Houston football coach Briles to get new contract


December 18, 2003
HOUSTON (Ticker) - Houston football coach Art Briles, who has guided the Cougars to their first bowl berth since 1996, will be rewarded with a new contract.

Houston athletic director Dave Maggard announced Thursday that he has a verbal agreement with Briles to rework the coach's contract, details of which will be worked out after the Cougars play Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Day.

"My immediate goal is to focus on the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl," Briles said, "but I'm extremely excited and proud to be able to stay a part of the Cougar family, hopefully for many years."

The Cougars had four straight losing seasons before posting a 7-5 mark in their first year under Briles, who previously was an assistant at Texas Tech.

Houston's last bowl berth was a 30-17 setback to Syracuse in the Liberty Bowl seven years ago.