I think DC Armstrong has done an excellent job with the defense. He will get offers in the off-season. I hope UH is able to keep him.
26 Likes
was thinking the same thing yesterday, given how much they referred to him; i doubt he’s here next year. even if he doesn’t get a HC job, with all the big time HC jobs open, that means a lot of bigtime DC jobs will need to be filled.
1 Like
The entire defensive coaching staff has done well
15 Likes
Please don’t start hand-wringing about someone taking our coaches. If Armstrong leaves one day I will salute him and wish him well. He coaches his ass off and doesn’t let circumstances get his squad down in the dumps. The man that found him will find another if it happens.
12 Likes
Yeah. If he gets hired away, then he likely deserves it. I would wish him well. I’d bet my last dollar Willie would too.
There’s no shortage of talented coaches out there. Willie’s “Rolodex” is vast. And most of them would give their left nut to work with him. Players, and Coaches, will continue to come and go. It’s the nature of the business…
I’d be willing to bet some of the folks singing his praises now have called for his head at least once this season. It’s the nature of this MB…
4 Likes
I like him and he was really open and gave Ryan a lot of content pre season and did the podcast a couple times and was a really interesting interview I hope he stays.
6 Likes
Me too.
2 Likes
The thing about this is that it hurts continuity, making it really hard to sustain recruiting ties and build a program. People around here like to point to the Sampson model as why fans should be patient, but replacing coaches every year isn’t part of that model.
This isn’t a knock on WF, but his ceiling will be limited if there’s a revolving door among assistant coaches, ESPECIALLY if coordinators are ejecting every year. I think this is less of a problem where the head coach essentially runs the offense (or defense), but that’s not really how he rolls, as far as I can tell.
1 Like
Totally agree.
Coaches leave for 2 reasons. They either suck, or they’re really good and have opportunities to further their career.
In over 30+ years of coaching , Willie has dealt with both, on multiple occasions.
But his overall track record on staff continuity is actually really strong.
Again though, I agree with you, it would suck to lose Austin. The good news, for now, that it’s simply speculation right now, stirred up by someone with a random thought on a “wide open” message board, where every thought can get out of control.
I’m not worried though.
Losing the good ones is a sign things are going well.
Having to repeatedly fire bad ones is problematic.
3 Likes
This is the thing that killed us as a G5 and it still hasn’t changed there is a reason the Bama’s and schools like that remain at the top its because not only do they have the same head coach but the asst coaches mostly remain on staff too. If they lose a guy its to be come a head coach or a coordinator not to take a demotion somewhere else because the money is better.
While I get what you’re saying, I’m not fully buying it. The best programs in the country likely lose as many coaches as other programs.
Their Coordinators leave to become HCs, and their position coaches leave to become Coordinators.
But neither one of us has put forth any data, so until we do, it’s just a difference of opinion.
1 Like
Art Briles was a HS HC who was at Tech as the RB coach when we hired him.
Kevin Sumlin was co-OC/WR coach at Oklahoma when Houston hired him.
Tony Levine was ST/TE/Outside WR coach at UH, promoted to HC
Tom Herman was OC/QB at Ohio St.
Major Applewhite was OC at UH under Herman, promoted to HC
Dana Holgorsen was HC at WVU, previously OC at UH and Oklahoma St. before that.
Willie Fritz was HC at Tulane when we hired him.
3 Likes
So, other than DH, Willie was the first in a long line going pretty far back who was a sitting head coach when he was hired to be the HC at Houston.
In fact, he had over 30 years experience as a HC.
Interesting….
Wonder if that might make him a little more ready to actually be a Head Coach?
I wonder if he might be able to do something all the other guys couldn’t do?
If only he had “Won” everywhere he had been.
If only he had coaching experience in the state of Texas.
If only he had great relationships with Texas HS Coaches and could focus on recruiting the talent in Texas, especially here in Houston.
If only he did nothing else but coach football and loved his family.
No one is that perfect a fit. Besides, our fans need something to complain about. And there’s a handful of them that will even make stuff up to do it.
But didn’t he meet all these same criteria a decade ago?
Yeah, but if we hire him now, we’ll look stupid having passed on him before all these traitors and buffoons rolled through. Besides, now our fans can say he’s too old. Because as everyone knows… no coach in the history of college football has ever accomplished anything after the age of 60.
But that’s not tr… SHUSSSSH, here come those 3 guys from the Coogfans Message Board. They call themselves “Lifelong Coog Fans”.
Is that a thing?
They think it is…
2 Likes
HC’s we hired before Holgorsen:
Dana Dimel 2000-2002 - Wyoming 1997-1999
Jack Pardee: 1987-1989 -USFL Houston Gamblers HC 1984-1985
Hal Lahar 1957-1961 - Colgate 1952-1956
Bill Meek: 1955-1956 - Kansas St. 1951-1954
Jewell Wallace: 1946-1947 (HS HC before and after UH)
2 Likes
So…several guys with a proven track record.
Jack Pardee was a legend, as I recall.
2 Likes
Our D.C. deserves a raise. He earned it. Seeing him commanding the sideline at the UCF game showed me a potential H.C. in the making. I love his energy and his players connection. Austin has a unique opportunity to head our defense next season with a good/great recruiting class coming in. What has been the biggest question mark to our program has been our offense and especially our OL. HCWF is fully aware of it and I have no doubts that we will take “that” next step next season. With a sub par (to say the least) offense we are still 8-3. If we win against baylor we ought to be ranked. We improve our offense next season? We will be a top 15 program and maybe even better. Historically HCWF has taken positive steps season after season. Again Austin deserves a meaningful raise. The greater Houston area has enormous potential for UH. I hope Mr. Armstrong is thinking long term. UH is a perfect place for him.
2 Likes
Oops, left out one.
Can we get new offensive coaches!!! This entire coaching staff needs to play Madden or something because they do not know how to throw the ball past 10 yards. I’m sure there are some Texas High School coaches that can do a better job get a team to throw the ball past 10 yards… do you know of any?
1 Like
Play Madden? 
1 Like
POTY potential 
1 Like