University of Houston Athletics
[GAME NOTES] Houston vs. Vanderbilt
10/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
[VIDEO] Press Conference: Tom Herman | [QUOTES] Press Conference
[VIDEO] Press Conference: Student-Athletes
| THE GAME AT A GLANCE | |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, Oct. 31 |
| Time | 6 p.m. CST |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Venue | TDECU Stadium |
| Capacity | 40,000 |
| Surface | Synthetic Turf |
| TV | ESPN2 |
| Radio | KPRC 950 AM |
| Live Stats | |
HITS ON HOUSTON |
« The #HTownTakeover returns to action Saturday at 6 p.m. when No. 18/19 Houston (7-0, 4-0 The American) faces Vanderbilt (3-4, 1-3 SEC) in its final non-conference showdown on ESPN2. Houston is coming off 59-10 win at UCF while Vanderbilt enters the game following a 10-3 win over Missouri. Saturday's game will also air on KPRC 950 AM with pregame coverage starting at 4:30 p.m.
« The No. 18 ranking in the AP poll is Houston's highest ranking since coming in at No. 18 in the final poll of the 2011 season when the Cougars finished the year 13-1. No. 19 in the USA Today coaches poll is the highest for Houston since ending 2011 ranked No. 14.
« 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 7-0). John Jenkins accomplished the feat in 1990. With Florida's loss at LSU, Herman is now the only new head coach in the nation to remain undefeated.
« Houston is one of 12 teams still undefeated including three teams in The American (UH, Memphis, Temple). Seven of the 12 are in action this weekend including Memphis (Tulane) and Temple (Notre Dame).
« Houston is the only team in The American to defeat five opponents by 21 points or more. The Cougars are one of three undefeated teams nationally with at least five wins of 21 points or more (Baylor, Ohio State).
« This season is the fourth in Houston history for the Cougars to start 7-0 and the first since 2011. Houston has started 8-0 three times in program history (1979, 1990, 2011).
« 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 98.3 yards per game, while ranking seventh in rushing offense with an average of 291.7 yards per game. Houston and LSU are the only teams in the nation to rank in the top 10 in both categories.
« Houston leads the nation with a +13 turnover margin, ranking fifth nationally with 18 turnovers forced and sixth with five lost.
« Junior quarterback Greg Ward Jr. leads the nation with 15 rushing touchdowns. He is tied with LSU's Leonard Fournette despite 73 less rushing attempts.
« Ward is ninth nationally with an average of 344.4 yards of total offense per game. Ward is the only player nationally to average over 200 passing yards per game (247.7) and over 90 rushing yards per game (96.7). He ranks in the top 10 nationally in eight different stat categories.
« Ward is third nationally in scoring with 96 points while ranking fifth in points responsible for per game with 21.4 per game.
« UH, Baylor, TCU and West Virginia are the only four teams nationally to rank in the top 30 in rushing offense and passing offense. Houston ranks seventh in rushing offense (291.6) and 30th nationally in passing offense (269.6).
« Senior linebacker Elandon Roberts leads the nation in solo tackles (8.0 per game) and is fourth in sacks (1.3 per game).
« Junior linebacker Steven Taylor is fifth nationally in sacks (1.14 per game) and is sixth in tackles for loss (1.9 per game).
« Saturday's game will feature Houston's No. 4 scoring offense (47.6 points per game) vs. Vanderbilt's No. 13 scoring defense (16.3).
« 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 411-351-15 since the program started in 1946.
« Houston has no players from the state of Tennessee on its roster. Vanderbilt has seven players from the state of Texas on its roster.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT |
« In its second season under head coach Derek Mason, Vanderbilt enters Saturday's meeting at 3-4 and 1-3 in the SEC following a 10-3 win over Missouri. The Commodores also have wins over Austin Peay (47-7) and Middle Tennessee (17-13) while dropping games to Western Kentucky (14-12), Georgia (31-14), Ole Miss (27-16) and South Carolina (19-10).
« Vanderbilt is led offensively by sophomore quarterback Johnny McCrary who has thrown for 1,475 yards and six touchdowns on 139-of-240 passing with 10 interceptions along with 162 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Ralph Webb leads Vanderbilt in rushing with 594 yards and four touchdowns on 150 carries. Sophomore Trent Sherfield leads the Commodores in receiving with 41 receptions for 518 yards and two touchdowns.
