A 3–17 overall record and a scoring offense that ranks among the worst in the country have led Sam Houston to fire head football coach Phil Longo, effective immediately. The move, announced Wednesday, marks a sharp decline for a program that had previously established itself as a Conference USA contender.
Longo was hired in December 2024 to replace K.C. Keeler, but his tenure failed to gain traction. The Bearkats finished the 2025 season with a 2–10 record and have struggled further in 2026, posting a 1–7 mark. In total, Longo leaves Huntsville with a 1–11 record in conference play.
The gap between process and performance
The timing of the firing is particularly striking given Longo’s own assessment of the program just days prior. In a press conference held last Friday, Longo pushed back against growing frustration from alumni and fans, insisting that the team was “light years ahead” of where they were the previous year. He argued that the program was in the middle of a process and that several close, one-score games proved the team was on the right track.
The numbers, however, tell a different story. KBTX reports that Longo’s offense has plummeted to 124th out of 138 FBS teams in total offense, averaging just 325.7 yards per game. The scoring output is even more dire, ranking 131st in the nation at 18.0 points per game. For a coach hired specifically for his “Air Raid” concepts and a track record of developing high-level quarterbacks like Drake Maye and Sam Howell, these figures represent a systemic failure to translate coordinator success into head coaching results.
“Our responsibility is to evaluate the program’s performance and direction. After careful review, I believe a change in leadership is necessary to position Bearkat Football to compete consistently in Conference USA and meet the expectations of our student-athletes, university and supporters.” Bobby Williams
Athletic director Bobby Williams issued that statement Wednesday, acknowledging Longo’s prior contributions to the university while making it clear that the current trajectory was unsustainable.
A return to Huntsville that missed the mark
Longo’s hiring was seen as a homecoming. He previously served as the Bearkats’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2014 to 2016. During that stint, Sam Houston went 34–10, secured two Southland Conference titles, and reached a No. 1 ranking. Longo was even named the 2016 FootballScoop FCS Coordinator of the Year.
That early success provided the blueprint for his rise through the ranks, with coordinator roles at Ole Miss, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. But the jump to head coach at the FBS level proved far more difficult. The program had been a steady force under K.C. Keeler, who led the team from 2014 to 2024. Since moving to the FBS, Sam Houston has now cycled through two coaches, with Longo becoming the second to exit after failing to maintain the program’s competitive edge.
The decline has been palpable on the field. The Bearkats enter this leadership change following a brutal stretch of losses to Western Kentucky, New Mexico State, and Missouri State.
Raisbeck and Aughtry-Lindsay become interim co-head coaches
The university has appointed associate head coach and special teams coordinator Eric Raisbeck and defensive coordinator Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay to serve as interim co-head coaches for the remainder of the season. Raisbeck joined the staff in 2025 with a pedigree that includes stops at Penn State and Wisconsin. Aughtry-Lindsay, who previously worked with Longo at Ole Miss and Slippery Rock, came to Sam Houston from NC State.
While Longo believed the team was “close” because of many one-score games, the program’s performance suggests a need for leadership change to compete consistently in Conference USA.
Sam Houston has stated that additional information regarding the long-term plans for the football program will be shared once they are finalized.
The Bearkats now face the daunting task of rebuilding a culture that shifted from a No. 1 FCS ranking during Longo’s first stint to a bottom-tier FBS offense during his second.
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