Houston Football Postgame Notes
8/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
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2008 Houston Cougars Football Postgame Notes
Southern Jaguars (0-1, 0-0 SWAC) at Houston Cougars (1-0, 0-0 C-USA)
Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008 * John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium * Houston, Texas
TEAM NOTES
** With a 52 point win Saturday, Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin enjoyed the biggest win by a coach in his Cougar debut in school history... The win topped the 42-point victory (54-12) by former head coach Bill Meek against Montana on Sept. 17, 1955.
** With 55 points, head coach Kevin Sumlin's Cougars tallied the most points by a Cougar coach in his first game with the program... It topped the 54 points scored by the Cougars against Montana on Sept. 17, 1955, in former head coach Bill Meek's debut.
** The Cougars' 55 points scored was the most scored by UH in a season opener since a 73-3 win over Louisiana Tech on Aug. 31, 1991.
** Saturday's attendance of 26,555 was the second-highest total in a home opener at Robertson Stadium... On Sept. 4, 1999, 31,784 fans watched the Cougars take a 28-3 win over Rice.
** The three points allowed by the Cougars was the fewest scored by an opponent in a season opener since a 28-3 win over Rice on Sept. 4, 1999.... It also was the fewest points allowed in any game since a 24-3 win over Conference USA rival Tulane on Oct. 30, 2004.
** Saturday's game was the first meeting between Houston and Southern.
** The Cougars improved to 11-0 all-time against Division I-Championship Subdivision teams since 1978.
** With 55 points, the Cougars scored in their 93rd consecutive game... The Cougars have not been shut out since a 48-0 loss at Texas on Sept. 23, 2000. ** The Cougars improved to 31-30-2 (.508) all-time in their season openers.
** The Cougars improved to 35-28 (.556) all-time in their home openers.
** The Cougars improved to 22-11 (.667) all-time against teams from the state of Louisiana.
** The Cougars improved to 2-1 (.667) all-time when playing on Aug. 30.
** The Cougars improved to 5-1 (.833) all-time when playing in the month of August.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
** With five touchdown passes, sophomore quarterback Case Keenum set a single-game high... His total topped his previous high of two touchdown, done three times and most recently against Marshall on Nov. 17, 2007.
** With five touchdowns, sophomore quarterback Case Keenum became the first quarterback to throw five TD passes since Kevin Kolb accomplished the feat at UTEP on Sept. 16, 2005.
** With 392 passing yards, sophomore quarterback Case Keenum recorded the second 300-yard passing game of his career... The Cougars improved to 1-1 in games in which Keenum reaches 300 yards.
** With 392 passing yards, sophomore quarterback Case Keenum set a single-game high... His total topped his previous high of 335 yards set against TCU on Dec. 28, 2007, during the Texas Bowl. ** Sophomore wide receiver L.J. Castile's 30-yard touchdown catch at the 11:58 mark of the second quarter tied his career long... It equaled his earlier long set against Colorado State on Sept. 22, 2007.
** With two touchdowns, sophomore wide receiver L.J. Castile set a single-game best. His total topped his previous high of one set against Colorado State on Sept. 22, 2007.
** With six catches, senior wide receiver Mark Hafner tied his single-game high... His total equaled his previous bests set at Tulsa (Nov. 10, 2007), vs. Marshall (Nov. 17, 2007) and at Tulane (Sept. 15, 2007).
** With 103 receiving yards, senior wide receiver Mark Hafner recorded the second 100-yard receiving game of his career... The Cougars improved to 2-0 in games in which Hafner reaches triple digits.
** With two touchdown receptions, senior wide receiver Mark Hafner set a single-game high... His total topped his previous best of one receiving score, set five times and most recently vs. Marshall on Nov. 17, 2007.
** Freshman linebacker Nick Saenz' interception around the 5:30 mark of the fourth quarter was the first of his career.
** Sophomore wide receiver Chaz Rodriguez' blocked punt around the 12:41 mark of the third quarter was the first blocked punt of his career... It also was the first blocked punt by the Cougars since Marquay Love accomplished the feat at Tulsa on Oct. 1, 2005.
** Senior linebacker Cody Lubojasky made his 40th consecutive start dating back to the 2005 season opener... That is the nation's longest active streak.
** With his 25-yard field goal at the 3:42 mark of the third quarter, junior kicker Ben Bell recorded the eighth multi-field goal game of his career.
** With two field goals, junior kicker Ben Bell tied his single-game high... His total equaled his career best set seven times, most recently against Tulsa on Nov. 4, 2006.
** First Starts: Sophomore running back Andre Kohn, redshirt freshman wide receiver Tyron Carrier, redshirt freshman offensive guard Chris Thompson, redshirt freshman Patrick Edwards, sophomore nose tackle Isaiah Thompson, junior strong linebacker Matt Nicholson and freshman linebacker Marcus McGraw made their first career starts.
** First Games: Running back Jackie Hinton Jr., running back Bryce Beall, safety Nick Saenz, linebacker Marcus McGraw, wide receiver Isaiah Sweeney, defensive tackle David Hunter and defensive end Mohammed Usman competed in their first games as true freshmen.
