Houston Reportedly Nearing Home Run Coaching Hire

Published|Updated

The Houston Cougars reportedly have zeroed in on hiring Willie Fritz as the program's next football coach.

Houston fired Dana Holgorsen after multiple underwhelming seasons. The Cougars need a hard reset after a brutal first year in the Big 12. Firing Holgorsen was the first step. Finding his replacement is next up on the list.

Enter Tulane coach Willie Fritz.

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Tulane coach Willie Fritz reportedly Houston's top target. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Houston reportedly targeting Willie Fritz.

The Cougars are locking in on snatching Fritz away from the Green Wave, according to ESPN and the Houston Chronicle.

Tulane lost to SMU in the AAC title game Saturday. The Houston Chronicle reported the Cougars "wanted to be respectful of Fritz's wishes not to distract from" the conference title game.

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Willie Fritz has had a lot of success at Tulane. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

With the game now behind the Green Wave and Fritz, the process to sign Willie Fritz could be accelerated.

If a deal is reached with Fritz, it would be a great hire for the Cougars. The program needs a proven winner, and that's exactly what Fritz is.

He's 23-4 over the past two seasons at Tulane - a school that isn't exactly easy to win at. That includes a Cotton Bowl win over USC and top-10 finish in 2022. The Green Wave won 11 games this season, and made it to the AAC title game. He's stacked two outstanding seasons on top of each other. Houston is in a bigger conference with more money, resources and is in a much better region.

There's no reason why the Tulane coach wouldn't be successful with the Cougars.

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Houston reportedly targeting Willie Fritz. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Let me know your thoughts on Houston targeting Fritz at David.Hookstead@outkick.com, and make sure to check back for the latest updates as we have them.

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David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.