University of Houston Athletics
Division-Clinching Win Brings Accolades For Cougar Duo
11/13/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 13, 2006
HOUSTON, Texas - For the fourth time this season a Cougar tandem picked up the weekly Conference USA awards, as running back Anthony Alridge and defensive end Phillip Hunt were honored as Players of the Week.
A junior from Denton, Texas, Alridge rushed for a career-high 225 yards and just 13 carries in rallying the Cougars to a 37-27 win at SMU to clinch a spot in the Conference USA Championship game. Alridge broke off a 77-yard touchdown in the first quarter to give Houston a 14-0 lead, and then his second 77-yard touchdown in the third quarter tied the score at 24. He also added a 33-yard reception and a 12-yard kickoff return to register 270 all-purpose yards. It was his third straight 100-yard game and fourth of the season.
Alridge also set a Conference USA record with his 17.31 yards per rush average, breaking the old mark of 17.00 set by Cincinnati's Richard Hall against Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 11, 2004. Alridge joins two-time winner Kevin Kolb as 2006 league weekly honorees.
As for Hunt, he recorded nine tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble in helping the come-from-behind in the 37-27 road win over SMU. After spotting the Mustangs a 24-14-halftime lead, the Hunt-led UH defense held SMU to just three points in the second half. Hunt's numbers were career highs.
Hunt is the second Cougar defensive lineman to be honored by the league. Nose tackle Marquay Love won back on Oct. 23.
East Carolina kicker Robert Lee was the Special Teams honoree.
Alridge and Hunt are the eighth and ninth Cougars, respectively, to be honored by the league this year, a new seasonal high for the University of Houston. The previous high was six players of the week garnered in both 2003 and 1996.
---www.KolbHeismanWatch.com---
