“Absolutely, I expect this team to get into the Conference Tournament this year,” he said. “Whether, we make it or not, I believe we can. I think we’re good enough and we changed the culture enough already. I expect in the next 2-4 years that we’re competing to win the Conference Championship game and that during that same span, I believe we can get in the NCAA Tournament. The next step behind that, I’m not looking past that right now. I’m not looking to come to Houston to build up a program then leave. I truly believe I’m at a University, where I can build up the program so that I can stay. As a Department, we feel that all sports can compete on the national level. Does that mean that I’m going to be here forever? I can’t predict the future, but there are only four jobs that I would leave here for, but I don’t see those jobs becoming available in the next five years. I’m planning on planting my flag here. My wife and I have been together for 10-years and we’ve had nine houses. My life and my kids like the area we’re in now. I don’t plan on leaving.
“I didn’t come here to do what Tom Herman [former Houston head football denied he was leaving for Texas then became the Longhorns head coach shortly thereafter] did. I’m not going to use Houston as a stepping stone. In a perfect world, I’d love to build the program up at Houston, so that we get so much backing that we have our own stadium. By the time I retire, hopefully here at Houston, I feel so comfortable here that there’s enough challenges here that I’m going to be here for the long haul. I’m not looking to get in and get out.”
All about how much emphasis UH has put on its programs. Honestly, soccer may have been at the bottom of the list in the AD for the entire time it has existed (1998). Started off well with 2 winning seasons, lost our first coach, and have had one winning season this century (2010).
Khator has made it an emphasis to strengthen all programs and Yurachek seems to care about the women’s programs (something that couldn’t be said about Mack Rhoades). Needed to happen as one of the complaints about UH athletics is that we are a football only school; power conferences, especially the PAC12, want more.
The new coaching staff has done a much better job at involving the fans and alumni. We’re having a soccer alumni weekend in October, something that the previous coach didn’t seem to care about. The program seems to be heading in the right direction this year.