NEW ORLEANS — Tulane’s head coach Willie Fritz is leaving to become the head football coach at the University of Houston, the school announced Sunday morning.
"We are pleased to announce that Slade Nagle has been appointed interim head coach of Green Wave football and will lead our team in our bowl matchup," Tulane University President Michael A. Fitts said.
The news from Houston comes fresh off an AAC Championship game loss for Tulane on Saturday against SMU hosted at Yulman Stadium. After the game, Fritz was not saying much about the rumors a deal with Houston was in the works.
The news was also announced to Tulane players on Sunday. A formal introduction is set for Monday inside TDECU Stadium Cougar Club.
"No one in the country has been better at leading and developing student-athletes than Willie Fritz," Vice President for Athletics Chris Pezman said Sunday.
"Over his more than three decades of head coaching experience, he has guided several football programs to historic success. We're excited to welcome Willie, his wife, Susan, and their entire family, to Cougar Nation and look forward to putting our full support behind Coach Fritz as we look to take the next steps in the Big 12 Conference."
"I am truly humbled and honored to join the University of Houston family and to be a part of the strong athletics tradition at UH," said Fritz. "There is no ceiling for success, with the incredible fan support, excellent facilities, talented young men, and a collective desire to compete for championships. We will build a program that all Coogs can be proud of and I cannot wait to see the results."
"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Fritz to the University of Houston and we look forward to him elevating our football program to new heights in the Big 12 Conference," UH President Renu Khator said. "Coach Fritz has an impressive track record both on and off the field of maximizing the potential of student-athletes, which is a testament to his leadership. We're excited to have him as part of our Cougar Family and look forward to more exciting moments next fall at TDECU Stadium."
Fritz, 63, will succeed Dana Holgorsen.
Last year, Fritz was Georgia Tech’s top pick for head coach but that ultimately went to interim coach Brent Key, as The Times-Picayune reports.
Fritz has invigorated the Tulane program, going 23-4 the past two seasons and his loss will leave huge shoes to fill, but he will leave his successor with a talented group of returning players.
Fritz led the Green Wave to four bowl games under his helm. He was named Tulane’s head coach in 2016 and in his eight years at Tulane University, he led the program to 54-47 (31-34 AAC) overall record, four bowl games, and a 12-2 record with a Cotton Bowl win over USC last season.
Before joining Tulane, he coached Georgia Southern from 2014-15, with a 17-7 record and he spent four years at Sam Houston State in Huntsville, Texas, ending with a 40-17 record from 2010-13.
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