University of Houston Athletics
Football ready for TCU
10/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 23, 2003
HOUSTON, Texas - With only two days remaining before the University of Houston football team takes the field for a Conference USA and intrastate showdown with TCU, the Cougars had a spirited two-hour practice. Houston will meet the nationally ranked Horned Frogs at 7 p.m., Saturday at John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium.
"The thing we stressed this week was focusing on 60 minutes for us," head coach Art Briles said. "What we want to do is go out and play hard and intelligent for 60 minutes and play with great, great effort and attitude. I feel good about the attitude and effort of this team this week."
The Cougars have all the motivation they need coming off a 45-14 loss to Memphis, but playing a nationally ranked, in state team will give Houston even more incentive to play well. The Horned Frogs are ranked No.13 by the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll and No. 15 by the Associated Press, and is one of only seven Division 1-A that remain undefeated.
"I think it's natural and well documented that when you play opponents that you're more familiar with as far as intrastate, it adds some excitement to the game," Briles said. "The thing we have stressed to our team since last week though, is that we're playing for us. We're playing to become a better football team."
Briles said the Cougars have put last week behind them and are focusing on Saturday's game and the TCU Horned Frogs.
"Every week is a new story," he said. "So far this year we've had five god stories and two bad stories so we're working hard at trying to keep the good stories on our side of the field."
