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Since the hire of new Texas Longhorns head coach Tom Herman late in November, the eyes of Texas have been pointed towards the Space City, where offensive coordinator Major Applewhite is now the head coach.
Applewhite was the favorite to return to Austin once again following stints as a player and assistant, but ultimately took over the job from interim head coach Todd Orlando, Herman’s defensive coordinator for the Cougars.
Keep on eye on the multiple 3-4 defense Orlando runs at Houston, as he’s expected to take the same position for Texas. In the secondary, safeties coach Craig Naivar is also expected to follow Herman to Austin after spending his 10th season on the same staff as Herman. He’s also the co-defensive coordinator, so Naivar and Orlando represent the true brain trust of that Houston defense.
Likewise, the offense run by Applewhite is Herman’s offense that quarterback Shane Buechele will get the first chance to run next season.
The team that takes the field today in Las Vegas might not quite play like Herman’s team, but his fingerprints are all over it and two key assistants on this Houston team are bound for the Texas staff.
So this game will provide some snapshots into the future for the Longhorns.
Saturday’s bowl games
| Bowl | Team | Location | Time (ET) / TV | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowl | Team | Location | Time (ET) / TV | Streaming |
| Gildan New Mexico Bowl | New Mexico vs. UTSA | Albuquerque, NM | 2 p.m. / ESPN | WatchESPN |
| Las Vegas Bowl | Houston vs. San Diego State | Las Vegas, NV | 3:30 p.m. / ABC | ESPN3 |
| Raycom Media Camellia Bowl | Appalachian State vs. Toledo | Montgomery, AL | 5:30 p.m. / ESPN | WatchESPN |
| AutoNation Cure Bowl | UCF vs. Arkansas State | Orlando, FL | 5:30 p.m. / CBSSN | CBSSports.com |
| R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl | Southern Miss vs. UL Lafayette | New Orleans, LA | 9 p.m. / ESPN | WatchESPN |