NewsOK.com
EDMOND — The University of Central Oklahoma will again turn to the high school ranks to fill a coaching vacancy.
Oklahoma Christian School football coach Tracy Holland will be named as UCO's 11th head coach at a 2 p.m. news conference today at Wantland Stadium. Holland replaces Chuck Langston, who was fired after five years. UCO went 4-6 this past season and has been the subject of an NCAA investigation into rules violations within the football program during Langston's tenure.
The selection of Holland is a continuation of a recent trend. UCO hired former Midwest City coach Terry Evans as its men's basketball coach in 2002 and hired former Edmond Santa Fe boys basketball coach Guy Hardaker to lead its women's basketball team last year.Holland has coached at OCS in Edmond for three seasons and has an 18-14 record. OCS was 7-4 this past fall and made the playoffs. Prior to arriving at OCS, Holland had a successful stint as head coach at Heritage Hall where he went 31-9, leading the Chargers to a 13-1 record in 2004. His son, Chad, was a freshman reserve linebacker for UCO last season.
Holland graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. He also spent time at his alma mater as an assistant football coach. Prior to arriving in Oklahoma, Holland had been coaching football in Europe.
Heritage Hall football coach Andy Bogert said Holland and his family came to Oklahoma in 1999 seeking treatment at Children's Medical Center for one of his sons who had been diagnosed with cancer.
Bogert served as Holland's offensive coordinator for three years.
Bogert said he believes Holland can turn around UCO's football program, which is facing sanctions from the NCAA.
"He's always at the coaches' clinics,” Bogert said. "He's the right guy for it.”
Holland coached OCS defensive back Taylor Frost for two seasons.
"UCO needs the help and he's the right coach for them,” Frost said.
Several other coaches applied for the job, including Santa Fe's Dan Cocannouer, former OU defensive lineman and Jacksonville Jaguars assistant coach Lucious Selmon and former UCO coach Gary Howard.
The choice of Holland is an indicator UCO wants someone who can rebuild the football program's image, which has suffered in the wake of the NCAA investigation and two straight disappointing seasons.
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