« Defensively, the Commodores are led by sophomore linebacker Zach Cunningham who leads the team with 50 tackles and eight tackles for loss. Junior defensive lineman Adam Butler leads the team with three sacks while senior safety Jahmel McIntosh leads Vanderbilt with two interceptions.
« Saturday's meeting marks the second meeting between the two teams with Vanderbilt winning the lone previous meeting, a 41-24 win at the 2014 BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Ala. After being down 24-0 at halftime, Houston answered with 24 unanswered points of its own in the third quarter before Vanderbilt outscored the Cougars, 17-0, in the final quarter. Vanderbilt forced the run in the game with 52 attempts for 211 yards against just 19 pass attempts resulting 154 yards. Six current Cougars (Kenneth Farrow, Demarcus Ayers, Tomme Mark, Steven Taylor, Adrian McDonald, Trevon Stewart) started in the game with 20 current Cougars seeing action in the game.
LAST TIME OUT |
« Houston is coming off a 59-10 win at UCF last Saturday.
« After falling behind 10-7 with 4:38 left in the second quarter, Houston scored 52 unanswered points, including scores on seven consecutive drives, to close out the win.
« Kenneth Farrow rushed for a career-high 167 yards and notched his second game this season with three rushing touchdowns.
« Houston ended the game with 600 total offensive yards, its fourth game this season with at least 600 yards while the defense held an opponent under 300 total yards for the second straight game.
« Cornerback Brandon Wilson simultaneously opened Houston's scoring and ended UCF's first drive with a strip-and-score when he stripped UCF's Cam Stewart and returned the fumble 85 yards for a touchdown, Houston's second defensive TD this season.
« Five different players scored for Houston as Farrow, Ryan Jackson and Greg Ward Jr. all had rushing touchdowns while Demarcus Ayers (from Ward) and Linell Bonner (from Postma) had touchdown receptions.
« Wilson was one of three Houston defenders with a turnover, all in the secondary, as Adrian McDonald, William Jackson III and Khalil Williams all picked off UCF quarterbacks.
« Houston forced four turnovers on the day while recording zero turnovers for the second time this season.
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 (63,602) has racked up more offensive yards than Houston who has 62,637 yards in that time.
Rank Team Total Yards (06-present)
1. Oregon 63,602
2. Houston 62,637
3. Texas Tech 61,109
4. Oklahoma 59,588
5. Nevada 57,869
« Houston has scored in 192 straight games dating back to Sept. 30, 2000.
« Eighteen of Houston's 45 scoring drives this season have been less than two minutes with nine lasting less than one minute, the quickest just nine seconds with a one-play opening drive score vs. Tulane.
« Houston has nine scoring drives of four plays or less including two two-play drives and two one-play drives this season.
« Houston has over 600 yards of total offense in four of its first seven 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 74 games with 600+ yards in program history.
« Houston's 232 points in its first five games was 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.
« With 59 points at UCF, the Houston offense has posted 30+ points in each of its last 11 games, the first streak of its length since scoring 30+ in the first 12 games of the 2011 season. The Cougars have three games with 50+ points this season and five with 40+ points including each of the last three games.
« Houston leads The American and ranks fifth nationally in total offense with 561.1 yards per game. UH is fourth nationally in scoring offense with an average of 47.6 points per game.
« Houston is third nationally with 56 plays of 20+ yards, trailing just Baylor (63) and Texas Tech (58).
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 (247.6 yards per game) and over 90 rushing yards per game (96.7) while ranking ninth nationally in total offense with 344.4 yards per game.
« Ward ranks in the top 10 in eight of the NCAA's recognized stat categories: completion percentage (4th), passing efficiency (10th), points responsible for (7th), points responsible for per game (5th), rushing TDs (1st), scoring (3rd), total offense (9th) and yards per pass attempt (8th).
« Ward is tied with LSU's Leonard Fournette for the nation's lead with 15 rushing touchdowns, despite 73 less rushing attempts than Fournette.
« He is third nationally in scoring with 90 points behind just Baylor WR Corey Coleman (108) and Boise State RB Jeremy McNichols (96).
« The electrifying Ward is second nationally with seven rushing attempts of at least 30 yards and is sixth nationally, first among all QBs, with 10 rushing attempts of at least 20 yards. The seven rushing attempts of 30+ yards trails just the eight by Florida State running back Dalvin Cook.
« Ward is fourth nationally this season, completing 71.5 percent of his passes, 132-of-185, through seven games.
« With his 15 rushing touchdowns and 10 passing touchdowns, Ward is fifth nationally in points responsible per game with 21.4 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 of such game 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 10th nationally and second in The American with a season passing efficiency rating of 165.4.
