FILE PHOTO: Nov 23, 2018; Morgantown, WV, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Dana Holgorsen yells along the sidelines during the first quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
January 2, 2019
Dana Holgorsen is officially the new football coach at Houston.
The school announced the hiring of Holgorsen on Wednesday and will hold an introductory news conference on Thursday.
Holgorsen reportedly received a five-year contract worth $20 million to become coach of the Cougars after going 61-41 in eight seasons at West Virginia. He formerly served as Houston’s offensive coordinator for two seasons in 2008-09.
“I’m beyond excited for the opportunity to return to Houston and lead this program,” Holgorsen said in a statement. “This city and the University of Houston has unlimited potential and I am honored to be a part of it. …
“I look forward to meeting our student-athletes and establishing a culture that thrives on championship competition, on and off the field.”
Holgorsen, 47, replaces Major Applewhite, who was fired with a 15-11 record over two-plus seasons.
Holgorsen leaves West Virginia with the second-most wins in school history. He guided the Mountaineers to seven bowl games in his eight seasons.
West Virginia went 8-4 this season but collapsed down the stretch with three straight losses. The Mountaineers fell 34-18 to Syracuse in the Camping World Bowl last Friday.
Holgorsen’s stint as Houston offensive coordinator saw the squad average 42.2 points and 563 yards of total offense over two seasons. Quarterback Case Keenum led the nation in total offense in both seasons — 403.2 yards per game in 2008 and 416.4 yards in 2009.
Holgorsen was featured on a five-second video on the school’s Twitter account on Wednesday.
“Go Cougs,” Holgorsen began. “Hey y’all want to go win some games? Let’s go win some games?”
The school certainly is expecting victories to follow after bringing Holgorsen back to town.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dana back to Houston as the next leader of our Football program,” vice president for athletics Chris Pezman said in the news release. “His offensive acumen with an emphasis on student-athlete development, on and off the field, is a perfect fit for our program, University and city.
“We are looking forward to Dana connecting with our student-athletes and taking over a program that is primed for continued success at the highest level.”
–Field Level Media
