University of Houston Athletics
Football Moves Indoors on Monday to Avoid Rain
11/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 27, 2006
HOUSTON - The University of Houston football continues its preparations for Friday's Conference USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale with a solid workout Monday evening inside the Yeoman Fieldhouse.
The Cougars were originally slated to practice outdoors on the UH practice fields but moved indoors to the friendly confines of the Fieldhouse after rain hit the area during special teams drills at the beginning of the workout.
"We wanted to go outside because we haven't been out in a while. We got out, but it was too wet so we had to come in," head coach Art Briles said. "Still, we got a lot done. We are working on what we think we need to do mentally against Southern Miss. We will cover all the physical things that we can cover indoors."
Briles is no stranger to preparing for big games during his coaching career, winning four state championships at Stephenville High School before taking the UH job in time for the 2003 season. Nevertheless, he recognized the privilege and the excitement generated that hosting a conference championship game can have for a program.
"This is such an opportunity and an honor for the University to have an event like this on our campus in our backyard. It is a great event, and it is a great honor," Briles said. "Our guys are going to have great enthusiasm and great intensity. I was really pleased with the energy level that we had because it is going to be an exciting atmosphere in our backyard."
Working out in shorts and shoulder pads, the Cougars practiced for nearly two hours before Briles called it a day. With a shorter week on tap, the team was forced to practice Monday, which is usually a day off for players to focus on academics.
To accommodate the players' busy academic schedules, practice was pushed back to a 5:45 p.m. start time, more than two hours later than a regular workout.
The Cougars (9-3, 7-1 C-USA) will face C-USA East Division champion Southern Miss at 7 p.m., Friday at John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium. UH earned the right to host its first C-USA Championship Game after tying a school-record with seven conference wins during the 2006 regular season.
However, UH is no stranger to C-USA championship hardware, winning the league title and advancing to the 1996 Liberty Bowl during its first year in C-USA.
The C-USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale can be heard live on 790 AM The Sports Animal with the pregame show beginning one hour before kickoff. Tom Franklin will handle the play-by-play duties, while former record-setting UH quarterback David Klingler will provide color analysis. Former All-Southwest Conference center Chuck Brown serves as the sideline reporter.
All Cougar Football games can be heard live on the Internet by logging onto UHCougars.com.
In addition, the game will be aired live on ESPN2 in the Cougars' seventh appearance on television during the 2006 season.
Ticket sales remained steady through the recent Thanksgiving holiday, but good seats remain. Premium seating tickets are available for $50, while sideline and lower end zone reserved seating tickets will be sold for $30. Upper end zone general admission seating tickets are available for $20. Both Houston and visiting team student tickets can be purchased for only $10 with a valid ID.
Students at any Conference USA school who plan to attend the C-USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale must purchase their tickets in person at the UH Ticket Office or at the Southern Miss Ticket Office.
The Ticket Office also will be open during regular business hours during the week of the C-USA Championship game.
On-line ticket sales always are available 24 hours a day at UHCougars.com.
Fans of the University of Houston football team that have ordered their tickets to the 2006 C-USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale on Dec. 1 are encouraged to stop by the UH Ticket Office and pick up their tickets to avoid long lines at the will call window on game day.
Cougar Basketball fans also will have a chance to purchase or pick up tickets to the C-USA Championship Game presented by Aéropostale at one more game. Representatives from the UH Ticket Office will be selling football tickets at the men's basketball game on Wednesday against Prairie View A&M.
A table will be set up inside the Holman Street entrance where fans can pick up their orders or buy general admission, reserved, or premium seats.
