University of Houston Athletics
[GAME NOTES] Houston at Tulane
10/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
| THE GAME AT A GLANCE | |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, October 16 |
| Time | 8 p.m. CST |
| Location | New Orleans, La. |
| Venue | Yulman Stadium |
| Capacity | 30,000 |
| Surface | Synthetic Turf |
| TV | ESPNU |
| Radio | KPRC 950 AM |
| Live Stats | |
HITS ON HOUSTON |
« The #HTownTakeover returns to the national TV stage Friday at 8 p.m. when No. 24/RV Houston (5-0, 2-0 The American) travels to New Orleans to face Tulane (2-3, 1-1 The American) in an American Athletic Conference showdown on ESPNU. Houston is coming off 49-28 win over SMU while Tulane enters the game following a 49-10 loss at Temple. Friday's game will also air on KPRC 950 AM in Houston with pregame coverage starting at 6:30 p.m.
« The Houston program enters Friday ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since 2011. Coming in at No. 24, the ranking marks the first since Houston was ranked No. 18 in the final 2011 poll after a 13-1 season that was capped with a TicketCity Bowl win over Penn State.
« Houston head coach Tom Herman joined rare air in week 4 of the season as he became just the second coach in Houston history with wins in his first three games (now 5-0). John Jenkins accomplished the feat in 1990. He is one of two new head coaches nationally (Jim McElwain - Florida) to remain undefeated.
« Houston is one of 16 teams nationally still undefeated including three teams in The American (UH, Memphis, Temple). Fifteen of the 16 are in action this weekend including Memphis (Ole Miss) and Temple (UCF).
« Houston and Navy are the only two teams in The American to defeat three different opponents by 21 points or more.
« This season is the sixth in Houston history for the Cougars to start 5-0 and the first since 2013, when Houston ended the year 8-5. Houston has started 6-0 four times in program history with the last coming in 2011 when the Cougars finished the year 13-1 with a win over Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl.
« Herman has vowed Houston will be physical in the trenches and the numbers are reflecting it. The Cougars rank ninth nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 95.8 yards per game, while ranking eighth in rushing offense with an average of 287.2 yards per game. Houston is the only team in the nation to rank in the top 10 in both categories.
« Junior quarterback Greg Ward Jr. leads The American and is sixth nationally with an average of 371.2 yards of total offense per game. Ward is the only player nationally to average over 200 passing yards per game (260.4) and over 100 rushing yards per game (110.8). He ranks in the top nine nationally in eight different stat categories.
« Ward ranks third nationally with 11 rushing touchdowns, leading The American and all NCAA quarterbacks in the category.
« UH, Baylor and TCU are the only three teams nationally to rank in the top 25 in rushing offense and passing offense. Houston ranks eighth in rushing offense (287.7) and 25th nationally in passing offense (286.2).
« UH and Baylor are the only two teams nationally to score a touchdown on their first drive of every game.
« Junior linebacker Steven Taylor leads the nation in tackles for loss (2.4 per game) and is second in sacks (1.6 per game).
« Houston was narrowly picked to finish second behind Memphis in the west division of The American in a poll of the league's media. 2015 marks the first season for divisions in The American and the first with a conference championship as the league's two division winners will square off on Dec. 5 at the home of the division winner with the best conference record. Each team plays five other opponents from its division plus three cross-division opponents. Houston plays the top two projected teams in the east, Cincinnati and UCF, along with UConn in cross-division games this season.
ABOUT THE COUGARS |
« Twenty-eight full or part-time starters return in 2015 for Houston. The 2014 leaders in rushing, passing, field goals, punting, tackles for loss, sacks and interceptions all return.
« The program welcomed an incoming class of 21 that is comprised of 18 high school student-athletes, one junior college transfer and two four-year transfers. Three of the 21 newcomers enrolled in the program in January for spring workouts - WR Chance Allen, QB Adam Schulz and WR Devin Smith.
« Houston's roster sports 49 upperclassmen and 56 underclassmen. Eighteen players redshirted their first season on campus in 2014.
