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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Houston is set to hire Florida‘s Austin Armstrong as its next defensive coordinator, sources told ESPN.
Armstrong has informed the Florida staff that he will accept the Houston job, according to a source. He would replace Shiel Wood, who left earlier this month after one season at Houston and two under coach Willie Fritz to take the defensive coordinator job at Texas Tech.
An Alabama native, Armstrong spent the past two seasons at Florida after two years as Southern Miss‘ defensive coordinator. After a bumpy start to the season, Florida’s defense surrendered 17 points or fewer in the team’s final three games, as the Gators beat LSU, Ole Miss and Florida State to finish the regular season at 7-5.
Armstrong had been sharing defensive coordinator duties at Florida with veteran Ron Roberts, who also serves as executive head coach and has coordinator experience from Auburn, Baylor and other stops. Florida is set to face Tulane on Dec. 20 in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl.
At Houston, Armstrong will inherit a defense that improved from 112th in yards allowed in 2023 to 26th this season.