Sportexe Division I-A Coach of the Year in Back-to-Back Bowl Games

January 5th, 2007

ROUND ROCK, Texas - Although the University of Houston, led by Sportexe NCAA Division I-A Coach of the Year winner Art Briles, fell short 44-36 to Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina Gamecocks in the Autozone Liberty Bowl on Friday, Dec. 29, the Cougars fought to wire in what was one of the most exciting games in the 2006 bowl season.

Briles has little time to reflect on the loss, before taking the helm in Honolulu as one of the coaches for the 61st annual Hula Bowl on Jan. 14. The Cougars head coach joins legendary UH head coach Bill Yeoman as Houston coaches in the prestigious all-star game. Briles joins Fresno State’s Pat Hill, Georgia’s Mark Richt, West Virginia’s Rich Rodriquez and Florida A&M’s Rubin Carter in this year’s Hula Bowl.

“We are disappointed with the loss,” said Briles. “We wanted to end the season with a bowl win, but our guys played hard and that is all we can ask. Now I am looking forward to coaching some of the best talent in the nation at the Hula Bowl before heading home to hit the recruiting trail. There is a lot of excitement surrounding the Houston Cougars football program and we are looking forward to seeing the benefits by attracting a talented group of kids.”

This season Briles led Houston to its third bowl appearance in the past four years, a feat that has not been duplicated since the 1979-82 Cougar era. Under the guidance of Briles the Cougars are the Conference USA Champions, a title the team has not held since the 1996 season. Houston’s high potency attack offense finished the season 11th in the nation in scoring.

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