Las Vegas Bowl team history: Houston’s in-state poaching issue

Leading up to the Las Vegas Bowl between Houston and San Diego State, the Review-Journal will provide glimpses into each school’s football history. We’ll take a look at each school once per day until game day on Dec. 17 at Sam Boyd Stadium.

In-state coaching poaching

Dates: 2007-present

Houston has managed to be competitive throughout much of its football history despite residing in a state packed with other Division I programs. And recently, the Cougars have had to compete with other Texas schools not just for recruits but for coaches.

Coach Tom Herman is the most recent example, leaving for Texas on Nov. 26 after compiling a 22-4 record in two seasons with Houston. But the poaching goes back further than that.

Two full-time coaches before Herman, Kevin Sumlin helped the Cougars set NCAA passing records in his four seasons before leaving to take the head coaching job at Texas A&M. And Sumlin’s predecessor, Art Briles, helped resurrect his alma mater in his five years at the helm before heading to Waco, Texas to coach Baylor.

Sumlin has since led the Aggies to a 44-20 record in his five years at College Station, while Briles was fired from Baylor this spring after Baylor said the program did not properly handle allegations of sexual violence against its players.

Even with Briles out of the coaching picture right now, new Cougars coach Major Applewhite can expect to see plenty of familiar faces on the in-state recruiting trail.

Ben Gotz/Las Vegas Review-Journal. Gotz can be reached at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.