75°
60º | 79°
University of Houston football head coach Dana Holgorsen was awarded a multi-year contract extension.
After a 12-win season in 2021 and a Birmingham Bowl victory over Auburn (17-13), Holgorsen verbally agreed to a multi-year contract extension. Contract details have not yet been released.
“This is a long-term deal,” Holgorsen said. “I can’t tell you how excited I am to be at the University of Houston. I plan on this being my last job. There’s a lot of big things in store with conference transition, so getting something done now was important to me."
Coach Holgorsen’s original contract signed in 2019 extends through the 2023 season, earning him a total of $8.5 million. It included a $1 million bonus if the University of Houston accepted an invitation to join a power conference. Houston was invited to join the Big 12 conference in 2023, which triggered good faith negotiations over Holgorsen’s salary.
“It goes back to stability and where we are going,” Holgorsen said. “Whether anyone wants to like or dislike it, my job is different now than when I first got here three years ago.”
After a less than stellar start the first two seasons, Holgorsen steered the Cougars to a bowl victory and the third 12-win season in program history, which set the stage to leave the American Athletic Conference. Over three seasons, Holgorsen has 19 wins and 15 losses.
“Hopefully I’ll be the head coach here for as long as they’ll have me,” Holgorsen said. “Being here for the long-term is important. I’d prefer it a couple of months ago during recruiting. Everybody knows we’re stable and I’m not going anywhere.”
The Cougars won 11 straight games this season with Holgorsen at the helm. They finished the season ranked No. 17 nationally, according to the Associated Press poll.