Houston took a bit of a step back last season after a 12-win campaign the year before, but head coach Dana Holgorsen has absolutely no concerns about losing his job.
Holgorsen told Sam Khan Jr. of The Athletic this week that he is looking forward to making the jump from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12 next season, though he knows the schedule will be much more difficult. With the Cougars coming off an 8-5 season, some have wondered if Holgorsen is the right man to lead the team in what should be a challenging year. Holgorsen said Houston really doesn’t have a choice.
“We won 20 games in two years,” the coach told Khan. “We won bowl games in back-to-back years. I have five years on my contract with a f—ing impossible buyout. … So there ain’t no f—ing hot seat in my mind. There just ain’t.”
Houston gave Holgorsen a six-year contract extension following their 12-2 season in 2021. The Cougars capped off the year with a win in the Birmingham Bowl and finished ranked No. 17 in the country. They then won eight games last season but defeated UL-Lafayette in the Independence Bowl.
According to FootballScoop.com, Houston would likely have to pay Holgorsen somewhere around $15 million if they fired him following the 2023 season. Expectations should also be tempered with the Cougars now facing teams like TCU, Texas, Oklahoma State and West Virginia. Holgorsen has a good point about his job being safe.
More must-reads: