Lane Kiffin’s name and the Houston Cougars once nearly collided in a way that could have changed a lot more than one coaching search.
According to an excerpt from a forthcoming Lane Kiffin biography published by Vanity Fair, Kiffin was a serious candidate for the Houston head coaching job at a time when the program was looking for a hire that could push it into national relevance. He interviewed twice, felt good about where things stood, and then Houston went in another direction.
That direction turned out to be Major Applewhite, who was promoted in 2016 after the Cougars passed on Kiffin. Houston booster Tilman Fertitta later explained the decision on local radio and made clear that Kiffin was not viewed as a clean fit.
“Sure, he’s been a head coach and he’s been an OK head coach. But I can tell you this: [Kiffin] was not a safe hire.”
Fertitta also said that even though Kiffin was one of three finalists, he was “never” close to landing the job. “Those [stories] are all put out by his agents because that’s the way they play the game.”
The idea of Kiffin in Houston is one of those college football alternate timelines that’s hard to shake. At the time, the Cougars were trying to make a leap, and Kiffin’s reputation as one of the sport’s most creative offensive minds - and one of its most polarizing figures - made him an obvious headline-grabber.
Instead, his career path took him somewhere else. Kiffin went on to stops at FAU and Ole Miss, where he rebuilt his image and reestablished himself as one of the game’s top coaches. Houston, meanwhile, found its own road and eventually reached the Big 12.
It leaves behind a simple but intriguing question: what would Houston have looked like with Kiffin in charge, and how different might the program’s climb have been?
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One of the more intriguing layers is the return of wide receiver Trent Walker against Oregon State, giving the opener a familiar face on Houstons side and a little added personal weight to a game that is supposed to be manageable on paper. Oregon State also brings in a fresh quarterback situation with Braden Atkinson set to make his FBS debut, which makes the Beavers a little harder to read than a typical early-season opponent and gives Houston a few reasons to stay alert even in what looks like a favorable home opener. [Read more 🡒]