« Houston's all-time record sits at 405-351-15 since the program started in 1946.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT |
« In its fourth season under head coach Curtis Johnson, Tulane enters Friday's meeting at 2-3 and 1-1 in The American following a 49-10 loss at Temple. Tulane opened the year with back-to-back losses to Duke (37-7) and Georgia Tech (65-10) before rebounding with wins over Maine (38-7) and UCF (45-31).
« Tulane is led offensively by sophomore quarterback Tanner Lee, who has thrown for 973 yards and eight touchdowns in five games. Sophomore running back Dontrell Hilliard leads Tulane with 188 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 33 attempts. Sophomore Teddy Veal leads the Green Wave in receiving with 23 receptions for 288 yards and three touchdowns.
« Defensively, the Green Wave is led by junior linebacker Nico Marley who leads the team with 36 tackles. Senior defensive end Royce LaFrance leads the team with three sacks while senior safety Darion Monroe leads Tulane in turnovers with two fumble recoveries and one interception.
« Friday's meeting marks the 20th meeting between the two teams with Houston owning a 14-5 edge in the series. The Cougars have won 10 of the last meetings with the Green Wave.
« Tulane defeated Houston last season, 31-24, in a homecoming defeat at TDECU Stadium. The Green Wave outscored the Cougars 17-7 in the second half with UH pulling within seven with 1:04 left in the game. After recovering an ensuing onside kick, Houston was unable to tie the game, finishing on a fourth-and-goal from the Tulane 5-yard line.
LAST TIME OUT |
« Houston is coming off a 49-28 win over in-state rival SMU last Thursday, Oct. 8, at TDECU Stadium.
« The two teams traded touchdowns until Houston broke a 21-21 tie with 28 consecutive points until SMU got a late TD pass to close out the game.
« All seven of Houston's touchdowns came on the ground, courtesy of Greg Ward Jr. (four rushing TDs) and Kenneth Farrow (three rushing TDs). The seven were the most since Nov. 24, 2007, when Houston had seven scores on the ground against Texas Southern.
« Ward set the Houston record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single-game with his four scores, while also taking over the UH rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season with his 11th rushing score of the year.
« After giving up 310 yards in the first half, the Houston defense held the Mustangs to just 89 yards in the second half. The Cougars collected five sacks on the day, led by linebacker Steven Taylor with three sacks, while forcing and recovering three SMU fumbles (Tyus Bowser, Jerard Carter, Adrian McDonald).
« Senior linebacker Elandon Roberts paced the Cougars with a game-high 15 tackles, two of which went for a loss.
« Ty Cummings scored his first points of the season as he stepped into the lead place kicker role, converting on all seven extra point attempts.
DEGREES IN HAND |
« Five Houston seniors entered the season having already earned an undergraduate degree. Alex Cooper, Ben Dew, Earl Foster, Logan Piper and Adam Schultz all completed degree requirements prior to this season.
« Nine additional Cougars will complete their degree requirements this December: Kyle Bullard, Hayden Daniels, Marcus Dillard, Kenneth Farrow, Nolan Frese, Zach Johnson, Cameron Malveaux, Damien Parris and Luke Stice.
2015 PRESEASON HONORS |
« Houston has been well-represented on 2015 preseason national watch lists. As of July 9, three Cougars have been named on prestigious national award lists as Kyle Bullard (Groza Award), Kenneth Farrow (Maxwell Award) and William Jackson III (Bednarik Award) were recognized among the nation's elite.
« Houston had two players named to Phil Steele's Preseason Third Team All-America team in Jackson and long snapper Nolan Frese.
« Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine tabbed senior Adrian McDonald as Texas' Best Defensive Back. The veteran Texas prognosticator named two Cougars in McDonald and linebacker Steven Taylor to his All-Texas Preseason First Team, while Trevon Stewart was tabbed Second Team.
« Houston was represented with three Preseason All-American Athletic Conference First Team selections (Farrow, Jackson, McDonald) by Phil Steele with Stewart named to Second Team.
