Pray 10s comment the line above was in is on point. The networks will be the drivers in the next expansion movement. (They have been the driver behind the scenes in all the expansion movements) The prize is the State of Texas for the PAC12, B1G, and ACC. All three conferences will benefit from having a foothold in the State of Texas and is because of the growing population base in the State. It is also why BTM in the Flugar tweet says Houston is in the catbird seat. Why? Because once Texas makes its move, whether joining one of the three above, or staying in an expanded Big 12 which is possible, but I think doubtful, we are the 2nd pick into access to the State.
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Hit reply too soon. Why are we in the catbird seat.
1.) Our commitment to athletics over the past years and our investment in facilities that show it.
2.) As big a player if not more on than Athletics is the increased and improved Academic presence we have. I commented to a friend yesterday we have by far the best Chancellor / President in Academia. Khator needs to have a statue, buildings, and streets name after her when the day comes and she steps down. She has been the driver in all our growth and success.
3.) The growth of the State of Texas and the growth of the city of Houston
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- No one expects every year.
- Two, we are a G5 team and Dana is by far the highest paid G5 coach.
- Why are you bringing up the lack of “10 win seasons” of three schools that fired coaches in the past 5 years? Unless you are saying that Strong and Sumlin were doing good at their respective schools and were fired only because of unrealistic expectations by UT and A&M fans? If that isn’t what you meant, what do you mean?
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Agree with those saying we need to win. I think we’re going to be a much better team than those assuming Holgorsen’s first year will be a mulligan. I don’t get that thinking. The offense, which finished in the top five nationally, returns almost intact, and Holgorsen claims there’s as much defensive talent as he had at WVU plus we have a better staff on that side of the ball. The schedule is a little tough. I don’t expect to win at OU, and UCF in Orlando will be difficult if their new QB is competent. But we need to be able to beat a 2nd or 3rd place PAC 12 team in Houston, and we get Memphis and Cincinnati here. I expect us to win the division.
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I think the 10 win thing by MT is changing the goal posts anyway. Khator said winning is defined at 10-2 but she said "we’ll fire coaches at 8 and 4.” Not sure if MT is taking a shot at Khator but I think anyone without a reading disability can know she meant 10-2 is a successful year, 8-4 is an unsuccessful year. If Applewhite beats SMU, Temple or Memphis, he has 9 wins, wins the division and still has a job.
So if we win the division this year or next year and have only 9 wins, it’s a moot point. It just seems like Dana’s reply that he isn’t fireable because of his buyout is something a rich frat boy would say to a coworker after getting hired at a law firm where his dad is their biggest client.
It seems like you constantly look for trouble where there is none.
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No, he just didn’t like the answer. And it probably wasn’t the best one, but it was the bluntly honest one. But that is probably a good thing for recruiting. Kids KNOW he will be here for a while. Neither party can afford to leave and it shows both sides are mutually committed.
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I can think of only 3 teams that have won 10+ games each year for the past 5 years - Alabama, Clemson & Ohio State.
Most big-time, elite national programs like Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia, USC, etc. haven’t been able to accomplish winning 10+ games/year for the past 5 years. So the bottom line is that to expect UH to win 10+ games/year each year is to expect to see UH join the super elite upper class of college FB programs at Alabama, Clemson & Ohio State.
And so does anyone believe that can happen at a non-P5 program which plays in a 40,000 seat home stadium and recruits the Houston area against the likes of such $150,000,000+ per year athletic programs as ATM, LSU and UT-Austin? As Bill Yeoman once said, it’s tough to be a Houston Cougar.
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10 wins a year is a high bar, but averaging 9 or 10 wins over a five-year period is doable. We have done that a couple of times in the past decade or so.
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Who cares what Matt Thomas thinks !!
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We’ve averaged 9 wins over the past 5 years because of our 13 win season. It’s a high bar to set but I’m game.
But would winning 9 wins a year be better than the 13 win season that looks more and more like a fluke?
It’s so weird so many liking that comment then. His comment isn’t about loyalty. It’s about being stuck with him for better or worse unless someone is willing to pay him even more.
You don’t understand how Dana’s mind works.
“…Mongo just pawn in game of life…”
I had to throw in a Blazing Saddles reference !!!
Seriously though, I appreciate everyone ‘s thoughts here. CDH was a tremendous hire, and the prospect of even a “decent” DC, much less a Home Run hire has me very excited. We are going to be WAY better than advertised, and will compete for the Division and Conference titles.
As for Realignment, we were indeed a pawn last time. Tillman and Renu have made us into a much more valuable chess piece. Perhaps even a Queen, able to move in several directions and able to travel across vast spaces 
…a little levity here as well !!!
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The stuff people didn’t like was Dana being truthful. He isn’t CTH. He tells it like it is.
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I’ll agree with the first half of the statement. The second half though, sometimes the smoke has led to fire. I don’t know, consider me a pessimist. I just don’t become the rose colored glasses, optimistic fan of every coaching hire acting like they can do no wrong. Dana was a big hire, more qualified than any coach we’ve had since Pardee. I’m still not going to treat him like a celebrity that can say/do no wrong and I’m definitely not going to treat him like a coach that has a history of winning at the level we are paying him. Take the bigger paycheck, meet the bigger expectations. No excuses.
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That’s what I thought. I guess Cougar fans have come to see coaches as mercenaries after Briles, Sumlin, and Herman. Some are. But I get the real sense Holgorsen is happy to be here and wants to build something special.
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Can someone clarify if CDH meant that he seems to have some info or insight that he thinks we will be in a P5 by his statement that we’re willing to travel far per comments on that interview show?
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There have been subtle comments like that by Tilna and CDN since the hiring. My guess is that we’re focusing on the PAC12 since their TV deal is the next one coming up which is probably the reason for the comments.
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2 things CDH got experienced in at WVU:
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Guiding your school through a conference upgrade.
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Being the island school in that conference.
If we go PAC we’ll be in good hands.
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He was asked about West Virginia transitioning from the Big East to the Big12 and he said that the travel for the football team wasn’t a big deal. Read into it what you will, but that was the context of the comment.
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