University of Houston Athletics
Football Wraps Up Preparations for Tulane
9/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 5, 2002
HOUSTON - The University of Houston football team wrapped up its preparations for this weekend's Conference USA and home opener with a solid two-hour effort Thursday.
The Cougars (1-0) open their 2002 home season with a 7 p.m. contest Saturday against league rival Tulane at John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium. After breaking a 15-game losing streak in last weekend's season opener at crosstown rival Rice, UH will now look to snap its 11-game C-USA losing streak.
The Cougars worked out for about two hours Thursday at the UH practice fields in shorts and shoulder pads. With the game plan against the Green Wave already installed, Thursday's workout was spent on fine-tuning and special teams work.
"We had a good week of practice. Today was a capper for the whole week," Dimel said. "Now, we need to put a good end result to it."
Quarterback Barrick Nealy, who made his first collegiate start against Rice last weekend an impressive one, will be under center again Saturday against the Green Wave. With one career game already under his belt, Nealy's confidence continued to rise in this week's preparations, Dimel said.
"He's just getting further advanced," Dimel said. "It was another step along for him."
Defensively, the Cougars will have to make their biggest adjustment from team-to-team during the entire season. After facing one of the nation's premier rushing attacks in Rice, UH must now contend with a Tulane squad that enjoys airing the ball out. With that in mind, the Cougar defense must set the tone early for UH to be successful, Dimel said.
"That will be something that will be a big part of this game," the third-year Cougar coach said. "We have to adjust to the speed of a passing game and adjust to a spread set where they throw the ball."
With last weekend's 24-10 win at Rice still fresh in their minds, the Cougars increased their intensity during their preparations for Tulane, and it was evident to Dimel and his coaching staff.
"The win gave them some recognition for the work that they had done," Dimel said. "Now, they can see that the fruits of their labor paid a price for them and earned them something. This week, they pushed themselves; we (UH coaches) didn't have to push them."
