insightful and respectful analysis. As an alum who remembers the 'glory' days of the SWC for Houston, we are still waiting to return to the promised land. It was crystal clear this year that this staff wasn't going to get us there, although that Texas game was exciting!
Very knowledgeable summary. As a UH fan, I'd say that the guy was clearly burned out and not hungry anymore to do all it took in all aspects to build a great program. Simple as that.
WVU fan here. I think it was more than burnout. Dana exhibited much of the same behavior while at WVU. Dana may have a great offensive mind and make a great OC somewhere, but he does not make for a good HC and never did.
What the tale of the tape really comes down to is that Dana is a sub-par, lazy recruiter and head coach. He's a great assistant and an offense guru when he wants to be but he is no CEO in any way. He does not have the work ethic it takes to head up a program. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what he did here at West Virginia and I like Dana but I and a lot of the fan base, was not sad to go in a different direction.
I have been say this for a long time. He is an average coach and a lousy recruiter. The Houston Metro area has over 7 mil people. And he can't recruit it.
@@jamesasmith2494 yes, exactly. As a coach for a Texas school and you can't successfully recruit in Texas, something is badly wrong. I'm happy that UH has gone in a different direction. Being a member of the B12 is a great opportunity that deserves a coach that is dedicated and focused on success.
Dana Holgorsen got burned out almost immediately during the 2019 season. It was apparent that he was burned out during his first 2 seasons at UH. It morphed into rolling into office around 11:00am everyday and he just started to suck. Straight shooter perhaps but horrible representation for UH program when compared to the other great coaches currently On campus - e.g. Sampson, rehr. Lewis, whiting…. Etc etc
I know exactly what you're talking about because I saw it with my own eyes. He was the same here in West Virginia. Coming in at noon, hungover more times than not, little things that became big things like practicing for a bowl game in the hotel lobby, canceling last minute recruiting visits or putting the visit off on assistants and not really caring what the players were doing from one day to the next ( excessive alcohol consumption in the locker room was a big thing). I'm not bashing the guy in any way and I like Dana but, it's just................ the truth is what the truth is. I was hoping that when he went to UH, he'd hit that refresh button and do well for himself and your program. Here's to better days ahead.
We were happy to see him leave WVU - hence no offer of a contract extension. Seemed disinterested in being our coach. Lots of very negative personal stories about him around Morgantown. Sued over damage to a rental property and missing rent. We thought his disinterest was due to his dislike of Morgantown. Sounds like he carried his attitude to Houston.
1) Horrible Recruiter 2) Special Teams / Bad Assistants 3) Never had answers to poor "D" - "we didn't score enough points" excuse instead of improving D Outside of that he did well with QB and Receivers, and you were usually getting strong offense from him. Good luck to him, but Houston can do much better. Your recruiting grounds, commitment from AD/Boosters, and proximity to powerhouses such as LSU, Bama, Texas, and Oklahoma where a potential 2nd string starts for you as a 4 star leads me to think big things in your future
Dana Holgorsen: City didn't like him Alumni didn't like him Students didn't like him General fans didn't like him People boycotted games to force getting rid of him. Not official but a boycott none the less His teams were undisciplined and did stupid things at critical times. Bottom Line: Never hire an "Air Raid" specialist. Defense is key over scoring 50 points a game.
Dana Holgerson is a great X and O coach on the offensive side of the ball. He has a history of developing great QBs and recievers. There just isnt any tolerance for a lack of excellence on the football field in Houston. He lost to Rice and that spent any leeway he had. The president has stated that 8-4 gets you fired at UH.
@AngusBeef0 You can't win 8 games at Houston with great recruiting, hotbed of talent, NIL money, and a billionaire on your side in the very weak Big 12??? Seriously? I'm an LSU alum, and the Big 12 is the red-headed stepchild of the Power Four. UH mopped the floor with the Oklahoma Sooners and Mayfield. Of course they can win 8 games.
Holgersen was as hot a commodity as there ever was as an OC under Sumlin, and that's what got him the UH head coach position. It turns out he just wasn't head coach material, someone who could 1) recruit (UH should be killing it in just the city of Houston), 2) assemble a quality coaching staff underneath them - UH's defense was crazy awful (google the phrase "3rd and Belk"), the offense was predictable and inconsistent and just flat anemic, 3) have the players ready on game day. All those were problems that ultimately stopped at his desk as HC, but he sure was a heck of an OC.
