Cougar Football Notes
11/13/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 13, 2002
With the 2002 campaign's final road game this weekend, the University of Houston football team practiced on Wednesday (Nov. 13) afternoon and early evening under the lights at Tellez Track with concentrations on playing a solid four quarters and preparing to battle the expected nasty weather in Cincinnati.
"The big thing we're trying to stress right now is for this football team to put together four quarters of football, " began third-year head coach Dana Dimel after practice. "Like we've been doing for much of the year, we have to do it for four full quarters. We've had trouble finishing, obviously, but we've shown signs throughout the year that this team can play at an extremely high level.
"This is the game that we have to break out, because we only have three more opportunities (including the contest vs the Bearcats this weekend)," continued Dimel. "With those three opportunities we can have one heckuva good season, but we have to make this the week we put together four solid quarters of football.
In order to get the team mentally and physically suited to play at an intense level for 60 full minutes, Dimel said he and his coaching staff have shortened practices this week while making them less physical and more intense and high-energy.
"We need a little change of pace here down the stretch run near the end of the season," added Dimel.
In preparing his Cougars, which lead the all-time series against Cincinnati 13-7, for battle this weekend, Dimel stressed that his team is not focusing solely on one aspect of the Bearcats' game, but rather the big picture.
"I think for us right now the game plan is trying to make sure that we execute and focus on what we do and not be as concerned about our opponent." said Dimel. "We need to be more concerned about our execution and getting ourselves to the point that we need to be.
"We're not going to change what we've been doing. We're going to run the football, play action pass and try to do a good job of defending their run and stop the passing game."
Following this weekend's game at Cincinnati, the Cougars return home to Robertson Stadium to wrap up the 2002 campaign against the visiting South Florida Bulls (Nov. 23) and Louisville Cardinals (Nov. 30), with both games slated to kick-off at 2:00 p.m.