A graduate of Houston"s Northbrook High School in Houston, Texas, Rose was co-captain of "Phi Slama Jama," the University of Houston"s college basketball squad featuring Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon that finished as national runner-up in the 1983 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men"s Division I Basketball Tournament.
Rose inherited a 9-21 team and immediately posted a 20-9 record, the second best turnaround in college basketball in 2005-2006. In 2011, Rose"s team shared the regular season Mountain West title with San Diego State and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament, Brigham Young University"s first appearance in that round in 30 years. In April 2011, Rose signed a five-year head coaching contract extension with Brigham Young University. Rose coached the Cougars to their 6th straight National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament appearance.
Participating in the First Four round, the Cougars made the largest comeback in National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament history, beating Iona 78-72 after previously trailing by 25.
Dave Rose was named the head basketball coach at Brigham Young University in 2005, replacing Steve Cleveland and began the first of eleven straight 20-win seasons in 2005-2006. Rose recruited Jimmer Fredette in 2007, who was selected by all awards as National Player of the Year. In 2010, Rose coached Brigham Young University to their first National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament victory in 17 years in a double-overtime win against the University of Florida. On January 19, 2013, Rose won his 200th game as a Division I coach, in a game against San Diego.
In 2011-2012, Rose coached the team in their first season as members of the West Coast Conference.
