Football Daily Practice Notes
11/16/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 16, 2004
HOUSTON - The University of Houston football team began preparations for its final game of the 2005 season Tuesday with a solid workout at the UH Athletics Complex.
The Cougars play (3-7, 3-4 C-USA) host to Conference USA rival and eighth-ranked Louisville at 4 p.m., Saturday at John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium. The Cardinals come into the game as the highest-ranked UH opponent to visit Robertson Stadium since Texas played in Houston in 2001.
Saturday's game will be broadcast on Star 790, KBME-AM with the pregame show beginning 45 minutes prior to kickoff. Tom Franklin and Tony Fitzpatrick will call all the action from the booth with Chuck Brown serving as the sideline reporter.
All Cougar Football games can be heard live on the Internet by logging onto www.UHCougars.com.
The Cougars come into the game after a disappointing 20-7 loss at C-USA rival UAB last weekend.
"We didn't play great, but we didn't play that bad either," Briles said about his team's performance last weekend. "We just played a team that was... perhaps a little more defined with what was going on at the time than maybe we were. Our focus was really good; I just didn't think our finish was good."
For the Cougars to be successful, they must slow down a potent UL offense, which is averaging more than 45 points and 500 yards of total offense per game. However, Briles said the Cardinal defense is a major reason for the team's success in 2004.
"They have a good (offensive) scheme. It is simple but very effective and high percentage," Briles said. "The difference in this year's team and last year's team is their defense. Last year they were kind of hit-and-miss but this year they've been consistent."
Louisville (7-1, 5-0 C-USA) enters this game as winners of its last four games and will be looking to even the all-time series against the Cougars at 7-7. The Cardinals' lone loss was a 41-38 loss at Miami (Fla.) on Oct. 14.
A year ago, the Cardinals claimed a 66-45 win over the Cougars in Louisville, Ky.