Brian Stewart Polian (born December 22, 1974) is an American college football coach and former player. He is the Athletic Director at John Carroll University. He is the former head coach of the Nevada Wolf Pack football team. He is the son of former National Football League (NFL) executive Bill Polian.
Born in The Bronx, Polian graduated from Saint Francis High School in Athol Springs, New York, near Buffalo, in 1993.[1] He attended John Carroll University near Cleveland, where he played on the football team as a linebacker from 1993 to 1996. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in history in 1997.[2]
Polian began his coaching career in 1997 as a graduate assistant at Michigan State. In 1998, he was the tight ends and offensive line assistant at the University at Buffalo. In 1999 and 2000, Polian was a defensive graduate assistant at Baylor under Kevin Steele. Polian graduated from Baylor with a master's degree in 2000.[2]
Polian returned to Buffalo in 2001 as running backs coach and special teams coordinator, serving until 2003 all under coach Jim Hofher.[2] In 2004, he was assistant coach at the same positions at UCF under George O'Leary. From 2005 to 2009, Polian was special teams coordinator at Notre Dame under Charlie Weis. He also served as defensive backs coach in 2005, linebackers coach in 2006, and inside linebackers coach in 2007.[2] Notre Dame made three bowl appearances during Polian's tenure, including a win in the 2008 Hawaii Bowl.
He then was special teams coordinator and safeties coach at Stanford from 2010 to 2011 and was also recruiting coordinator in 2011.[2] Part of Jim Harbaugh's staff in 2010, Polian remained at Stanford under succeeding coach David Shaw. Stanford won the 2011 Orange Bowl after the 2010 season. In 2012, Polian was special teams coordinator and tight ends coach under Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M, which won the 2013 Cotton Bowl Classic that season.[2]
On January 11, 2013, the University of Nevada, Reno hired Polian as football head coach.[2] On November 27, 2016, Nevada parted ways with Polian, effectively resulting in him being fired from Nevada based upon his poor performance.
On December 16, 2016, Polian was hired to return to Notre Dame once again as special teams coordinator, this time under Brian Kelly.[3]
On December 7, 2021, Polian was hired by LSU as the special teams coordinator, under Brian Kelly. In Feb 2023, Polian was demoted as Special Teams Coordinator and placed in a lesser, less challenging off field position after LSU special teams received a ranking of 130 out of 131 FBS teams. This after several high-profile miscues in critical games, attributed to Polian who, at times, appeared baffled as a Coordinator.
On May 2, 2023, Polian was announced as the new athletic director for John Carroll University.