(STATS) – A contract through the 2027 season may not be enough for James Madison to keep national-championship winning coach Mike Houston at the FCS powerhouse in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The JMU athletic department confirmed Wednesday evening that UNC Charlotte has offered its head coaching position to Houston. After the team’s practice, the third-year coach said he is interested in the position at the Conference USA school, but did not confirm or deny he had accepted it, saying his focus is on the Dukes’ second-round playoff game at Colgate on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, various reports said the 47-year-old Houston is expected to accept the offer.
A JMU statement through Kevin Warner, the assistant athletic director for communications, said, “We are aware that Mike Houston has been offered the head coaching job at Charlotte and that he addressed the offer with local media after Wednesday’s practice. At this point, he has not accepted the offer. We expect Mike to coach JMU on Saturday at Colgate.”
Houston has a 37-5 record with the Dukes. He led them to the 2016 FCS national championship in his first season and a runner-up finish last year, winning the CAA Football title in both seasons. This year, they are 9-3.
As interest from other schools has grown in Houston, James Madison tried to fend off the suitors last December when it signed Houston to a second contract extension within a one-year span, this time a 10-year deal through the 2027 season.
Included in the deal was a $500,000 buyout if Houston departed James Madison for a Conference USA school prior to Jan. 31, 2020.
Houston has an 80-24 career record. Before James Madison, he went 14-11 with a Southern Conference title and FCS playoff appearance in two seasons at The Citadel and 29-8 with two playoff appearances, including a 2013 national runner-up finish, at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne.
The James Madison position would be highly coveted if Houston departs. His staff includes veteran coaches.
Charlotte has had an opening since it fired Brad Lambert, the only coach in program history, on Nov. 18. He led the 49ers into an FCS startup season in 2013 and into their FBS transition two years later, going 22-46 over six seasons.
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