UH Names Major Applewhite New Head Football Coach

Updated: 9:35 a.m.: The University of Houston football program will have a familiar face after announcing that Major Applewhite would take the helm as the head coach of the Cougars.

Applewhite, 38, who has served as the offensive coordinator for two years, was tapped for the job over finalists that included interim coach/defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and former LSU coach Les Miles.

On Thursday, USA Today reported that Kiffin was offered the job, but the news of his hiring was quickly dismissed by UH officials as false.

Applewhite is best known for his time as the quarterback of the University of Texas Longhorns where he set numerous NCAA records and led the Longhorns to two Big 12 Championships between 1998-2001.

Since then, Applewhite has made the rounds in coaching circles, starting as a graduate assistant in 2003 with the Longhorns under Mack Brown.

Applewhite landed his first coaching job in 2005 with Syracuse University, where he was the quarterbacks coach, before moving on to Rice University in Houston the following year.

Since then, Applewhite has held positions as an offensive coordinator and/or assistant head and offensive coordinator with the University of Alabama, the University of Texas and the University of Houston.

The UH offense under Applewhite was ranked 10th in scoring and 20th in total offense in 2015.

Original story: HOUSTON, TX -- The University of Houston has named UH offensive coordinator Major Applewhite to be the new head football coach.

Applewhite, 38, who has served as the offensive coordinator since 2014, was named the new head coach at the University of Houston on Friday morning.

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