Per multiple sources, the Houston Cougars are moving on from head coach Dana Holgorsen after five seasons with him at the helm. This comes after a 27-13 loss at UCF capped a three-game losing streak to end the 2023 season. It was Houston’s first season in the Big 12, and they finished 2-7 in conference play, which cost them a bowl game.
Holgorsen took over for the Cougars in 2019, going 4-8 in his initial season. Then, Houston played in a bowl game the next three seasons and earned a trip to the American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game in 2021. Holgorsen was 27-20 as a coach before joining the Big 12.
The Houston Cougars began 2023 with a tight win over UTSA despite entering as underdogs. They immediately followed that with an overtime loss against Rice despite entering as heavy favorites. Nine of their final 10 games were Houston’s welcome to the Big 12, and that’s when everything truly fell apart. Dana Holgorsen’s Houston tenure ended with a 31-28 record.
What’s Next for the Houston Cougars?
2023 was a rude awakening that the Big 12 will be much tougher than the American Athletic Conference ever was. The school isn’t going anywhere, so the Houston Cougars need a coach that can keep up. It’s early, but former TCU head coach Gary Patterson is available. Along with conference familiarity, Patterson has had a football job in Texas since 1998, which could be huge for recruiting reasons.
Kliff Kingsbury, who used to coach at Big 12 school Texas Tech, is another potential option. He is at USC right now but spent 2008-2011 working with Houston’s offense. Could a reunion between the two be inevitable? Only time will tell.
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