The College Football Coaching Carousel is ramping up just hours after the 2023 regular season ended. With multiple firings before the end of the season and even more now that the games are done, universities are making quick moves to rid themselves of coaches on the hot seat before the transfer portal opens and early signing day comes.
The next up is Dana Holgorsen from Houston.
Dana Holgorsen Fired At Houston
Dana Holgorsen’s hire was met with open arms at Houston. As a renowned offensive specialist, Holgorsen was set to bring the Cougars back to the promise land, where they own multiple records for offensive production in their illustrious program’s history.
However, after a lackluster 2023 season that saw the Cougars finish 12th out of 14 Big 12 schools in total points scored, Holgorsen is out.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported early Sunday morning that Houston was preparing to fire Holgorsen, just hours after the Cougars suffered their eighth defeat of a disappointing 2023 season at the hands of UCF. The move was made official just moments later.
Holgorsen’s Cougars finished with a 4-8 record overall and just a 2-7 mark in Big 12 play. The defense hardly played a cohesive game and the offense was as inconsistent as we’ve ever seen from a Holgorsen-led unit.
Houston’s defense let opponents score an average of 31.5 points per game.
The Cougars scored 41 points one week and followed that with zero points the week after. A far cry from what we’d come to expect from Holgorsen.
Dana Holgorsen Coaching Resume
- Valdosta State – QB/WR/ST Coach (1993-1995)
- Mississippi College – QB/WR/ST Coach (1996-1998)
- Wingate – QB/WR Coach (1999)
- Texas Tech – WR Coach (2000-2004)
- Texas Tech – Co-OC/WR Coach (2005-2006)
- Texas Tech – OC/WR Coach (2007)
- Houston – OC/QB Coach (2008-2009)
- Oklahoma State – OC/QB Coach (2010)
- West Virginia – Head Coach (2011-2018)
- Houston – Head Coach (2019-2023)
Holgorsen finishes his tenure at Houston with a 31-28 overall record and a 20-19 mark in conference play. Overall, Holgorsen is 92-69 as a head coach after a successful 61-41 stint at West Virginia.