2. Dana Holgorsen, Houston
It didn’t go according to plan.
Holgorsen made the move from the Power Five world to the Group of Five when he left West Virginia to Houston. It was a big move for the program, it was getting back statistical superstar QB D’Eriq King, and there was a whole lot of excitement and buzz about a possible run to the American Athletic Conference title.
The Cougars were competitive against Oklahoma in a loss – no biggie.
They were competitive against Washington State in a loss – again, not a big deal considering it was a 31-24 fight against a Power Five program.
Everything matters.#GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/s7Pq4rZizb
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) March 4, 2020
But a brutal loss to Tulane on the road in the final moments broke the team’s back. It was 1-3, and at the four-game mark – the time players could stop playing and maintain a year of eligibility – King decided to sit out the year, and the season was effectively over.
The team considered a sleeper in the race for a New Year’s Six slot finished 4-8 with wins over Prairie View, North Texas, UConn and Tulsa. Yippee.
King is now at Miami, but Holgorsen got time to work with all the parts in what turned out to be a year-long scrimmage.
Former superstar linebacker recruit Eyabi Anoma is in the transfer portal, but Holgorsen was able to land S Jovannis Stewart from West Virginia and return most of the parts on both sides to the ball.
Marquez Stevenson leads a loaded receiving corps with the top four pass catchers returning, there’s decent talent at running back, and QB Clayton Tune wasn’t all that bad with most of last season to prepare.
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It also helps that the top ten tacklers are expected to return.
It’s not the easiest schedule for Holgorsen’s second season, but it’s more than manageable to at least go bowling and be a bit of a player in the AAC West race. It’s not crazy to think that an attitude change and reboot are coming, and it all starts against Rice to kick things off.
But it would’ve been nice to get by D’Eriq King, who’s going off to …