Cauthen out, Belk in as Cougars’ DC
Houston defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen will not return, a person with knowledge of the situation said Tuesday.
His replacement is right down the hallway.
Head coach Dana Holgorsen plans to replace Cauthen with Doug Belk, who spent last season as the Cougars’ associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach, the person said.
FootballScoop.com first reported the staff change Tuesday.
Cauthen spent two seasons in charge of the Cougars’ defense and had one year left on a contract that was to pay $450,000 in 2021. Before coming to UH, Cauthen spent five seasons as defensive coordinator at Arkansas State.
Belk is regarded as an up-and-comer in the coaching ranks and was in demand this offseason as a candidate to coach defensive backs at Texas and Georgia, according to Sports Illustrated. A onetime graduate assistant at Alabama, Belk was part of Holgorsen’s staff at West Virginia for two seasons before following his boss to UH.
Belk originally signed a three-year deal that pays $400,000 annually. This is the second straight offseason Belk has been promoted; he added the associate head coach title last January.
During an abbreviated 3-5 season in 2020, the Cougars ranked 80th in points allowed (32.0 per game), 55th in total defense (398.5 yards), 62nd against the pass (231) and 66th against the run (167.5).
Texas defense getting new boss
New Texas coach Steve Sarkisian reportedly has lured Washington defensive coordinator Peter Kwiatkowski away from the Huskies. He will serve in the same role at Texas, replacing outgoing coordinator Chris Ash, who was not retained after spending one season on former coach Tom Herman’s staff.
Ash is expected to join Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer’s staff as a position coach.
During Kwiatkowski’s 2014-20 tenure at Washington, his defense produced 17 NFL draft picks, including two-time All-Pro Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker and fourtime All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters.
UW led the Pac-12 in both scoring defense and total defense every season from 2015 to 2018, going 39-15 during that time and reaching one CFP semifinal.