University of Houston Athletics
Herman Names Four to Houston Coaching Staff
1/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
HOUSTON - Houston Football head coach Tom Herman named the first four members to his staff Monday with the addition of two offensive and two defensive assistants, all with heavy ties to the state of Texas.
On the defensive side of the ball, Craig Naivar was named assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, while Jason Washington was named special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Offensively, Drew Mehringer was named wide receivers coach and Corby Meekins was named tight ends coach.
All four assistants are natives of the state of Texas and attended college in the state.
"We're excited to add the first four members to our coaching staff in Craig, Jason, Drew and Corby as we continue to complete the remainder of our staff," said Herman. "All four have roots in Texas and extensive ties to high school and college football in the state that we know will help us in the recruiting process. Not only are all four great recruiters, but they have a history of developing young men into great players."
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Naivar (pronounced "NI-ver") has been a defensive coordinator or special teams coordinator for the last 16 seasons after spending 2014 at Kentucky as the Special Teams Coordinator and safeties coach. In his lone season at Kentucky, Naivar tutored two Freshman All-Americans on special teams in kick returner Stanley Williams and kicker Austin MacGinnis while overseeing a safeties group that helped UK pull in 15 interceptions after recording a combined eight in the two seasons prior to his arrival.
Prior to Kentucky, Naivar spent 16 seasons on the collegiate level in the state of Texas including four years in Houston while at Rice as co-defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator and safeties coach from 2007-10. A native of Taylor, Texas, he also had two, 3-year stints at Texas State (2011-13, 2004-06), a 4-year stint at Sam Houston State (2000-03) and received his coaching start at his alma mater Hardin-Simmons in 1994-95.
Washington, a member of Naivar's defensive staff for 10 seasons at Rice and Texas State, led a Texas State secondary that ranked second in the Sun Belt in 2014 with 13 interceptions. Sophomore Germond Williams ranked 17th nationally with four interceptions in just nine games, while Craig Mager was selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game and received All-Sun Belt honors after leading the league with 13 passes defended, including three interceptions. Junior David Mims received First Team All-Sun Belt honors with five interceptions on the year.
A San Antonio native, Washington also coached the punt return unit at Texas State. The Bobcats ranked seventh nationally in 2013 and led the SBC in punt returns after Andy Erickson returned 20 punts for 284 yards for an average of 14.2 yards per return. Erickson ranked second nationally in punt returns with 16.7 yards per return in 2012.
Well-versed in the Tom Herman offensive system, Mehringer spent six seasons on Herman's offensive staff before spending the 2014 season as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at James Madison where the Dukes' offense ranked 10th nationally with 484.6 yards per game behind the arm of junior quarterback Vad Lee, who finished fourth in voting for the 2014 Walter Payton Award, considered the Heisman Trophy of FCS football.
A Mansfield, Texas, native, Mehringer spent two seasons each at Ohio State and Iowa State as a graduate assistant along with three seasons as a student assistant at Rice. Mehringer's offense at JMU set single-season program records with 1,060 offensive plays, 6,300 offensive yards, 315 first downs, 475 passing attempts, 286 passing completions, 30 passing touchdowns, 3,499 passing yards and 159 passing first downs. The JMU offense scored quickly. Of the 70 JMU scoring drives, 37 were less than two minutes in length, yet 54 covered 50 yards or more. In giving up just 14 turnovers, the JMU offense helped the Dukes rank second nationally in turnover margin at +14.
One of Texas' most accomplished high school coaches, Meekins arrives on Cullen Boulevard after 15 seasons at Westfield High School including 11 as head coach, where he accumulated a record of 114-27. Meekins turned the Westfield program into a perennial contender, winning seven district championships and advancing to the playoffs 10 times including one state championship trip, three trips to the semifinals and six quarterfinal trips.
The 2014 season saw Meekins' Westfield program finish the year 13-2 with a trip to the Class 6A Division II semifinals. He was named the Touchdown Club of Houston's Co-Coach of the Year and an assistant coach for the White team at the 2015 Under Armour All-America Game.
A native of Shephard, Texas, Meekins served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Greater Houston Football Coaches Association from 2009-15 after serving as the Association's president in 2009. Prior to his presidency, Meekins was a member of the group's Board of Directors from 2006-08. Meekins also served on the Texas High School Coaches Association Board of Directors from 2009-12.
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