University of Houston Athletics
Coach Kevin Sumlin Named C-USA Coach of the Year
12/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
University of Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin was named the Conference USA Coach of the Year, as announced by the league office.
Sumlin led the Cougars to a West Division title and a national ranking for nearly the entire season. It was the first time Houston has been ranked in a poll since the 1991 season. The Cougars finished the season 10-3 with a berth in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl against Air Force on Dec. 31.
Houston's 10-win season places the current squad one win away from the all-time school record of 11 wins accomplished by the 1973 and 1979 teams.
The Cougars led all FBS teams in total offense (581.2 ypg), passing offense (450.0 ypg) and ranks second in scoring offense (43.9 ppg). Junior quarterback Case Keenum leads the nation in total offense per game by more than 100 yards.
Eight players earned All-Conference USA accolades by the league's coaches, including first team selections Keenum, junior wide receiver James Cleveland and kick returner Tyron Carrier.
A testament to all of the youth the Cougars have and to add to Sumlin's impressive resume, Houston started the second-most amount of true freshman (five) and played the sixth-most (12) in the NCAA this season.
In addition to the conference success Sumlin and the Cougars achieved, they were also the only FBS school that won three games against teams from automatic qualifying conferences as part of their non-conference schedule. Houston defeated Oklahoma State and Mississippi State on the road and defeated in-state rival Texas Tech.
Sumlin becomes the school's third head coach since Houston joined Conference USA to receive the title. Kim Helton was named the C-USA Coach of the Year in 1996, and Art Briles received the accolade in 2006.