« With his four rushing touchdowns vs. SMU, Ward broke the Houston QB rushing touchdowns records for a single game and a season, snapping the previous record of nine from Case Keenum in 2007. Ward has tied Keenum's career record of 23.
« Ward collected his third straight game with at least three rushing touchdowns with three scores on the ground at Tulane, the third-longest streak on the FBS level over the last 10 seasons. Ward has multiple rushing touchdowns in five of seven games this season.
« He needs just one more touchdown to take sole possession of the Houston single-season touchdown record, regardless of position. Running back Jackie Battle first set the current record of 15 in 2006.
« The junior also ranks eighth on the Houston career rushing touchdowns chart with 23 career scores.
« Ward broke the Houston QB career rushing yards record vs. Tulane with 77 yards as he now has 1,426 career rushing yards, surpassing the previous record of 1,338 yards set by Lionel Wilson from 1980-83.
« With 46 yards at UCF, he broke the Houston single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback of 656 set by Lionel Wilson in 1981. Ward currently has 677 rushing yards on the season.
« He is 12th on the Houston career passing yards chart with 4,054 yards. Next is John O'Korn (2013-14) with 4,068 yards.
« Ward moved into ninth on the Houston career total offense chart with 299 yards of total offense at Tulane. Ward now has 5,479 yards of total offense and is 350 yards away from passing Gerald Landry (1983-86) for eighth on the chart.
« Texas State marked Ward's sixth game with multiple passing TDs while UCF was his 12th with over 200 yards passing.
« The Tyler, Texas, native has been responsible for a touchdown, either passing or rushing, in 15 straight games for Houston.
« Ward has broken nine Houston or The American records this season while tying five others.
"He is just one of those rare athletes that you see every once in a while. Every time we thought we had him we didn't really have him." - Tulane Head Coach Curtis Johnson
"He does things with his legs that other quarterbacks can't do." - Tulane safety Darion Monroe
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 seventh nationally with an average of 291.6 rushing yards per game and second nationally with 30 rushing touchdowns. The attack ranks second nationally in rushes of 20+ yards (28) and third nationally in rushes of 30+ yards (13).
« 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 was the 24th player in Houston history to rush over 1,000 yards in a season. 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 eighth in UH history with 10 career 100-yard rushing games, six away from the career record set by Robert Newhouse (1969-71), after rushing for a career-high 167 yards at UCF.
« With three TDs at UCF Farrow moved into third on the Houston career rushing TDs chart with 30 career scores, chasing the record of 39 set by Bryce Beall from 2008-11.
« He's seventh on the UH career rushing yards chart with 2,686 yards. Next is Paul Gipson (1966-68) with 2,769 yards.
« Farrow has all eight rushing touchdowns this season over the last four games including two with three scores (SMU, UCF).
« 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.
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 50 for 653 yards and four TDs.
« He ranks 12th nationally and third in The American with an average of 7.3 receptions per game. Ayers is third in The American with an average of 93.4 receiving yards per game.
« Ayers has had a minimum of five receptions and 53 yards in every game this season including two 100-yard games.
« He ranks 24th nationally with an average of 138.57 all-purpose yards per game while ranking 20th in punt returns with an average of 13.3 yards per return.
« 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 28 receptions for 356 yards and two touchdowns, including a 49-yard TD reception on Houston's first offensive play at Tulane.
« 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 has taken significant hits this season with LG Ben Dew, LT Zach Johnson and RG Josh Thomas being lost with season-ending injuries.
« Colton Freeman, Marcus Oliver and Carter Wall each earned their first career starts vs. Tennessee Tech in the 2015 season opener.
« Depth has been provided with former defensive linemen Mason Denley and Kameron Eloph making their offensive line debuts this season. Denley provided depth vs. SMU before earning his first career start at Tulane at LG while Eloph made his offensive debut as a backup at Tulane.
« With Freeman suffering from a stomach bug at Tulane, true freshman Will Noble made his career debut vs. the Green Wave.
« Through seven games, the line has seen five different starting combinations with 10 different linemen receiving starts. UCF saw the latest with Noble receiving his first career start at center.
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.
« 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 33 of its last 41 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.
« Houston is again establishing itself in the turnover battle, leading the nation with a per game average of +1.86 in the turnover margin. Houston is fifth nationally with 18 turnovers gained and sixth with five turnovers lost.
« Houston has forced at least three turnovers in four games this season with four turnovers vs. Louisville, Texas State and UCF 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.
