New West Virginia coach has engineered offensive turnarounds at Oklahoma St., Houston, Texas Tech
MORGANTOWN - Compared to the coach whose staff he will join next season and who he will replace a year later, Dana Holgorsen's resume isn't littered with innumerable stops along the way.
Quarterback Graham Harrell led the nation in total offense and Biletnikoff Award winner Michael Crabtree led the nation in receptions per game and receiving yards per game.
In 2006, the Red Raiders ranked No. 3 nationally in passing offense and No. 6 in total offense. Harrell once again was outstanding, finishing No. 3 nationally in total offense with 344.38 yards per game. Texas Tech led the nation in passing in 2005, was No. 4 in scoring offense (39.4) and No. 6 in total offense (495.83). Quarterback Cody Hodges was No. 2 in the nation with 396.08 yards per game.
After that, Holgorsen spent two years as the offensive coordinator at Houston, where he apparently first caught the eye of the man who hired him Wednesday, WVU athletic director Oliver Luck.
In Houston, Holgorsen's offenses accounted for 563 yards of total offense per game, passing for 433.7 yards per game and totaling more than 42.2 points per game. His offense ranked No. 3 in total offense in 2008 and No. 1 in 2009.
His quarterback, Case Keenum, led the nation in total offense in 2008 and 2009, totaling 403.2 yards per game as a sophomore and 416.4 yards his junior season. He also ranked among the Top 10 nationally in pass efficiency both years.
He was then hired last January at Oklahoma State, where the Cowboys' offense ranked No. 61 nationally in total offense the year before he arrived.
In one season his group led the nation in total offense, averaging 537.6 yards per game, was No. 2 in passing offense, averaging 354.7 yards per game, and No. 3 in scoring offense, averaging 44.9 points per game.
Holgorsen is a native of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and graduated from Iowa Wesleyan in 1993. He is divorced with three children - McClayne, Logan and Carlyn. During his year in Stillwater, Holgorsen never bought or even rented a house, but instead lived in a hotel.
MORGANTOWN - Compared to the coach whose staff he will join next season and who he will replace a year later, Dana Holgorsen's resume isn't littered with innumerable stops along the way.
He has done some traveling, though.
When Bill Stewart arrived at West Virginia in 2000, it was his 14th coaching job in 27 years.
When Holgorsen arrives as WVU's offensive coordinator in 2011 and Stewart's successor as head coach in 2012, it will be his seventh college campus in 18 years.
Of his six previous stops, the first three were fairly small time. He coached quarterbacks, receivers and special teams at Valdosta State (1993-95) in Georgia, had the same duties at Mississippi College (1996-98) and then was the quarterbacks and receivers coach at Wingate in 1999.
Since then, though, his star has risen rapidly, beginning when he was hired at Texas Tech in 2000 by Mike Leach, first as inside receivers coach for five years and then as co-offensive coordinator in 2005 and offensive coordinator in 2006-07.
During his time in Lubbock, his offenses increased the amount of yardage from 324.8 yards of total offense to 529.6, an increase of more than 200 yards per game. The Red Raiders were No. 7 nationally prior to Holgorsen becoming offensive coordinator and raised their yardage total to No. 4 in 2005, his first season directing the offense.
In his two years as offensive coordinator, his squad was nationally ranked No. 8 in 2006 and No. 3 in 2007. In 2007, Texas Tech led the nation in passing (470.31), was No. 2 in total offense (529.62) and was No. 7 in scoring offense (40.9).
Quarterback Graham Harrell led the nation in total offense and Biletnikoff Award winner Michael Crabtree led the nation in receptions per game and receiving yards per game.
In 2006, the Red Raiders ranked No. 3 nationally in passing offense and No. 6 in total offense. Harrell once again was outstanding, finishing No. 3 nationally in total offense with 344.38 yards per game. Texas Tech led the nation in passing in 2005, was No. 4 in scoring offense (39.4) and No. 6 in total offense (495.83). Quarterback Cody Hodges was No. 2 in the nation with 396.08 yards per game.
After that, Holgorsen spent two years as the offensive coordinator at Houston, where he apparently first caught the eye of the man who hired him Wednesday, WVU athletic director Oliver Luck.
In Houston, Holgorsen's offenses accounted for 563 yards of total offense per game, passing for 433.7 yards per game and totaling more than 42.2 points per game. His offense ranked No. 3 in total offense in 2008 and No. 1 in 2009.
His quarterback, Case Keenum, led the nation in total offense in 2008 and 2009, totaling 403.2 yards per game as a sophomore and 416.4 yards his junior season. He also ranked among the Top 10 nationally in pass efficiency both years.
He was then hired last January at Oklahoma State, where the Cowboys' offense ranked No. 61 nationally in total offense the year before he arrived.
In one season his group led the nation in total offense, averaging 537.6 yards per game, was No. 2 in passing offense, averaging 354.7 yards per game, and No. 3 in scoring offense, averaging 44.9 points per game.
Holgorsen is a native of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and graduated from Iowa Wesleyan in 1993. He is divorced with three children - McClayne, Logan and Carlyn. During his year in Stillwater, Holgorsen never bought or even rented a house, but instead lived in a hotel.
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