On a certain level, at a Group of 5 program you want the Power 5 and the NFL coming after your staff. If the bigger fish aren't coming after your people, it's probably a sign you've got the wrong people.
But not quite like this.
Houston is reportedly set to cycle through its fourth cornerbacks coach of 2021, and not because Cougars head coach Dana Holgorsen had to fire anyone. Let's roll through the timeline.
Jan. 8: Auburn announces it has hired Houston corners coach Zac Etheridge to the same position.
Jan. 20: Houston hires Jay Valai to replace Etheridge. He spent one successful year at Texas, but was pushed out to circumstances beyond his control. Just part of the business, and not a reflection at all on Valai. This was a good pickup by Holgorsen. Too good, in fact.
Feb. 1: Valai leaves Houston for the Philadelphia Eagles. Don't take it personally, Houston. Valai has already left Philadelphia, too.
Feb. 8: Houston names Grady Brown its new cornerbacks coach, the third of this year. He had been McNeese State's defensive coordinator.
Feb. 13: Brown is now leaving to coach defensive backs for the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to AL.com's Matt Zenitz.
In a vacuum, losing position coaches to Auburn, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers is not the worst thing in the world. In rapid succession, though, and it feels like a repeat of Houston's 2020 season, where bad luck only begets more bad luck.
Stay tuned for details on Houston's search for a fourth cornerbacks coach of 2021 on The Scoop.