New UH Baseball Coach Will Davis Gave His Thoughts on The Transition to Houston
After the Lamar Cardinals lost in the regionals of the NCAA Baseball Tournament in College Station, Texas this past weekend, it marked the official end to the Will Davis era in Beaumont.
Davis is now going through the transition from Lamar to being the new head coach of the Houston Cougars. He was hired after former longtime coach Todd Whitting's contract was not renewed. Davis having spent 10 years as a head coach just outside the Houston area as well as his connection with athletic director Eddie Nuñez likely played a part.
Davis was able to turn Lamar into one of the best mid-major baseball programs in the country, and him doing more with less spoke to Houston. The Cougars' baseball program is in need of a new recruiting approach and there's no better place to be than the heart of Houston to restore that.
College coaches don't get much time at all these days to recharge, as the preperation for the next season is always on the table. The transition as a head coach from the Southland to now a Power Four Big 12 school in Houston isn't easy, but Davis will have a lot more resources than at Lamar. After the Cardinals' tough ending in the regionals, Davis spoke a bit on what lies ahead.
Davis Ready for Houston
New Houston coach Will Davis: “Focus now is on the 2027 Houston Cougars.” pic.twitter.com/42dzbH67aJ
— Joseph Duarte (@Joseph_Duarte) May 31, 2026
"A college coach really has two jobs. You're preparing your current team to go out and win by practicing scouting and then you're always preparing for the next year's team," Davis said. "For me and our coaching staff, it's just going to be a different team. It's going to be the University of Houston."
Davis has probably already thought about what Houston is going to look like and the kind of team he wants to assemble. The recruiting process has to pick up speed and a new culture has to be set in order to get the talent you need. Being in Houston makes it easier, but Davis will have to be ready out of the gate.
"Just like tomorrow would've been focused on the 2027 Lamar Cardinals, unfortunately, I don't get to have any relaxing time as it's got to be focused on the 2027 Houston Cougars," Davis said. "I'll spend the rest of my life chasing, not the championships, but the way these guys made me feel this year. This special nature of it, that's what you're chasing as a coach. I hope I can find that next year."
Davis wasn't sure about his new start date with Houston right after the press conference.
Another interesting point from the presser was how Davis has learned to speak Spanish with his players and when recruiting as well. That could be a huge plus point for getting players to be more comfortable at Houston. Davis learned Spanish in part because his late dad, Randy Davis passed away in 2022 due to Alzheimer's disease, and how learning a language can benefit the brain.
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Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.