Kevin Sumlin is coming back to the Houston Gamblers.
HOUSTON — Kevin Sumlin is returning to Texas as head coach of the Houston Gamblers.
The United Football League President and CEO Russ Brandon on Wednesday announced the return of the former University of Houston and Texas A&M head coach.
“Kevin Sumlin brings an excellent record of success at the head coaching level, especially in the state of Texas, where he has made his mark as a winner,” said Brandon. “It is only appropriate that someone with deep roots in Texas football history takes over Houston as it embarks on a new era as the Gamblers.”
A former linebacker for the Purdue Boilermakers, Sumlin has compiled an overall head coaching record of 98-70, following stints with the Houston Cougars (2008-11), Texas A&M Aggies (2012-17), and the Arizona Wildcats (2018-20), as well as the Houston Gamblers during their USFL Legacy era in 2022.
At the University of Houston, he was named Conference USA Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2011 after leading the team to Conference USA West Division championships during those seasons. In 2012, he received SEC Coach of the Year honors after leading Texas A&M to an 11-2 record and a 41-13 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2013 Cotton Bowl.
Prior to serving as a head coach, Sumlin worked as an assistant coach at Washington State (1989-90), Wyoming (1991-92), Minnesota (1993-97), Purdue (1998-2000), and Texas A&M (2001-02). From 2003-07, he was an assistant coach on Head Coach Bob Stoops’ staff at Oklahoma. Sumlin most recently served as the associate head coach, co-offensive coordinator, and tight ends coach at the University of Maryland for two seasons (2023-24).
“Texas is my football home, so I look forward to returning to the state as Houston’s new head coach,” said Sumlin. “I will build a winning team and deliver an exciting brand of football, which the Gamblers name instantly evokes.”
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