University of Houston Athletics
Football Holds Second Spring Scrimmage
4/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 1, 2006
HOUSTON - The University of Houston football team moved into its final week of the spring season with its second scrimmage, a two-hour, 120-play controlled affair under sunny skies on the UH practice fields Saturday.
The scrimmage marked the winding down of spring ball with the annual Red-White game seven days away. This year's Red-White game is slated for Saturday, April 8, at 11 am at the Carl Lewis International Track Complex.
Heading into the last week of practice, head coach Art Briles is pleased with the effort and intensity, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
The main thing for us this time of year is to stay healthy," Briles said. "We had a number of injuries last spring and we don't need or want that this year. We also need to stay strong mentally and physically as well as a better understanding of our roles on the field. We are all out there trying to help each other to give us a better idea of where we are headed in the fall."
Running back Roshawn Pope opened up the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run as the first-team offense scored on each of its first three drives.
Quarterback Kevin Kolb looked sharp throughout the scrimmage, throwing a pair of touchdowns to wideouts Donnie Avery and Vincent Marshall, respectively.
Receiver Jeron Harvey made the play of the day as he picked a ball out of the air that was tipped, taking it in for the score.
The defense looked good in the second-half of the scrimmage, picking up three sacks and forcing two fumbles. The red-zone unit held the offense without a score for three-straight possessions. Quinte Williams picked off Kolb on the second-last drive of the morning.
Briles was also pleased, but not surprised with the play of his specialists today as the field goal unit made five of six attempts and the punters lofted several booming kicks.
"We have everyone back on special teams, so we ought to be good there," Briles said. "Last year we were young and inexperienced. This year we really have a chance to improve in that phase of the game. Those guys have all improved and taken their roles to a different level. They were very effective today."
Houston kicks off the 2006 by facing cross-town rival Rice on September 2 at Rice Stadium. The Cougars begin the first of seven home games, including three straight, by taking on Tulane on September 9 at John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium.
