As CEO of West Virginia’s football program, Dana Holgorsen always places an emphasis on player development and the overall student-athlete experience, which has led to increased success in the Big 12 and on the national level.
Holgorsen, who passed the 50-win mark during the 2017 season, has led the Mountaineer football program since 2011 its last year as a Big East Conference member, and now into the seventh year of Big 12 Conference membership.
He is currently No. 4 on the school’s all-time win list, and he has led the Mountaineers to bowl games in six of the past seven years, including four straight. West Virginia has been ranked in both major polls at least one week in six of his seven years.
Holgorsen has been the architect of some of the nation’s most prolific offenses during his coaching career. Starting as the offensive coordinator at Texas Tech, then Houston and Oklahoma State, and now as the head coach at West Virginia, his offensive units are known for their ability to move the ball, pile up yardage and score points.
During his 13 years overseeing offenses, he has had eight quarterbacks pass for more than 4,000 yards and nine throw for 30 touchdowns, six running backs run more than 1,000 yards and 20 receivers finished with 1,000 or more yards, including 11 with 90 or more receptions and 14 with double-figure touchdown receptions.
He has had numerous players earn all-conference, All-America honors and be drafted by the NFL, including four first round picks in the past seven years at WVU. Since 2012, he has had the second-most top three round draft picks in the Big 12 (10) and has had the third-most players drafted in the league (20).
In 2017, he led the Mountaineers to a 7-6 record and 5-4 in the Big 12 Conference. WVU participated in its fourth-straight bowl game and sixth in the seven years under Holgorsen's direction.
In 2016, the AFCA District 4 Regional Coach of the Year and Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year finalist, led the Mountaineer football program to a 10-3 overall mark and 7-2 record in the Big 12 in 2016.
His 2016 team achieved the ninth 10-win season in school history, becoming one of six WVU teams to do it in the regular season. Holgorsen is one of three WVU coaches, along with Don Nehlen and Rich Rodriguez, to post multiple 10-win seasons. The seven Big 12 wins were the most in a season, tying for second place in the standings, WVU’s highest finish. WVU went 4-1 away from home, and Holgorsen had a 12-2 home mark over the past two years.
In the national rankings, WVU’s offense was ranked No. 17 in total offense, No. 20 in first down offense, No. 25 in rushing offense, No. 31 in pass efficiency, No. 37 in passing yards per completion and No. 42 in pass offense. Defensively, WVU was No. 24 in turnovers gained and fumbles recovered, No. 35 in passes intercepted and scoring defense and No. 38 in turnover margin.
WVU placed 10 players on the Big 12 All-Academic teams and 16 of his 21 seniors will have their degrees when they play in the bowl game.
In 2015, Holgorsen guided the Mountaineers to eight wins, the most since becoming a member of the Big 12 Conference, and finished the season with an exciting 43-42 Cactus Bowl victory over Arizona State in Phoenix. The Cactus Bowl appearance saw the Mountaineers tie or break 19 individual or team, school and Cactus Bowl records and produced 11 NCAA Top 10 Bowl Rankings
Nine players earned All-Big 12 Conference honors, including two being named to All-America teams. There were seven All-Big 12 Academic team selections and 17 players already had their degrees in hand when they played in the bowl game, ranking among the Top 10 nationally in number of graduates playing in a bowl game.
Holgorsen had a successful first season at WVU in 2011, coaching the Mountaineers to a 10-3 record, the Big East championship and a 70-33 Orange Bowl rout of Clemson. The victory was WVU’s third Bowl Championship Series championship in school history and earned Holgorsen the First-Year Coach of the Year award by the Football Writers Association of America.
In 2012, Holgorsen led WVU into its first year of competition in the Big 12 Conference, guiding West Virginia to a 7-6 overall record and an appearance in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. Five Mountaineers earned 25 All-America honors and three were drafted in the top three rounds of the NFL draft. Holgorsen is the only WVU coach to have had a first-round NFL draft choice for two consecutive years (2011 and 2012).
In 2013, Holgorsen coached the Mountaineers to victory over No. 11 Oklahoma State, marking his fifth win over a Top 25 team at WVU. He also had six players earn All-Big 12 Conference honors, including Charles Sims, who was a first-team selection and was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
Holgorsen led the Mountaineers to a Liberty Bowl berth in 2014, his third bowl in four seasons at WVU. West Virginia posted a 7-6 overall record and 5-4 in its third year in the Big 12 Conference and finished in a tie for fourth place in Big 12 action, the highest Big 12 finish by WVU.
Holgorsen, a 1993 graduate of Iowa Wesleyan, has a son, Logan, and two daughters, McClayne and Karlyn.
