Former CCU athletic director Yurachek promoted to top job at Houston

Just about 14 months after leaving Coastal Carolina for the University of Houston, former Chanticleers athletic director Hunter Yurachek has been promoted to the same position with the Cougars.

Yurachek announced his resignation at Coastal Carolina on Feb. 20 of last year after four years in Conway to take the No. 2 spot in Houston’s athletic department with hopes of positioning himself as the future successor to then-Cougars athletic director Mack Rhoades.

Rhoades was hired by Missouri early last month and Yurachek’s promotion was formally announced Monday as he takes on the official title of vice president for intercollegiate athletics and athletic director at Houston.

“It is one of the reasons I came down here, for an oppportunity like this,” Yurachek said in a phone interview. “I knew coming down here I either had the opportunity to become the next director of athletics at the University of Houston or move on to a [Power 5 conference] school with Mack Rhoades. It’s a very special time for this university and this department. I think we are poised to have some great success over the next three or four years and I’m excited to be the person steering this ship into the future.”

Just like in his four years at Coastal Carolina, Yurachek said he has been immersed in stadium and facilities construction projects since arriving at Houston, a school with an enrollment in excess of 40,000 that opened a new $120 million football stadium last season.

Having worked for Rhoades previously at the University of Akron, Yurachek’s move to Houston was a natural fit. However, he had been passed over for the athletic director job at Akron when Rhoades left there, which led him to Coastal Carolina, so he said the last six to eight weeks had been somewhat challenging as he waited for Houston to make a formal decision on replacing Rhoades.

Still, the promotion came faster than he had even imagined.

“A lot of people supported me through this process through the last six to eight weeks, but its always difficult being in limbo,” Yurachek said. “I knew Mack, as successful as he had been, was going to have an opportunity to move to a Power Five conference school. I didn’t think it was going to be within the first year I was here.”

Yurachek, who was replaced at Coastal Carolina by Matt Hogue, was named one of four Under Armour FCS Athletics Directors of the Year last year following his departure. He said he has tried to keep tabs on what has been happening back in Conway. Talking Monday evening, he asked about the new teal turf in Brooks Stadium and about Chants’ quarterback Alex Ross’ recovery from shoulder surgery.

“I keep in touch with some of the coaches and some of the administrative staff. I’ve gotten some texts from some people at Coastal today to congratulate me, so it means a great deal,” he said. “I always have a special place in my heart for Coastal Carolina, and honestly the success we had there in four years is a big part of me sitting here today at the University of Houston.”

This story was originally published April 28, 2015 at 8:14 PM with the headline "Former CCU athletic director Yurachek promoted to top job at Houston."