(Photo by Houston Athletics)
When Dana Holgorsen left WVU for Houston in 2019, it seemed like a bold but wise move. The Mountaineers had just finished an 8-4 season, and with relationships growing stale, it was very likely that Holgorsen could have been looking for a job at the end of the 2019 season had the Mountaineers struggled. Houston was certainly a step back considering they compete in the Group of 5, but for Holgorsen, the job security was just too great to pass up.
When a program like Houston signs a coach like Holgorsen to an outrageous deal as they did, they expect results. Two seasons into the Dana Holgorsen era, they have yet to experience their desired results. Today, the Cougars completed their 2020 season with a 28-14 bowl loss to Hawaii, securing a 3-5 record.
This is Holgorsen’s second straight losing season with the Cougars. In 2019, he helped lead the Cougars to a 4-8 record, bringing his total record to 7-13 at his new home. For a program that “expects better than 8-4” as Houston does, this simply does not get it done.
Cougar fans are now beginning to grow restless with Holgorsen, and are letting their opinions be known on social media.
Dana Holgorsen really earning that $4 Million a year.
What a mess.
Can’t believe his hire was praised initially and West Virginia fans thought Neal Brown was a downgrade.
— Brad Powers (@BradPowers7) December 24, 2020
Houston not even using its final timeout.
Dana Holgorsen just threw in the towel. This is an embarrassment for the sport of CFB.
— Yesh Ginsburg (@yesh222) December 24, 2020
Dana Holgorsen is on the Mount Rushmore of worst FBS head coaches. #NewMexicoBowl
— Stephen A Curtis (@boomercurt) December 24, 2020
Dana Holgorsen is overrated as a playcaller
— Nick Jim-Lawson (@IAmCoachJLaw) December 24, 2020
Dana Holgorsen and the Houston Cougars should have plead Covid-19 and stayed home
— Neil Ramey (@DaBoog41) December 24, 2020
These tweets do not sound like a fanbase that is happy with their head coach.
The results will have to come for Holgorsen in 2021, or he will very likely suffer the same fate as Rich Rodriguez did after he left for Michigan. The Houston program will begin to grow stale under his leadership if things do not begin to improve, which will prompt Houston to make a change.
Just comparing Neal Brown at WVU and Dana Holgorsen at Houston, it seems as if the Mountaineers are winning this chess match – in an absolute landslide.
