East Carolina has hired Mike Houston as its next football coach and Jon Gilbert from Southern Mississippi as its athletic director.
Gilbert announced Houston’s hiring Monday, moments after Chancellor Cecil Staton said the school’s board of trustees approved the new AD’s hiring. Houston led James Madison to a 37-6 record, the 2016 national title in the Championship Subdivision and an appearance in the championship game in 2017. The Dukes lost to Colgate on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs. He also led James Madison to a 34-14 win at East Carolina in the 2017 season opener. Houston also led the Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears to an NCAA Division II national championship game and three South Atlantic Conference titles.