University of Houston Athletics
Spring Drills Start For Cougars
3/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 7, 2006
HoustON, Texas - Just months after reaching a postseason bowl game for the second time in three years, the University of Houston football team returned to the gridiron Tuesday as spring practice officially kicked off for the Cougars.
Houston will practice 14 times over the next month, culminating in the annual Red-White game on Saturday, April 8. UH head coach Art Briles is pleased to a jump on the 2006 campaign.
"We excited to look at some new people at some new positions," said the fourth-year head coach. "We actually return a experienced ball club, and we want to make sure they maintain their focus, intensity and intelligence. We have to look at some guys who really have a chance to make a move for us.
"That's really the main thing that will encompass our spring is how these guys come along and how we approach them."
The Cougar coaching staff is experimenting with senior Roshawn Pope at running back, redshirt freshman Chris Mitchell at fullback and another redshirt freshman, Carl Barnett, at defensive tackle. After three years in the secondary, Pope is getting a look at running back, and the former Galveston Ball High School quarterback should provide some depth in the backfield behind senior Jackie Battle.
Houston returns 47 lettermen and 17 starters from last year's team that finished 6-6 and faced Kansas in the Fort Worth Bowl. Three-year starting quarterback Kevin Kolb headlines the seven returnees on the offensive side of the ball, while the return of senior free safety Will Gulley-who missed all of 2005 with a knee injury-highlights the 10 returning starters on defense.
The Cougars will continue with spring drills tomorrow and Thursday before taking a week off for spring break. Spring practice will start back up on Tuesday, March 21.
Practices are open to the public.
---www.UHcougars.com---
