247: reaction of Texas HS coaches to Kiffin hire a concern for Houston

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Talking Thursday afternoon with one source close to the search: Do not discount the internal candidates at Houston.

We’ve been told that interim coach Todd Orlando and offensive coordinator Major Applewhite are very much in the mix, despite there being a faction of decision-makers in full support of Lane Kiffin.

There’s some reluctance to hire Kiffin due to the potential reaction to him by Texas’ high school coaches, one source close to the search told us.

“We’re not sure what that reception would be,” the source said.

That’s the opposite sense that Houston had in hiring Tom Herman, who had worked at Rice and several other Lone Star State schools when UH plucked him from Ohio State. As a result, he transitioned well into the Texas recruiting scene.

A source said some UH leaders believe Orlando or Applewhite would continue Herman’s in-state momentum, though it was unclear as of Thursday afternoon which internal candidate would have the edge.

The school’s decision-makers are expected to meet Thursday evening after one administrator returns from a business trip.

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