« Athlon Sports' tabbed three (Farrow, Jackson, McDonald) to its Preseason First Team, while Stewart and receiver Demarcus Ayers were named to the Second Team.
ON THE OFFENSIVE |
« Since 2006, only Oregon (63,160) has racked up more offensive yards than Houston who has 61,576 yards in that time.
Rank Team Total Yards (06-present)
1. Oregon 63,160
2. Houston 61,576
3. Texas Tech 60,108
4. Oklahoma 58,403
5. Nevada 57,092
« Houston has scored in 190 straight games dating back to Sept. 30, 2000.
« Twelve of Houston's 33 scoring drives this season have been less than two minutes with five lasting less than one minute, the quickest just 29 seconds.
« Houston has five scoring drives of four plays or less including two two-play drives this season.
« Houston had over 600 yards of total offense in three of its first four games. UH finished its season opener with 621 yards of total offense, the most for UH since Oct. 26, 2013. The Cougars bested the total with 689 yards vs. Texas State and 638 at Tulsa. Houston now has 73 games with 600+ yards in program history.
« Houston's 232 points in its first five games is the second-best five-game start behind the 249 points the 1989 Houston team scored in its first five games. The 1989 team is also the only other Houston team to match the 2015 team with 600+ yards of total offense in three of its first four games as it started the season with four straight 600+ yard games.
« Houston's seven rushing touchdowns vs. SMU is the most since Nov. 24, 2007 when Houston had seven vs. Texas Southern. The Cougars also posted six rushing touchdowns in their season-opening win over Tennessee Tech.
« Houston and Baylor are the only two teams to score touchdowns on their first drive in every game this season. On the flip side, the UH defense has forced two three-and-outs and a turnover on three of its first five drives of the season.
« With 49 points vs. SMU, the Houston offense has posted 30+ points in each of its last nine games, the first streak of its length since scoring 30+ in the first 12 games of the 2011 season.
THE WORD ON WARD |
« Named Houston's starting QB vs. Memphis in 2014, Greg Ward Jr. returned to a position he saw action at in 10 games as a true freshman in 2013. After seeing action at receiver and punt returner in the final four games of 2013 and the first four of 2014, Ward returned under center in the fifth game of 2014.
« He is the only player nationally to average over 200 passing yards per game (260.4 yards per game) and over 100 rushing yards per game (110.8) while leading The American and ranking sixth nationally in total offense with 371.2 yards per game.
« Ward ranks in the top nine in eight of the NCAA's recognized stat categories: completion percentage (2nd), passing efficiency (8th), points responsible for (6th), points responsible for per game (4th), rushing TDs (3rd), scoring (4th), total offense (6th) and yards per pass attempt (9th).
« The electrifying Ward leads the nation with seven rushing attempts of at least 30 yards and is fourth nationally, first among all QBs, with nine rushing attempts of at least 20 yards.
« Ward is second nationally this season, completing 72.5 percent of his passes, 100-of-138, through five games.
« With his 11 rushing touchdowns and eight passing touchdowns, Ward is fourth nationally in points responsible per game with 22.8 points per game.
« Ward tied a Houston single-season record for 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback when he picked up his second with 182 yards on the ground at Tulsa, a UH single-game rushing record for a quarterback. With the performance, he tied the Houston career record for games with 100+ yards rushing and 100+ yards passing as it was his second game to accomplish the feat this year.
« He opened 2015 with his first career 100-yard rushing game with 101 yards and two TDs on 13 attempts vs. Tennessee Tech. He also threw for 275 yards and one TD on 21-of-28 passing vs. the Golden Eagles.
« Ward threw for a career-high four touchdowns vs. Texas State and ended the night with a career-best, and the seventh-best in UH history, single-game passing efficiency mark with a passer rating of 253.41. Ward is eighth nationally and second in The American with a season passing efficiency rating of 169.4.
« With his four rushing touchdowns vs. SMU, Ward broke the Houston QB rushing touchdowns records for a single game and a season, snapping the nine from Case Keenum in 2007. Ward needs just five TDs to break Keenum's career record of 23.
