Team preview: Houston

The Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook previews the 2008 Houston Cougars, exclusively on Insider.

Updated: July 1, 2008, 9:18 AM ET
Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook
Editor's Note: ESPN Insider has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook to provide a comprehensive look at the Division I-A teams. To order the complete 2008 edition of Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, visit www.blueribbonyearbook.com or call 1-866-805-BALL (2255).

(All information as of June 20, 2008)

COACH AND PROGRAM

Art Briles left the Houston program in much better shape than he found it. Don't be surprised if his successor, Kevin Sumlin, does the same.

Under Briles, the Cougars went to four bowls in five years, won a Conference USA title and had back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1990.

All the hard work paid off for a lot of people. Briles got a seven-year deal from Baylor that will average anywhere from $1.2 to $1.8 million depending on incentives, and Sumlin got the opportunity to become the Cougars' first African-American head coach. In fact, Sumlin became the first black head coach for a Football Bowl Subdivision team in the state of Texas.


To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

SPONSORED HEADLINES

MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HEADLINES

MOST SENT STORIES ON ESPN.COM