Last week, Houston promoted offensive coordinator Major Applewhite to become its head coach. The hire marked the second made over the span of two days in which a former assistant to Arizona State head coach Todd Graham took over an FBS program; the first being Jay Norvell’s hiring at Nevada.
It’s not unfamiliar territory.
Last offseason, Graham lost former ASU offensive coordinator Mike Norvell to Memphis, whose beckoning also lured former co-defensive coordinator Chris Ball and tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator Chip Long away with him. Norvell had served under Graham for eight years before moving on.