Houston Cougars football head coach Dana Holgorsen was frustrated with his team’s performance against Rice on Saturday.
The Cougars defeated the Owls but had to overcome 10 penalties, were unable to pick up a first down in their final drive that would have allowed the team to end the game in victory formation, and the defense allowed Rice to drive 85 yards in 23 seconds and almost score a last-second touchdown that could have led to a UH loss.
“A lot of stupid stuff once again,” a heated Holgorsen said after the game against Rice. “I ain’t taking responsibility for that, at some point they got to quit doing that.”
Holgorsen started his weekly news conference on Monday by acknowledging the comments and saying he misspoke. He was frustrated and feeling some emotions that he had not felt maybe ever in 12 years of being a head coach and 32 of being a college coach, Holgorsen said.
“Obviously, I wasn’t pointing the finger at anything, I misspoke,” Holgorsen said. “That was stupid, I shouldn’t have said what I said as far as not assuming responsibility for anything that our team does.”
The head coach went on to say he is responsible for what coaches do and how they coach. He is responsible for what players do and how they play, he said.
“We all know that I assume responsibility for everything that happens within this program,” Holgorsen said.
Houston has battled through a lot of adversity in the team’s first four games. From back-to-back overtime games to open the season, committing 10 or more penalties in all four games of the season, and Holgorsen’s frustration after games with the team’s performance.
“I apologize for my attitude in the postgame,” Holgorsen said. “I was frustrated and just cooked and all that but no excuse.”
The Cougars now find themselves at 2-2 as they begin conference play in the American Athletic Conference on Friday against Tulane. Holgorsen said the Green Wave are a well-coached, resilient and tough team that will pose a strong challenge for UH.
Holgorsen said on Monday he is happy with the Cougars’ resiliency, and he is hoping the win against the Owls can give them positive momentum against Tulane and beyond during the team’s final slate in the AAC. Houston will join the Big 12 on July 1, 2023.
“The first four are over and done with,” Holgorsen said. “The 2-2 record may or may not have any impact on like a title game down the road. It may or may not, but we got a lot of work to do here in the next eight games, and we need to expect eight hard-fought conference games because every one of them is going to be hard like that. We just got to focus on us.”