Houston leaves athletic director post, announces search for replacement

The Houston Cougars are going through one of the most transformative periods in the history of their athletic program.

Now, after just one year in the Big 12, one of the main forces behind that decision, athletic director Chris Pezman, has been ousted from his position after six years.

“Chris Pezman has led our athletic program through an incredible period of transformation, and we are grateful for his leadership over the past six years,” UH President Renu Khator said in a statement Thursday. “He played a pivotal role in our entry into the Big 12 Conference and championed student-athlete success on the field and in the classroom. This was a difficult but necessary decision as we experience a paradigm shift in college athletics. I want to thank Chris for his dedication to UH and to our student-athletes. On behalf of the University, I wish Chris and his family the best.

This decision comes as a bit of a surprise. Pezman, as noted, was a key figure in securing the Cougars an invitation to the Big 12 Conference last season, was part of one of the most successful periods in Houston basketball since the era of Phi Slama Jama and recently widely praised the hiring of a football coach in Willie Fritz.

There have certainly been some tough times during his tenure, including a major contract extension for former football coach Dana Holgorsen in 2022, whom the Cougars would fire at the end of the 2023 season.

Pezman was hired as the program’s 11th athletic director in December 2017, returning to his alma mater where he lettered three seasons for the Cougars football team. He had 18 months left on his contract, which was to last until January 2026.

Houston will immediately launch a national search for Pezman’s replacement. As interim AD in Pezman’s place will be Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance Raymond S. Bartlett.