« Brandon Wilson simultaneously opened Houston's scoring and ended UCF's first drive with a strip-and-score when he stripped UCF's Cam Stewart and returned the fumble 85 yards for a touchdown.
« 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.
« Six different players have interceptions this season for Houston with McDonald leading the way with three while six different players have fumble recoveries with including Jerard Carter, McDonald and Stewart with two each.
« McDonald is fourth nationally among active players with 16 career interceptions as he tied the Houston career record with his 16th interception at UCF.
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 is second in The American and ninth nationally in allowing opponents just an average of 98.3 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 third nationally with an average of 6.14 three-and-outs per game behind just Clemson (7.0) and Alabama (6.25). Houston has 43 three-and-outs on 97 drives.
« The Houston defense has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 10 straight games.
« Over the last two games, the Houston defense has climbed 31 spots to No. 28 in scoring defense, giving up an average of 19.7 points per game. The Cougars have allowed a combined 17 points over the last two games, including no second-half points.
« After allowing 232 yards to UCF in the first half, the UH defense allowed just 48 yards in the second half.
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 329 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 five of the first seven games. The lone game he did not resulted in 13 tackles at Tulsa. Through seven games, Roberts has 76 tackles after totaling 33 stops through his first two seasons.
« Roberts leads the nation with an average of 8.0 solo tackles per game and is eighth nationally with an average of 10.9 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 15 of the 18 turnovers this season with interceptions from Adrian McDonald (3), William Jackson III (2), Trevon Stewart, Howard Wilson, Lee Hightower and Khalil Williams while McDonald (2), Stewart (2), Jackson and Brandon Wilson 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 three PBUs at Tulsa while holding Keyarris Garett, who entered the game third nationally in averaging 151.3 yards per game, to 85 yards. Including a career-high four PBUs at Tulane, he leads The American and ranks third nationally with 13 PBUs on the year. He is sixth on the Houston career chart with 30 career PBUs.
« At free safety, Stewart has started 42 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 329 career tackles.
« With his fumble recovery at Tulsa, Stewart tied the UH career fumble recoveries record with his eighth career recovery.
« Playing in his home state, Stewart had a career high two sacks for a loss of 25 yards at Tulane.
« 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.
« With his 16th career interception at UCF, McDonald tied the UH career record. He needs just 49 interception return yards to set a second Houston career record.
« 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 15 career starts including a current streak of nine games while Howard Wilson picked off his fourth career pass in Houston's win over Texas State.
« Brandon Wilson picked up his third career touchdown, his first of the defensive variety, with an 85-yard strip-and-score vs. UCF.
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 seventh nationally with eight sacks with back-to-back three-sack games vs. Tulsa and SMU.
« He is sixth nationally with an average of 1.9 tackles for loss per game after eight TFLs combined vs. Tulsa and SMU.
« 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 76 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 eight nationally with an average of 10.9 tackles 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 sixth in The American with his four sacks.
« Bowser forced his second career 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 (22 career starts), junior B.J. Singleton (18 career starts) and junior Cameron Malveaux (eight career starts).
« The eight 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 has increased that number (17 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss) 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.
« Mark totaled a career-best six stops against UCF and is tied with the line's lead in tackles with 17, tying Malveaux.
« 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.
« Thurman tied for second on the team for tackles at Tulane with a career-high five stops, including one for a loss.
« Thurman was one of three defensive linemen with a tackle for loss against the Green Wave, joined by Malveaux and Singleton.
« 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 has 57 kickoffs this year, averaging 62.2 yards per kickoff, with 21 touchbacks, ranking fourth in The American.
« Cummings has connected on all 21 of his extra point attempts this season and hit his first career field goal attempt, a 34-yarder, vs. UCF.
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 |
« Logan Piper took over the starting punting role vs. UNLV in 2014. 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
« Piper has 27 punts with an average of 41.8 yards per attempt this year. He has seven punts over 50 yards with 10 landing inside the 20-yard line and nine 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 35th nationally in net punting at 39.22 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.
« The junior now holds Houston's punt return role with 15 returns for 199 yards on the year, ranking 20th nationally with an average of 13.3 yards per return.
« Ayers is fifth nationally with four punt returns of 20+ yards.
« Ryan Jackson, Javin Webb and Brandon Wilson have assumed Ayers' role as kick returners with Wilson leading the way with 323 yards on 12 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 27 players nationally with two returns of 40+ yards this season and ranks 18th nationally with an average of 26.9 yards per return.
