Phil Longo Fired by Sam Houston Following 3-17 Start
“I knew when I came here that this was going to take some time… We are light years ahead of where we were at this point in time last year,” Phil Longo said just three days before his dismissal.
Sam Houston fired head football coach Phil Longo effective immediately, the school announced. Hired in December 2024 to succeed K.C. Keeler, Longo finishes his tenure in Huntsville with a 3–17 overall record and a 1–11 mark in Conference USA play. The Bearkats struggled through a 2–10 campaign in 2025 and opened the 2026 season with a 1–7 record. Athletic director Bobby Williams pointed to the performance and direction of the program when announcing the leadership change.
Athletic Director Bobby Williams Cites Program Direction in Leadership Change
Williams noted that after careful review, he concluded a new leadership approach is necessary to help Bearkat Football compete consistently inside Conference USA and meet expectations for the university and its supporters. Williams also acknowledged Longo’s past contributions to the program in both coordinator and head coaching roles.
Longo’s coaching tenure included returning to Huntsville after a successful stint as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2014 to 2016. During that earlier period, he helped guide Sam Houston to a 34–10 record, two Southland Conference titles, deep FCS playoff runs, and a No. 1 national ranking, earning FootballScoop FCS Coordinator of the Year honors in 2016. He subsequently held coordinator positions at Ole Miss, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, where he worked with quarterbacks like Drake Maye and Sam Howell.
Offensive Struggles and Interim Coaching Plans in Huntsville
Longo’s offense struggled significantly during the current campaign, ranking No. 124 out of 138 FBS teams in total offense at 325.7 yards per game and No. 131 in scoring offense at 18.0 points per game, according to KBTX News 3. In his final press conference on Friday prior to the firing, Longo addressed mounting frustration from fans and alumni by emphasizing that staff morale remained high and the team was close in multiple one-score contests.
Following the dismissal, associate head coach and special teams coordinator Eric Raisbeck alongside defensive coordinator Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay will step in as interim co-head coaches for the remainder of the season. Raisbeck joined Longo’s staff in 2025 after stints at Wisconsin and Penn State, while Aughtry-Lindsay arrived from NC State after previous stops with Longo at Slippery Rock and Ole Miss.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Coaching Change
Who are the interim co-head coaches taking over at Sam Houston?
Associate head coach and special teams coordinator Eric Raisbeck and defensive coordinator Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay will serve as interim co-head coaches for the remainder of the season, as announced by the university.
What was Phil Longo’s overall record with the Bearkats?
Longo finished his tenure with a 3–17 overall record and a 1–11 mark in Conference USA play, encompassing a 2–10 finish in 2025 and a 1–7 start in 2026.
Who did Phil Longo replace when he was originally hired?
Longo was hired in December 2024 to replace K.C. Keeler, who left Sam Houston to take the head coaching position at Temple.
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