University of Houston Athletics
Football Begins Longer Preparations for East Carolina
9/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 23, 2003
HOUSTON - The University of Houston football team returned to the practice field Tuesday but with a slightly different schedule.
The Cougars don't play again until Tuesday, Sept. 30, when they meet Conference USA rival East Carolina at 6:30 p.m. (CST) in Greenville, N.C., in front of a nationally-televised audience on ESPN2. With that in mind, UH first-year head coach Art Briles scaled down his team's regular workout schedule.
The players practiced for about an hour in shorts and shoulder pads before calling it a day. The team will continue with that routine Wednesday before taking Thursday off and returning to a regular practice schedule on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
While the Cougars will be competing in only their 49th non-Saturday game in school history, Briles said the change and the effects on his regular practice schedule were welcome.
"I like it," Briles said. "We've been on a routine since August 5, so we've got a little break and get to do things differently this week. If we can go out there and get a good win, then we've got a little space in there where we can give the players a couple more days off and get back on a regular schedule the next weekend."
The Cougars entered this week on the heels of a 42-35 win over Southeastern Conference opponent Mississippi State last weekend at John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium. In that win, freshman quarterback Kevin Kolb threw for 321 yards and four touchdowns on 20-of-29 passing on the way to being named C-USA Offensive Player of the Week.
While most of the team enjoyed a lighter-than-usual Tuesday workout, there was still plenty of hitting on the UH practice fields. Many of the players who did not compete in last weekend's win over Mississippi State competed in a 30-play scrimmage against one another, drawing hoots and hollers from their teammates.
"We wanted to give those guys some action and get some work in," Briles said. "This is our chance to pay them back for all the work that they give us. They help us get through our practices and prepare for our games."