« Ward needs 36 rushing yards to break the Houston QB career rushing yards record and 102 to break the season record.
« He is 12th on the Houston career passing yards chart with 3,622 yards. Next is John O'Korn (2013-14) with 4,068 yards.
« Texas State marked Ward's sixth game with multiple passing TDs while SMU was his 10th with over 200 yards passing.
BACKING UP THE BACKFIELD |
« Houston's backfield features a handful of talented backfield options in seniors Kenneth Farrow and Ryan Jackson and sophomore Javin Webb.
« The group is helping Houston rank eighth nationally with an average of 287.2 rushing yards per game and second nationally with 21 rushing touchdowns. The attack ranks fifth nationally in rushes of 20+ yards (18) and 30+ yards (10).
« In 2014, Farrow and Jackson helped UH to its most rushing yards (2,391) since 2007 when the Cougars rushed for 2,911 yards. The two combined for nine 100-yard games in 2014, four more than any other team in The American.
« With his 1,037 rushing yards in 2014, Farrow became the 24th player in Houston history to rush over 1,000 yards in a season and the first since Bryce Beall in 2008 with 1,247 yards. He also became the 14th 2,000-yard career rusher in Houston history.
« Farrow led The American with seven 100-yard rushing games last season. He ended the year with four consecutive 100-yard games. Houston was 6-1 in Farrow's century-mark games.
« Farrow led The American with 14 rushing touchdowns including nine in the final four games. The 14 TDs ranked second on the UH single-season charts, just one away from the season record of 15 set by Jackie Battle in 2006.
« He was just four yards short of The American's 2014 rushing crown, trailing USF's Marlon Mack's 1,041 yards.
« He ranks ninth in UH history with nine career 100-yard rushing games, seven away from the career record set by Robert Newhouse (1969-71), after rushing for 159 yards at Tulsa.
« With three TDs vs. SMU, Farrow moved into fifth on the Houston career rushing TDs chart with 27 career scores, chasing the record of 39 set by Bryce Beall from 2008-11.
« He's ninth on the UH career rushing yards chart with 2,442 yards. Next is Alois Blackwell (1975-77) with 2,467.
« Jackson owns five career 100-yard games with Houston undefeated when he eclipses the century mark.
« Jackson crossed the goal line first for UH in its season opening win for his 15th career TD and gave him the first Houston TD of the season for the third consecutive year.
« Webb quickly established himself as another rushing threat for Houston with two touchdowns as part of his five carries vs. Tennessee Tech, finishing the night with 39 yards. The shifty sophomore led the backs vs. Texas State with 90 yards on 15 carries.
« With a combined 341 rushing yards vs. Tulsa, Farrow (159) and Greg Ward Jr. (182) posted the highest yardage by a duo since running backs Anthony Aldridge (225) and Jackie Battle (136) totaled 361 yards at SMU in 2006.
« With Ward ranking fourth (110.8 yards per game) and Farrow sixth (85.0 yards per game) in the league, no other American team has two players in the top six in rushing yards per game.
« The rushing attack will be of importance in 2015 as Houston averaged 246 rushing yards per game in its eight wins in 2014, but averaged just 86 yards per game in its five defeats. The Cougars are averaging 287.2 rushing yards per game, a number that ranks eighth nationally.
THIRD WARD TARGETS |
« With the loss of five receivers combining for 77 career starts graduating, Tom Herman has turned to a number of new options at receiver. Junior Demarcus Ayers (11 career starts entering 2015) and sophomore Steven Dunbar (two career starts) owned the group's lone starts entering 2015.
« The 2013 American Athletic Conference Co-Special Teams Player of the Year, Ayers was second on the team in 2014 with 33 receptions for 335 yards and two touchdowns.
« The Lancaster, Texas, native jumped out to a strong start in 2015, with a career-high 10 receptions for 121 yards. Ayers added 44 rushing yards and returned three punts for 25 yards, totaling 190 all-purpose yards.
« Ayers had a career-best 126 receiving yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions, all in the first half vs. Texas State.