A few things seem to be misunderstood: 1) Renu Khator (prez of UH) said, essentially, "8 wins isn't good enough for us". The firing of Applewhite was a mess, kinda feel bad for him still. It was an arrogant position for UH to fire him for 2 winning seasons. 2) Holgorsen redshirted King, said the season was a loss now and redshirted other starters as well that season. That's a big reason why King left. Holgorsen didn't care about winning. 3) Alton McCaskill didn't play last season, he was out with a serious injury. He played 2 seasons ago and was amazing, no question. 4) Lastly, not a correction, I would've preferred Jeff Traylor but I like the new coach. - signed, a former "Daily Cougar" staff writer
Geez... Applewhite: pay 1.7M_7win-8win-fired, Holgorsen: pay 4.3M_4win-3win... just pure dumb.. "8 wins isn't good enough for us" is the stupidest remark along with "We want a stand-alone identity in Texas" hired $10M coach
He's just not head coach material. Lacks leadership these young men need. Bad example which leads to undisciplined play. Put him in the booth as OC at best.
I don’t think Dana Holgorsen is a horrible coach, but I’m not a fan either way I’m mostly just amazing how many people have access to Podcasts and TH-cam better so willing to make comments without doing their due diligence. Eric King was injured. He was playing for Dana Holgorsen. He and Dana decided to do a red shirt.. it wasn’t until some time after that king entered the portal. Something that we now know it’s not an abnormal thing and it doesn’t mean he does like Dana and might’ve been a schemes. It might’ve been Miami paying him so I don’t see how looking into that is so abnormal almost every program the country that changes coaches has key players, including quarterbacks, leave, and it wasn’t like King left right away.
For the fanbase Dana was not fun. Well, one play. The 2-pt conversion against Baylor. Aside from that, it was almost constant disappointment. The first two seasons were a mess. The 2021 season was a mirage. It was a creampuff schedule, but we lost the two most important games - Tech and Cincy - and beat a disinterested Auburn in the bowl game. Then came the hype for 2022, and the team managed to greatly underachieve. Then came entry into the Big 12, and most games were a flat embarrassment. There was talent on the team, and flashes of competence, but Dana and Belk just couldn't put it all together - offensively or defensively. The "genius" label for both of them, turned to dust. The administration really, really, really wanted to bring him back for another crack at the Big 12 - but the fanbase wasn't having it. The 102nd rated recruiting class - worst in the entire P5 - sealed his fate. Along with losing - pretty handily - to both Cincy and UCF, old AAC mates. Houston needs to do what it has always done when at its best - give a young coach his first big shot. But it looks like the admin is going to take the easy, lazy, safe way out and bring in an old-dog. Lack of vision, guts and aggression in the athletic dept. is likely to hold UH back for another five years.
Dana was an excuse machine. Every year he had a different excuse and did not develop players nor did he car about making the supporter feel good. I don't care how much you know until you show me that you care.
What went wrong in Houston? The QB sucks, that’s what went wrong! Smith is 6’5” 240lbs and has a weak ass arm and poor accuracy, especially when he’s on the move and who is too much of a 🐱 to run the rock. He gotta go if Houston has any desire to win next year! #FACTS
I would have given him another year but the comments pretty much sum him up. Good Xs and Os coach but marginal recruiter and developer at best. Before the transfer portal came into effect. He relied too much on JuCo recruiting
insightful and respectful analysis. As an alum who remembers the 'glory' days of the SWC for Houston, we are still waiting to return to the promised land. It was crystal clear this year that this staff wasn't going to get us there, although that Texas game was exciting!
Very knowledgeable summary. As a UH fan, I'd say that the guy was clearly burned out and not hungry anymore to do all it took in all aspects to build a great program. Simple as that.
WVU fan here. I think it was more than burnout. Dana exhibited much of the same behavior while at WVU. Dana may have a great offensive mind and make a great OC somewhere, but he does not make for a good HC and never did.
Excellent and thoughtful insight into the Houston situation!
shoutout Coach Tony Levine! it was his amazing recruits that catapulted tom herman to Texas
Dana was just a little better than average coach in WV, so what did Houston expect he would do?. SMH
What the tale of the tape really comes down to is that Dana is a sub-par, lazy recruiter and head coach. He's a great assistant and an offense guru when he wants to be but he is no CEO in any way. He does not have the work ethic it takes to head up a program. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what he did here at West Virginia and I like Dana but I and a lot of the fan base, was not sad to go in a different direction.
