University of Houston Athletics
Cougar Football Notes
10/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 9, 2002
Headed into the final game of a season-long road trip this coming weekend, the University of Houston Cougar football team took the practice field behind the Athletics/Alumni Center on Wednesday (Oct. 9) afternoon in the rain and in the mud and continued preparations for their next Conference USA opponent, the UAB Blazers.
"Today was a real physical practice," began third-year head coach Dana Dimel. "The objectivity is to get the offense back to where it needs to be, and the only way to get good at offense is to get full-speed looks.
"We were able to get outside even though it was raining and work through the mud and get full-speed looks at the offense."
Dimel stressed that the focus this week has been the offense, and that following the Cougars' poor showing at TCU last weekend, it was necessary to get the offense and team back on track.
As far as preparations for UAB, Dimel was quick to note their running game.
"They're (UAB) going to try to run the football, and hammer the ball at us pretty good," said Dimel. "And we're going to try to run the ball at them, and it's going to be a real physical football game. That's the thing we've been stressing to our kids all week is to be ready for a physical game. And the only way to be ready for it is to practice physically."
Dimel explained that in order to accomplish that goal, this week the coaching staff eliminated one practice -- down to three from the usual four per week -- and that two of the three practices -- yesterday and today -- have been the most physical that the team has had all year.
Following the game at UAB this Saturday (Oct. 12), the Cougars return home to Robertson Stadium until Oct. 19 and host C-USA opponent Army with kick-off slated for 2:00 p.m.
