I didn’t realize KB and CMA were teammates at Texas. I didn’t think their time overlapped.
Good article. I love the hire of both Briles and Clements. When you think about it, Kendal Briles UH ties run deeper than we might realize.
The personal and professional situation is different between Art Briles and Kendal Briles time at UH.
Art was a UH player and head coach, but as HC he didn’t have the support from the UH AD nor the facilites to compete on the national stage. His wife reportedly didn’t like living in Houston. Kendal’s time at UH is much different. He met his wife at UH, he played football for UH, he got his degree from UH and his father coached at UH. Deeper emotional ties.
Kendal is coming to UH as a Coach at the right time. Our new stadium, IPF, new basketball arena, AAC, PEZ as AD and Tilman Fertitta’s financial commitment to UH trumps Art’s time at UH with Robertson Stadium, no IPF, Hofheinz Pavilion, CUSA, Dave Maggert as AD and John O’Quinn as majority donator.
Timing is important. The timing of Art Briles tenure at UH was instrumental in turning around a struggling football program and I believe the timing of Kendal Briles arrival will be equally instrumental in catapulting the football program to achieve greater heights. While they share the same DNA, the circumstances are much different and UH remains the beneficiary.
This is a belated Merry Christmas present from Colonel Applewhite and the UH administration to UH alumni and fans.
It is obviously a good football hire, we will be a much better offense next year. Long term, will there be other implications? Only time will tell. I like the hire and wish him the very best. I am certainly much more excited about next season. Go Kendal, Go Coogs! Just make sure you do the right things and do not put any dirt on the good name of my University in the process…
What type of spread would KB bring? Would it be a big change? ( Which I personally want) I did not follow Baylor so it is not clear to me.
Couldn’t agree more…I trust Applewhite and our administration on this one…I have a feeling our two new coaches were well vetted before being offered. Personally, I am tickled to death to have these guys on board…
I like bringing back the spread too. But I don’t think Applewhite was given much of a choice. He was told his offense stunk and he had to make drastic changes. They may have even been picked out by others and he was told to accept them. I am excited about the changes.
We’re going to lose some fans. I spoke with a colleague today, a guy who’s been a season-ticket holder for years and who wears a UH lanyard every day and UH gear every Friday. He’s not renewing his season tickets. I do understand that. Hopefully new fans will replace those who are so put off by this decision.
Good thing he was told! I’m sure he was perfectly happy with the offense as it was. And there’s nothing to suggest this may have been in the works for awhile, possibly going back to after Applewhite was hired.
Applewhite kept preaching how you had to run the ball to win. Do you think someone with that attitude is going to hire a passing OC? And he kept running the same two plays. His play calling was so predictable even people who didn’t know football knew he was going to run the ball up the middle on first down and a pass in the flats on 2nd down.
Anyone who thinks this was forced on Applewhite doesnt understand the relationship between him and KB…Applewhite is a longtime friend of the younger Briles, since their days at Texas together before KB transferred to Houston. I think the process to get him here was a long and complex one, and i am glad Apple and other higher ups made it happen!! Pretty sure Apple worked diligently to make it all happen.
You do realize Kendal Briles thinks you need to run the ball? Applewhite has said you need to be able to run but also you should take what the defense gives you. Despite his critics, he helped Rice get to a bowl for the first time in forever, he was impressive enought to be hired by Nick Saban as his offensive coordinator (he was to be retained as QB coach, but he was actually not conservative enough for Saban as OC, so he returned to his alma mater), and he coordinated the offense at UH that finished 10th nationally in scoring and finished #8. He’s not the clueless rube some of his critics think; he may even know more about football than some fans on this board. It’s possible anyway.