University of Houston Athletics
Cougar Football Notes
11/14/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 14, 2001
After three consecutive road games, the University of Houston Cougars return to Robertson Stadium this weekend for their final home contest of the 2001 season and host one of C-USA's hottest teams, the UAB Blazers. As the Cougars look for their first victory of the season against a team which is just one win shy from becoming bowl eligible, practice on Wednesday (Nov. 14) afternoon focused on defending against UAB's strong running attack and minimizing the Cougars' offensive mistakes.
"A big part of this game will be the defense stopping UAB's running game," began second-year head coach Dana Dimel. "We've spent a lot of time this week trying to prepare to stop their run game.
"Another thing that we've spent a lot of time on is trying to establish some kind of consistency in our run game," continued Dimel, who noted that UAB boasts the nation's best rush defense, allotting an average of just 58 yards a game to opposing offenses. "And that will be a big challenge for us."
Defending against a defense as tenacious and powerful as UAB's requires the offensive line to step it up a notch and protect the quarterback. In addition, Dimel noted that the Cougar defense, which had perhaps their best performance of the season last weekend against No. 25 Louisville, has to continue to improve and come up with the big plays.
"The big thing will be for our offense to not take many negative yardage plays and for our run game to be consistent," Dimel stressed. "We also need a real good effort out of our kick-off coverage team. They've got to have a big day."
Leading Houston's offense this weekend will be senior quarterback Kelly Robertson, who returned to the field last weekend at Louisville after missing four games with a broken bone in his right wrist. He had a strong performance against the Cardinals, completing 16-of-30 passes for 157 yards, and is a main reason that Houston's passing attack is still rated among the nation's best, despite the team's 0-9 record.
With the season winding down to a close, Dimel said he and his staff are continually pleased with the performances and constant improvement of many of the younger Cougars on the squad. Those he noted include juniors Quantaa Jackson and Rufus Williams, sophomore Justin Davis and freshman Jermain Woodard.
Saturday's game marks the second time that the Cougars and Blazers have faced each other. In the first meeting in 1999, UAB handed Houston a 29-10 defeat at Legion Field in Birmingham.
Kick-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Following this weekend's game, the Cougars travel to Athens, Georgia, to face the Bulldogs in the final game of the season on Decemer 1.
