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To an outsider, which HC job is more desirable? It's obviously a lot easier to recruit to UH (in terms of admission requirements) and they have enjoyed a lot more success over the past few years. Better attendance at UH (not great by any means) but not sure about their facilities other than Robertson.

Hopefully, SMU does indeed have a candidate locked up because I would think any coach that is interested in the SMU job would also have interest in the UH job since they are in the same division of the same conference.

Depends on the candidate and the amount of money being offered. I think the SMU job is pretty attractive because of the beautiful campus, family-friendly neighborhood, fantastic facilities, and other perks. I personally would not want to live or work at UH.

SMU has a better stadium.

In regards to facilities, weight rooms, practice etc...UH is equal to SMU.

John Moore, a UH alum, BMC software founder and owner of the SD Padres donated a bunch of money to refurbish and build new amenities about 10 years ago.

SMU's campus is obviously better.

UH has the kiniesiolgyand education majors.

UH also has track to appeal to athletes interested in both football and track

Lately UH has a better NFL track record.

SMU is offering more money right now, but suprisingly UH has some monied boosters besides Moore i.e. John O'Quinn and few other guys.

All things considered I think the job is equal.

dcpony wrote:SMU has a better stadium.

In regards to facilities, weight rooms, practice etc...UH is equal to SMU.

John Moore, a UH alum, BMC software founder and owner of the SD Padres donated a bunch of money to refurbish and build new amenities about 10 years ago.

SMU's campus is obviously better.

UH has the kiniesiolgyand education majors.

UH also has track to appeal to athletes interested in both football and track

Lately UH has a better NFL track record.

SMU is offering more money right now, but suprisingly UH has some monied boosters besides Moore i.e. John O'Quinn and few other guys.

All things considered I think the job is equal.

Thanks for the info...good insight and I agree with your points. I was surprised that Briles was making around $900K to $1MM.

UH's campus is not that bad for a self-described urban campus. And there is major construction going on to make the campus greener--trees, walking areas, etc. With all that, SMU's campus is still much better looking.

UH has had some great football teams, but also had some miserable years.

I think SMU is the better position, but I'm biased in that regard.

ponyboy wrote:Depends on the candidate and the amount of money being offered. I think the SMU job is pretty attractive because of the beautiful campus, family-friendly neighborhood, fantastic facilities, and other perks. I personally would not want to live or work at UH.

With money what it is, the coach can live where he wants to live.
And working is working. Both are stepping stone...the question for a stepping stone coach would be how fast he gets to BCS...ask Briles if he would trade his position vs. Bennett's. Bennett was coordinator; Briles a high school coach. Houston won 4 out of 5 years (nevermind the bowl results...they go to play in them). SMU's record is what?
The math here kinda hurts, you know?

That said, I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.

The Park Cities is downright cozy to live in; but that isn't enough IMHO. Then again, perhaps a better coach could have won at SMU as well, and then SMU becomes very much more attractive for precisely the reasons you mention.

On the face of it, you gotta ask yourself whether the coach is competitive enough and likes creature comforts enough to take the bolder job.

SMU has more attractive females but being that UH is a public school, im sure they might get better recruits...could be wrong about that though

I think we put way too much emphasis on SMU's location. Obviously, Park Cities and Dallas overall is a great place to live. Fan-freakin-tastic...

but..

if you look at the overall college football landscape, most BCS and bigger schools are in absolute dumps..they are what they are...college towns. That is why they pack in 80,000 plus in Columbus, Stillwater, College station, Norman, etc. There is nothing else to do but go to the game on saturday.

Coaches want to go where they can win, where they will get exposure, and where they have a shot at a NC. Where the school happens to be located has no real bearing on snagging a coach. With the $ they make, they can always have a 2nd home in their dream location.

my $.02

College coaches seem to want to leave Houston asap these days.

I wonder how people see the Rice job versus the Houston job.

Rice is also located in a nice neighborhood.

UH vs SMU? That's really a tough question. I think they are roughly equal.

West University where Rice is definitely a step up from the hoods of Coog High, but is still a step down from the Park Cities. I would think the draw of UH over SMU would mainly center around the fact that their admission requirements are a pulse and ability to sign your name (first or last acceptable, but both preferable). The SMU job, if successful, would be seen as a career builder while the UH job would be seen as riding Briles coat-tails.

Just my 2 cents.

From the outside looking in it seems coaching is now all about money period. UH-easier to recruit, SMU better facilities, but I am not sure any of that matters. Briles was a UH graduate, played in their glory days, probably coaching at his school was his dream, but Baylor waves big money and a BSC program at him and he's gone. You can talk about wanting a challenge (both Baylor and SMU will be a challenge) but it always comes down to the bottom line.

What about SMU vs. TCU.

Yeah, I know everybody laughs, but imagine it is Cavan's first year, prior to TCU's win vs. SMU.

It's SMU hands down.

UH 950,000.. Baylor 1.8. UH 8 to 10 wins a year. Baylor 3 to5 wins a year. Id take the 1.8 million.

one question though as a coach why would you rather live in houston than dallas?