« After totaling 33 receptions for 335 yards and two TDs in 2014, Ayers already has 40 for 469 yards and three TDs.
« He ranks 11th nationally and second in The American with an average of eight receptions per game.
« Ayers has had a minimum of six receptions and 53 yards in every game this season including two 100-yard games.
« Dunbar broke out vs. Tulsa in 2014 with a career-best seven receptions for 150 yards. All seven receptions resulted in Houston first downs, as 15 of his 20 receptions on the year resulted in a first down.
« The group was bolstered in June when Oregon transfer Chance Allen was ruled eligible immediately, entering 2015 as a junior with two seasons to play.
« Allen is currently second on the team with 20 receptions and 257 yards, and pulled in his first career TD vs. Texas State to start scoring.
« Dunbar and Linell Bonner both pulled in their first career touchdowns in Houston's win at Louisville.
« The tight end returned in 2015 led by junior Tyler McCloskey who pulled in two receptions for 16 yards as a fullback in 2014. McCloskey eclipsed his yardage total vs. Tennessee Tech with two receptions for 19 yards and now has nine receptions for 104 yards including a career-long 38-yard receptions vs. SMU.
THE LINE ON THE LINE |
« Houston lost two of its most experienced players along the line with the graduation of RG Rowdy Harper (52 career starts) and C Bryce Redman (34 career starts), both seniors. Following the season, 2014 LT Travis Cross was forced to end his playing career due to concussions. The line took another significant hit prior to the Texas State game when LG Ben Dew was lost for the season with foot injury.
« Following Dew's injury, senior captain Alex Cooper shifted from RT to RG with Carter Wall flipping from RG to LG. Zach Johnson slides in to Cooper's vacated RT spot while sophomore Marcus Oliver held down the LT position. Redshirt-freshman Colton Freeman holds down the center position for the Cougars.
« Freeman, Oliver and Wall each earned their first career starts vs. Tennessee Tech in the 2015 season opener.
« The hits to the line continued vs. SMU when Johnson and LG Josh Thomas, who returned to starting lineup in the game, were lost for the season with injuries.
TAKE IT AWAY. DON'T GIVE IT AWAY |
« Over 2013-14, no program took the ball away from opposing offenses more than Houston with 73 turnovers forced over the two seasons.
« The 2013 Houston defense led the nation with 43 forced turnovers - 18 fumbles (NCAA best) and 25 interceptions (second nationally). The 2014 edition ranked 11th nationally with 30 turnovers and eighth nationally with 19 interceptions.
« Combined with the hiring of Todd Orlando as Tom Herman's first defensive coordinator, the program's outlook for forcing turnovers is promising. Orlando's Utah State defense ranked eighth nationally with 59 turnovers forced over the last two seasons and tied Houston in 2014 with 30 turnovers forced and 19 interceptions.
« UH has forced multiple turnovers in 32 of its last 39 games, and had a 34-game turnover forced streak end at the 2014 regular-season finale at Cincinnati. At the time, it was the longest active streak in the NCAA.
« Early in the season, Houston is quickly establishing itself in the turnover battle, leading the nation with a per game average of +2 in the turnover margin. Houston is 10th nationally with 14 turnovers gained and sixth with four turnovers lost. Both numbers lead The American.
« Houston has faced at least three turnovers in three games this season with four turnovers vs. Louisville and Texas State and three vs. SMU.
« Adrian McDonald led Houston with eight turnovers in 2014 - three fumble recoveries and five interceptions.
« Three players had at least three interceptions in 2014 for Houston as Trevon Stewart and Howard Wilson each had three picks along with McDonald's five.
« Houston had three defensive touchdowns in 2014 - two fumble recoveries in the end zone (Vincent Hall vs. Grambling and Adrian McDonald vs. Tulane) with one interception returned 29 yards for a TD vs. Tulane.
« William Jackson III gave Houston its first defensive touchdown of the 2015 season with a 35-yard return of an interception late in the first half of the Texas State win.
