For the first time since joining the Big 12 Conference in 2012, West Virginia will have a new head coach on the sidelines according to various reports.
Dana Holgorsen is set to accept the head coaching job at Houston after spending eight seasons atop the Mountaineers football program amassing a 61-41 overall record. During that time frame he led the program to seven bowl games going 2-5 in those including the 2012 Orange Bowl win over Clemson.
West Virginia hired Holgorsen in 2010 as initially the head coach in waiting under then lead man Bill Stewart with the plan to serve as the offensive coordinator. But that never happened as he was eventually promoted to the lead position that June following the dismissal of Stewart. Before his stop in Morgantown he served as the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State and Houston beforehand.
While Holgorsen recorded two ten win seasons during his tenure and displayed explosive offenses but his teams never finished higher than third in the Big 12 Conference, including a fourth place finish this past year after being selected second by the pre-season poll.
The Cougars became a factor once contract extension discussions between West Virginia and Holgorsen broke down following an 8-4 campaign on the field that ended with three consecutive losses. Holgorsen was under contract until 2021 as West Virginia paid him $3,700,000 this year and that figured was set to increase by $100,000 each of the next three.
Houston then fired head coach Major Applewhite Sunday before formally requesting to speak with Holgorsen Monday where the Mountaineers then granted permission to the Cougars. Given the previous connections to the Houston football program as well as the area, Holgorsen immediately was a prime candidate for the opening despite the unusual nature of moving down from a power five program.
The timing of the move plays into Holgorsen’s contract situation as the buyout dropped from $2.5 million to $1 million after the New Year. The Mountaineers will now begin a true head coaching search for the first time since the hiring of Bill Stewart following the 2008 Fiesta Bowl game.
Expected to be in a rebuilding year given the losses on both sides of the ball, the timing also worked as a natural separation between the two parties.
Houston will now owe $1,000,000 to West Virginia with the buyout.
Athletic Director Shane Lyons now will be faced with his biggest move since assuming the role with finding the new face of the West Virginia football program.
WVSports.com will have more on this situation as well as the latest with the coaching search.
