University of Houston offensive coordinator Major Applewhite was named the school's head football coach Friday morning.
Applewhite will replace Tom Herman, who left to become the head coach for the University of Texas.
“Major Applewhite is a huge reason we’ve won 22 games in the last two seasons and I’m excited that he’s our head coach," University of Houston Board of Regents Chairman Tilman Fertitta said. "He knows we are positioned to compete for championships and I’m confident we’ll continue our success under his leadership.”
Herman hired Applewhite to be the school's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2015. The Cougars went 22-4 during his two seasons as offensive coordinator.
"His energy and creativity are responsible for one of the most explosive passing games in college football," University of Houston President Renu Khator said in a news release. "I am confident that as our head coach he will continue our upward trajectory as a nationally relevant athletics program."
Applewhite played in 43 games as a quarterback at the University of Texas from 1998 to 2001. He passed for more than 8,000 yards and 60 touchdowns and still holds several school records.
After returning to Texas as a graduate assistant under head coach Mack Brown in 2003 and 2004, Appelwhite was hired as the quarterbacks coach at Syracuse.
Applewhite then spent one year each at Rice and Alabama — under head coach Nick Saban — as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach before returning to Texas in 2008.
For the next six years, Applewhite spent time as running backs coach, quarterbacks coach, co-offensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the Longhorns.
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Applewhite spent time away from coaching before being hired by Herman, who was a graduate assistant at Texas during Applewhite's playing career.