« If you haven't picked up on it yet, Stewart and McDonald are turnover machines. Stewart led the nation in 2013 with a combined 10 turnovers - interceptions (4) and fumble recoveries (6) while McDonald led The American in 2014 with eight turnovers - five interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
« Five different players have interceptions this season for Houston with McDonald leading the way with two while five different players have fumble recoveries with including Jerard Carter, McDonald and Stewart with two each.
« McDonald is fourth nationally among active players with 15 career interceptions after claiming Houston's lone turnover vs. Tennessee Tech and following it up with another vs. Louisville. The number ranks second on the Houston career charts as the Lawton, Okla., native needs just one more interception to tie the UH career mark.
THIRD WARD D |
« The 2014 defense continued to lower the scoring average, finishing with an average of 20.6 points per game, ranking 15th nationally. The defense gave up just 343.3 total yards per game, ranking 20th nationally.
« The Houston airspace was a no-fly zone as the Cougars led The American and ranked eighth nationally with 19 interceptions.
« With Todd Orlando at the helm for two of the seasons, the Utah State defense ranked fourth nationally over the last four years, giving up an average of just 3.13 yards per rushing attempt.
« Orlando ranked eighth nationally among defensive coordinators entering the season with a third-down defensive percentage of 34.2 percent, allowing just 159 conversions on 465 attempts.
« His Utah State defense ranked among the nation's best in scoring defense over the last two seasons, ranking 12th in 2014 (19.7 points per game) and seventh in 2013 (17.1). His attacking defense was fourth nationally in 2014 with 49 sacks and second with 114 tackles for loss.
« In its season opener, the Houston defense held Tennessee Tech to just 29 yards rushing, the lowest output by an opposing team since holding UTEP to just 30 yards in an Oct. 21, 2006 win.
« Houston held its first two opponents to a combined nine yards rushing in the first half, holding Tennessee Tech to -8 yards on three first-half attempts and Louisville to 17 rushing yards on 15 carries.
« The 2015 Cougar defense leads The American and ranks eighth nationally in allowing opponents just an average of 82.0 yards rushing per game.
« The 2015 defense is the first since 1998 to hold its first three opponents to less than 100 yards rushing with Texas State rushing for 99 yards. Tulsa was the first time to eclipse the century mark, finishing the day with 130 yards.
« Houston ranks 17th nationally with an average of 5.4 three-and-outs per game, with 27 three-and-outs on 70 drives.
TACKLING MACHINES |
« The 2014 season saw six Cougars account for 17 games with 10 or more tackles.
« Steven Taylor, who was Houston's second-leading tackler in 2014 with 76 stops, owns eight career games with double-digit tackles.
« Trevon Stewart is fourth nationally among active players with 320 career stops and is one of just five players nationally with multiple seasons with triple-digit tackles.
« Senior linebacker Elandon Roberts has led Houston in tackles in four of the first five games. The lone game he did not resulted in 13 tackles at Tulsa. Through five games, Roberts has 59 tackles after totaling 33 stops through his first two seasons.
« Roberts leads the nation with an average of 8.6 solo tackles per game and is fourth nationally with an average of 11.8 total tackles per game.
ANYTHING BUT SECONDARY |
« The secondary group has made a name for itself in the takeaway department over the last two seasons. And this season it returned 97 career starts with every starter from 2014 returning.
« The group had 19 of the 30 turnovers in 2014 and has 11 of the 14 turnovers this season with interceptions from Adrian McDonald (2), Trevon Stewart, Howard Wilson, William Jackson III and Lee Hightower while McDonald (2), Stewart (2) and Jackson have fumble recoveries.
« Jackson, who was named a preseason All-American by Phil Steele, owns one starting corner role. In 2014, the rangy corner was second in The American with 10 pass breakups, while intercepting two passes, playing in man coverage.
« Jackson had his second career defensive touchdown with a 35-yard return from Texas State. He ended the Bobcats' opening drive with his third career fumble recovery.
« Jackson had a career-high three PBUs at Tulsa while holding Keyarris Garett, who entered the game third nationally in averaging 151.3 yards per game, to 85 yards. He leads The American and ranks fourth nationally with eight PBUs on the year.
