HILLTOPPER FOCUS: Report: WKU adds former Houston head coach Tony Levine to staff
Published 9:03 am Monday, February 8, 2016
- Houston head coach Tony Levine talks to his players during a timeout during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Central Florida in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Former Houston head coach Tony Levine is set to join the Western Kentucky staff, according to a report Monday from Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman.
Levine, 43, will join the Hilltoppers as an offensive assistant and special teams coordinator, Feldman reported.
Trending
SOURCE: Ex #Houston HC Tony Levine will join the #WKU staff as an offensive asst & special teams coordinator: https://t.co/179sRKUuAE
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 8, 2016
WKU has not yet confirmed the hire.
Levine went 21-17 as Houston’s head coach from 2011-2014. The Cougars were bowl eligible in each of his last two seasons, and he also coached them to a victory in the 2012 TicketCity Bowl after Kevin Sumlin left for Texas A&M.
Levine also had assistant stints with Houston, Louisville, Louisiana Tech, Auburn, Texas State and the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. He was a special teams/tight ends assistant at Louisville while WKU coach Jeff Brohm was on the Cardinals’ staff.
Trending
Levine told Fox Sports in November that he visited WKU during his season away from college football in 2015.
“Also, to spend time at Western Kentucky and Texas Tech was invaluable for me offensively,” Levine said in that interview. “Jeff Brohm and Kliff Kingsbury are two of the best offensive coaches I’ve been around – very cutting edge and innovative in what they do and how they think.”
Levine played receiver at Minnesota.
His role in the offense hasn’t been defined, but he takes over special team duties from JaMarcus Shephard and Ricky Brumfield, who split those responsibilities before leaving for new jobs this offseason.
WKU has lost six staffers this offseason, including five full-time assistant coaches. The Tops have already officially announced the hirings of offensive assistant Chris Barclay and defensive assistant Reggie Johnson.
— Zach Greenwell
