Houston, last in FBS scoring, fires OC Barbay

Houston has fired offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay ahead of its regular-season finale against BYU, the school announced Tuesday.

Shawn Bell, Houston’s quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator, will serve as interim offensive coordinator and play caller.

The Cougars (4-7, 3-5) rank last in FBS in scoring offense at 13.6 points per game as well as last in the Big 12 in total offense, passing offense and yards per play. Houston has averaged 6.6 points per game in its losses and clinched a losing season with a 20-10 loss to Baylor on Saturday.

Barbay joined coach Willie Fritz’s staff for his debut season after serving as Mississippi State‘s offensive coordinator in 2023.

“We are grateful to Kevin for his dedication and contributions to our football program this season,” Fritz said in a statement. “As we continue to assess every aspect of our program, it is clear we have not met our offensive standards. … Our focus is on finishing the season strong Saturday against BYU.”

The Cougars made a midseason quarterback change, benching returning starter Donovan Smith for Louisiana transfer Zeon Chriss, and secured wins over TCU, Utah and No. 17 Kansas State before back-to-back losses to Arizona and Baylor with bowl eligibility on the line.

Barbay had one year remaining on his contract and will be owed $750,000 by Houston, offset by earnings from his next job.