« At free safety, Stewart has started 40 career games. The Patterson, La., native led the nation in 2013 with 10 turnovers (six fumble recoveries and four interceptions) and is fourth nationally among all active players with 320 career tackles.
« With his fumble recovery at Tulsa, Stewart tied the UH career fumble recoveries record with his eighth career recovery.
« A high school quarterback, McDonald led The American in 2014 with eight turnovers (five INTs and three fumble recoveries). McDonald recovered his seventh career fumble vs. SMU and ranks third on the UH career chart in the category.
« McDonald needs just one more interception and 49 interception return yards to set the Houston career records in both categories.
« Senior Lee Hightower joined the group in 2014 and started the first six games opposite of Jackson before suffering a season-ending leg injury vs. Memphis, the same game, in which the junior recorded his first interception at Houston. Hightower made his second career interception at Tulsa, snuffing out a potential game-tying drive with the pick.
« Brandon Wilson made his first career start at BYU last season while Howard Wilson saw significant time at nickel back with three interceptions. Brandon Wilson now has 13 career starts including a current streak of seven games while Howard Wilson picked off his fourth career pass in Houston's win over Texas State.
LOOK AT THE LINEBACKERS |
« With the loss of Derrick Mathews (45 career starts) and Efrem Oliphant (29 career starts), junior Steven Taylor (19 career starts entering 2015) led the group into a new frontier with a change to the 3-4 defense.
« Taylor owns eight career games with double-digit stops and is the team's returning leading tackler from 2014 with 76 stops on the year. He also led Houston on the year with nine tackles for loss and four sacks. He opened strong in 2015 with three tackles for loss, with one sack, vs. Tennessee Tech.
« Taylor leads The American and is third nationally with eight sacks, after back-to-back games with three sacks, as he prepares to face a team that ranks 108th in sacks allowed with 15 through five games.
« He leads the nation with an average of 2.4 tackles for loss per game after a career-high four TFLs in the last two games.
« Taylor had a career-high 16 tackles at Tulsa, registering 11 stops alone in the first half. Taylor also had a career-best four tackles for loss and three sacks in the win.
« A captain in 2015, senior Elandon Roberts has 59 tackles through five games after recording 33 in his first two seasons.
« Roberts led his team in tackles in each of the first three games before collecting a career-high 13 stops behind Taylor's 16 tackles at Tulsa. Roberts took the team lead again with a career-high 15 stops vs. SMU.
« Roberts leads the nation with an average of 8.0 solo tackles per game and is fourth nationally with an average of 11.8 tackles per game. He ranks third in The American with an average of 1.4 tackles for loss per game.
« Junior Tyus Bowser made the move from defensive end, where he earned three starts in his first two years, to outside linebacker and had sacks in each of the first three games of the season to extend a five-game streak with sacks dating back to 2014. Bowser now owns 11.5 career sacks and is fourth in The American with his four sacks.
« Bowser forced his second carer fumble vs. Tulsa to end a Golden Hurricane drive with 4:32 left in the game and recovered his first career fumble vs. SMU.
« Sophomore Matthew Adams moved into the starting lineup last year after a season-ending injury to Mathews midway thru the year last season and ended the year with three starts, totaling 40 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss.
« With Adams suspended vs. Texas State, true freshman Emeke Egbule made a quick name for himself with three tackles including his first career sack.
UP FRONT |
« Moving to a three-man front in 2015, the Houston defensive line has three players with starting experience - senior Tomme Mark (20 career starts), junior B.J. Singleton (16 career starts) and junior Cameron Malveaux (six career starts).
« The six career starts may be misleading for Malveaux as the Beaumont, Texas, native enjoyed a breakout spring under the new coaching staff, earning the program's spring MVP honors. The 6-6, 270 lb., defensive end had 15 tackles in 2014, but is expecting to greatly increase that number in 2015 with an increased on-field presence.
« Malveaux had a career-high 1.5 sacks in Houston's win at Tulsa.