I have been say this for a long time. He is an average coach and a lousy recruiter. The Houston Metro area has over 7 mil people. And he can't recruit it.
@@jamesasmith2494 yes, exactly. As a coach for a Texas school and you can't successfully recruit in Texas, something is badly wrong.
I'm happy that UH has gone in a different direction. Being a member of the B12 is a great opportunity that deserves a coach that is dedicated and focused on success.
Dana Holgorsen got burned out almost immediately during the 2019 season. It was apparent that he was burned out during his first 2 seasons at UH.
It morphed into rolling into office around 11:00am everyday and he just started to suck.
Straight shooter perhaps but horrible representation for UH program when compared to the other great coaches currently
On campus - e.g. Sampson, rehr. Lewis, whiting…. Etc etc
I know exactly what you're talking about because I saw it with my own eyes. He was the same here in West Virginia.
Coming in at noon, hungover more times than not, little things that became big things like practicing for a bowl game in the hotel lobby, canceling last minute recruiting visits or putting the visit off on assistants and not really caring what the players were doing from one day to the next ( excessive alcohol consumption in the locker room was a big thing).
I'm not bashing the guy in any way and I like Dana but, it's just................ the truth is what the truth is. I was hoping that when he went to UH, he'd hit that refresh button and do well for himself and your program. Here's to better days ahead.
We were happy to see him leave WVU - hence no offer of a contract extension. Seemed disinterested in being our coach. Lots of very negative personal stories about him around Morgantown. Sued over damage to a rental property and missing rent. We thought his disinterest was due to his dislike of Morgantown. Sounds like he carried his attitude to Houston.
1) Horrible Recruiter
2) Special Teams / Bad Assistants
3) Never had answers to poor "D" - "we didn't score enough points" excuse instead of improving D
Outside of that he did well with QB and Receivers, and you were usually getting strong offense from him. Good luck to him, but Houston can do much better. Your recruiting grounds, commitment from AD/Boosters, and proximity to powerhouses such as LSU, Bama, Texas, and Oklahoma where a potential 2nd string starts for you as a 4 star leads me to think big things in your future
Dana Holgorsen:
City didn't like him
Alumni didn't like him
Students didn't like him
General fans didn't like him
People boycotted games to force getting rid of him. Not official but a boycott none the less
His teams were undisciplined and did stupid things at critical times.
Bottom Line: Never hire an "Air Raid" specialist. Defense is key over scoring 50 points a game.
Good content! Thanks
He didn’t accomplish a dam thing 🤦♂️
Dana Holgerson is a great X and O coach on the offensive side of the ball. He has a history of developing great QBs and recievers.
There just isnt any tolerance for a lack of excellence on the football field in Houston. He lost to Rice and that spent any leeway he had. The president has stated that 8-4 gets you fired at UH.
Good luck with those goals, El Presidente
@AngusBeef0 You can't win 8 games at Houston with great recruiting, hotbed of talent, NIL money, and a billionaire on your side in the very weak Big 12???
Seriously?
I'm an LSU alum, and the Big 12 is the red-headed stepchild of the Power Four.
UH mopped the floor with the Oklahoma Sooners and Mayfield. Of course they can win 8 games.
@UHLSU1982 and you're 1 of the weakest
He’s an OC. But had a good 13 year run as HC.
@UHLSU1982 with the exception of Clemson the Big 12 is stronger than the acc
Holgersen was as hot a commodity as there ever was as an OC under Sumlin, and that's what got him the UH head coach position. It turns out he just wasn't head coach material, someone who could 1) recruit (UH should be killing it in just the city of Houston), 2) assemble a quality coaching staff underneath them - UH's defense was crazy awful (google the phrase "3rd and Belk"), the offense was predictable and inconsistent and just flat anemic, 3) have the players ready on game day. All those were problems that ultimately stopped at his desk as HC, but he sure was a heck of an OC.
3rd and Belk . LMAO!!!
A few things seem to be misunderstood:
1) Renu Khator (prez of UH) said, essentially, "8 wins isn't good enough for us". The firing of Applewhite was a mess, kinda feel bad for him still. It was an arrogant position for UH to fire him for 2 winning seasons.
