DALLAS ? It is possible that one day we will all be wrong.
The school president. The athletic director. The players. Fellow coaches. A host of boosters, fans and media.
It's possible.
But if Monday's debut was any indication, it just isn't likely.
Officially, Tony Levine's introduction as the University of Houston's head football coach was two weeks ago on the UH campus. That was just the news conference.
The true launch, the real-world presentation of Levine as the face of UH football, came Monday in the TicketCity Bowl. The Cougars made him look good.
Houston took to the field determined to prove what Levine had said ? that its lone loss this season was a fluke ? and dominated 24th-ranked Penn State in cruising to a 30-14 victory.
A loud and impressive Cougar Red faithful of more than 15,000 turned Doak's House into Coogs' House on a gorgeous afternoon. The bowl was the Cougars' first in the storied stadium since Doug Flutie ran them ragged in the 1985 Cotton Bowl.
When it was done, school president Dr. Renu Khator saluted the crowd as UH quarterback Case Keenum directed the band in a triumphant postgame concert.
"This is beautiful, all of this red," she said. "We played like champions. We are champions. What a wonderful way to end a great season."
A wonderful way indeed. Records fell as Keenum and the UH offense had their way with the Nittany Lions, passing for more yards in the first quarter than Penn State had allowed on average this season.
It was difficult to predict just how UH would play after its disappointing defeat at home to Southern Mississippi in the Conference USA title game.
But unlike many end-of-the-regular-season coaching changes, UH's transition from Kevin Sumlin, who was hired by Texas A&M, to Levine, who'd been with the Cougars as an assistant head coach and special-teams coordinator for the past four years, hasn't been traumatic.
A natural fit
Levine says he has been hit by decisions, decisions, most of which he had never had to make. But he has taken to the new role as if it were meant to be.
Perhaps it was.
"Some guys are built to be head coaches, and he's one of them," UH athletic director Mack Rhoades said. "He's so poised on the sideline. He looked like he has done this before."
UH players think highly of Levine as well.
"He's like a father to us," said UH receiver Patrick Edwards, who set a stadium bowl record with 228 receiving yards. "He fit right in with the team's journey after coach Sumlin left. It felt really good, because we knew we had a true leader behind us. Coach (Levine) was going to give us his best, and we were going to give our best out there for him."
From the moment the Cougars stepped onto the field, you could tell they were there to take care of business. It took less than two minutes for them to do damage to the scoreboard as Keenum connected with Edwards on pass plays of 39 and 40 yards, the latter a touchdown strike on the opening drive.
By the end of the first quarter, UH was ahead 17-0, and it maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way. All that was left to be determined was when Levine would get the sports-drink victory shower. He said that when the moment came, it finally hit him that after 15 years as an assistant, he was a head coach.
Challenges ahead
Jason Phillips, UH's co-offensive coordinator and a deserving finalist for the head coaching position, thinks highly of Levine.
"Of course I wanted the job and felt like I put myself in position to get the job, but I have complete confidence in Mack Rhoades and Dr. Khator and the decision that they made," said Phillips, a UH graduate. "I think the kids will play for him. They'll play hard for him because those are the type of kids we have at the school.
"He will do well. What's in place right now, what started with Art Briles and was built on by Kevin Sumlin, tells you that things are moving forward. We've been able to win a lot of games, and Tony will keep winning."
Levine will have to find a few new staff members.
Phillips is exploring a number of options. He could end up moving to SMU to join June Jones' staff. Co-offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said after the game that he will be joining Sumlin's staff at A&M.
Record-setting players such as Keenum, Edwards, linebacker Marcus McGraw and receiver Tyron Carrier, who suffered an apparently serious knee injury in the game, are moving on.
But none seems worried about the program's future as UH prepares for its move into the Big East Conference.
Levine inspires that type of confidence.
"I'm going to come back, and I'm going to watch Houston win multiple conference championships and win BCS bowls and win national championships," Keenum said. "I'll see that in the future."
jerome.solomon@chron.com
twitter.com/JeromeSolomon
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