« Mark and Singleton were a part of a four-man defensive tackle rotation in 2014 and have the ability to play both at end and tackle in 2015.
« Singleton picked up his first sack of the season with a six-yard sack vs. SMU.
« The group was bolstered with the emergence of sophomore Nick Thurman. After seeing action in five games as a redshirt-freshman, the Dallas native provided a jump in the spring of 2015 at defensive tackle. Thurman added a half sack in Houston's win at Tulsa.
« Senior defensive tackle Melvin Holland earned a scholarship with his play in the spring and was highly lauded for his work, as was redshirt-freshman Zach Vaughan.
« Redshirt-freshman defensive lineman Jerard Carter recorded his first career fumble recovery in the second quarter of Houston's win at Louisville and followed it with his second recovery vs. SMU.
TY ONE ON |
« Junior Ty Cummings holds the starting role as the team's kickoff specialist and took over the starting placekicking duties vs. SMU.
« He's opened this year with 41 kickoffs, averaging 62.2 yards per kickoff, with 17 touchbacks.
« Cummings connected on all seven of his extra point attempts vs. SMU. He connected on his lone PAT attempt of 2014 (vs. UNLV) and has yet to attempt a field goal in his career.
THE BOOK ON BULLARD |
« Senior Kyle Bullard was 16-of-22 on field goal attempts in 2014 and 42-of-47 on extra points.
« Prior to this season, Bullard was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list for the second consecutive year. The Boerne, Texas, native was named a semifinalist for the award in 2014.
« Bullard set a program record with 18 consecutive made field goals last season after connecting on his first 12 of the season.
« With his two field goals at Louisville, Bullard recorded the seventh multi-field goal game of his career and the first of 2015.
« With 27 field goals, Bullard is eighth on the UH career field goals chart. He needs four to move into seventh.
THE PIPER |
« Houston opened 2014 with two punters sharing the duties in Dylan Seibert and Logan Piper before Piper, now a senior, took over the starting role vs. UNLV. Piper joined the program in 2013 after two years with the Houston Baseball program.
« Piper had 43 punts on the year with an average of 39.3 yards per attempt. Nineteen resulted in fair catches and 13 landed inside the opponent's 20-yard line. He ended the year strong with a career-long 60-yard punt vs. Pitt in the Armed Forces Bowl
« He had his best game of the year at USF, finishing with a career-best 46.2 average including a 53-yard punt with two landing inside the Bulls' 20-yard line.
« Piper has opened the year with 16 punts with an average of 43.4 yards per attempt. He has four punts over 50 yards with five landing inside the 20-yard line and three punts forcing a fair catch from Houston's opponent.
« He hit a career long with a 71-yard punt in Houston's win at Tulsa.
« With Piper's booming leg, Houston's punt team ranks 29th nationally in net punting at 40.25 yards per punt.
RETURNS DEPT. |
« At kick returner, Houston junior Demarcus Ayers was named The American Athletic Conference's Co-Special Teams Player of the Year in 2013 as a true freshman after finishing the year with 37 kick returns for 1,021 yards and The American's best average return of 27.6 yards, a number that ranked 12th nationally. He had a return of at least 40 yards in six games.
« With 1,021 yards, Ayers set the Houston freshman record and was just 153 yards away from the UH single season record. He was second in the nation with 12 returns over 30 yards in 2013. Ayers is currently third on the Houston career kick return yards chart with 1,586 career yards and needs 119 yards to move into second.
« The junior now holds Houston's punt return role with four returns for 26 yards on the year.
« Ryan Jackson, Javin Webb and Brandon Wilson have assumed Ayers' role as kick returners with Wilson leading the way with 246 yards on eight returns. Webb has three returns for 58 yards while Jackson has one for 21 yards.
« Wilson knotted Houston up with Louisville at 17 in the third quarter of UH's win with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Wilson became the sixth player in UH history to record a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD. The return was Wilson's second career special teams touchdown as he returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown vs. UTSA in 2013.
« Wilson is one of 21 players nationally with two returns of 40+ yards this season and ranks 10th nationally with an average of 30.8 yards per return.