2) Holgorsen redshirted King, said the season was a loss now and redshirted other starters as well that season. That's a big reason why King left. Holgorsen didn't care about winning.
3) Alton McCaskill didn't play last season, he was out with a serious injury. He played 2 seasons ago and was amazing, no question.
4) Lastly, not a correction, I would've preferred Jeff Traylor but I like the new coach.
- signed, a former "Daily Cougar" staff writer
It was the correct move. Applewhite was not ready.
@WoodrowLee-gk1nx The "right move" led to the deterioration of the team, and we now find UH losing to teams they should've beaten
Geez... Applewhite: pay 1.7M_7win-8win-fired, Holgorsen: pay 4.3M_4win-3win... just pure dumb.. "8 wins isn't good enough for us" is the stupidest remark along with "We want a stand-alone identity in Texas" hired $10M coach
Kliff may or may not be chilling on an island in his free time but I’m pretty sure he’s working on Lincoln Riley staff at USC currently.
7-6 last year of Applewhite. With blowout loss to army 70 to like 19. 8-5 gets you fired to Tony Levine when admin hired Herman.
Dana Holgorsen is a offensive coordinator and a really good one, not a head coach, period
He's just not head coach material. Lacks leadership these young men need. Bad example which leads to undisciplined play. Put him in the booth as OC at best.
What went wrong? The mofo is lazy af! He only had 8 recruits in his entire year of recruiting for the 2024 season!
As a Houston fan, Dana holgerson had too good years. That's all
Y’all’s take on this was so accurate you could be a UH alumni and this is coming from a UH alumni.
Is not a good recruiter. He doesn’t like to play games
I don’t think Dana Holgorsen is a horrible coach, but I’m not a fan either way I’m mostly just amazing how many people have access to Podcasts and TH-cam better so willing to make comments without doing their due diligence. Eric King was injured. He was playing for Dana Holgorsen. He and Dana decided to do a red shirt.. it wasn’t until some time after that king entered the portal. Something that we now know it’s not an abnormal thing and it doesn’t mean he does like Dana and might’ve been a schemes. It might’ve been Miami paying him so I don’t see how looking into that is so abnormal almost every program the country that changes coaches has key players, including quarterbacks, leave, and it wasn’t like King left right away.
For the fanbase Dana was not fun. Well, one play. The 2-pt conversion against Baylor. Aside from that, it was almost constant disappointment. The first two seasons were a mess. The 2021 season was a mirage. It was a creampuff schedule, but we lost the two most important games - Tech and Cincy - and beat a disinterested Auburn in the bowl game. Then came the hype for 2022, and the team managed to greatly underachieve. Then came entry into the Big 12, and most games were a flat embarrassment. There was talent on the team, and flashes of competence, but Dana and Belk just couldn't put it all together - offensively or defensively. The "genius" label for both of them, turned to dust. The administration really, really, really wanted to bring him back for another crack at the Big 12 - but the fanbase wasn't having it. The 102nd rated recruiting class - worst in the entire P5 - sealed his fate. Along with losing - pretty handily - to both Cincy and UCF, old AAC mates. Houston needs to do what it has always done when at its best - give a young coach his first big shot. But it looks like the admin is going to take the easy, lazy, safe way out and bring in an old-dog. Lack of vision, guts and aggression in the athletic dept. is likely to hold UH back for another five years.
Dana is a lazy HC should stick to being a good OC. He doesnt want to put the work into recruiting and developing players.
Dana is an OC at best at any level. Cannot handle the HC stress.
Major Applewhite did inappropriate things, I thought.
Dana was an excuse machine. Every year he had a different excuse and did not develop players nor did he car about making the supporter feel good. I don't care how much you know until you show me that you care.
What went wrong in Houston? The QB sucks, that’s what went wrong!
Smith is 6’5” 240lbs and has a weak ass arm and poor accuracy, especially when he’s on the move and who is too much of a 🐱 to run the rock.
He gotta go if Houston has any desire to win next year!
#FACTS
What went wrong was Houston football
UH made a mistake getting rid of Dana Holgeorsen.
Are you Dana son or brother. That is a crazy statement. Are you blind?
I would have given him another year but the comments pretty much sum him up. Good Xs and Os coach but marginal recruiter and developer at best. Before the transfer portal came into effect. He relied too much on JuCo recruiting