HOUSTON -- Former Texas quarterback Major Applewhite has
been named the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at
Rice.
Applewhite's hiring comes a week after former Tulsa assistant
Todd Graham was named to replace retiring Ken Hatfield as the Owls'
head coach.
Graham said Applewhite brings instant credibility to the program
which went 1-10 in 2005.
"We want to spread the field and throw the football, and every
quarterback and receiver in this state will be interested in Rice
with Major as our offensive coordinator," Graham said.
Applewhite, 26, was the quarterbacks coach at Syracuse last
season. In 2003-04, he worked as a graduate assistant at Texas.
Applewhite finished his career as UT's all-time leader in
passing yards (8,353), passing touchdowns (60), passing attempts
(1,065), and total offense (8,059). Texas went 22-8 with Applewhite
as the starter and won four straight bowl games while Applewhite
was there.
Applewhite, a Baton Rouge, La. native, was the Big 12's freshman
of the year in 1998 and shared the league's offensive player of the
year honors as a sophomore in 1999.