[GAME NOTES] Houston vs. SMU
10/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
| THE GAME AT A GLANCE | |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday, Oct. 8 |
| Time | 7 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 takes to the national TV stage Thursday at 7 p.m. when Houston (4-0, 1-0 The American) hosts SMU in its American Athletic Conference home opener on ESPN2. Houston is coming off 38-24 win at Tulsa while SMU (1-4, 0-1 The American) enters the game following a 49-23 home loss to East Carolina. Saturday's game will also air on KPRC 950 AM in Houston.
« 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 4-0). 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 20 teams nationally still undefeated including four teams in The American (UH, Memphis, Navy, Temple).
« Herman has vowed Houston will be physical in the trenches and the numbers are reflecting it. The Cougars rank eighth nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 82.0 yards per game, while ranking seventh in rushing offense with an average of 305.8 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 fifth nationally with an average of 382.5 yards of total offense per game and third in the league in rushing yards (472) and touchdowns (7). Ward is the only player nationally to average over 200 passing yards per game (264.5) and over 100 rushing yards per game (118.0).
« UH and Baylor are the only two teams nationally to rank in the top 15 in rushing and top 25 passing. Houston ranks seventh in rushing offense (305.8) and 21st nationally in passing offense (296.8).
« Houston was narrowly picked to finish second 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 first season under head coach Chad Morris, SMU enters Thursday's meeting at 1-4 and 0-1 in The American following a 49-23 home loss to East Carolina. SMU opened the year with a 56-21 loss to No. 3 Baylor before defeating North Texas, 31-13. The Mustangs dropped a crosstown rivalry game to No. 2 TCU, 56-37, before falling at home to FCS James Madison, 48-45. The Mustangs had a season-best 508 offensive yards vs. TCU while its defense has given up over 555 yards in its four losses including three games over 720 yards.
« SMU is led offensively by junior quarterback Matt Davis, who has thrown for 1,182 yards and eight touchdowns in five games while leading the Mustangs in receiving with 380 yards and six touchdowns on 88 rushing attempts. Redshirt-freshman Courtland Sutton leads SMU in the receiving game with 21 receptions for 450 yards and five touchdowns, a number that ranks ninth nationally, while sophomore Ryheem Malone is second with on the team with 13 receptions for 163 yards and a touchdown. Freshman running back Xavier Jones is second on the team in rushing with 279 yards and four touchdowns on 68 attempts.
« Defensively, the Mustangs are led by senior linebacker Jonathan Yenga who leads the team with 30 tackles and one fumble recovery. Sophomore defensive end Justin Lawler leads the team with 2.5 sacks while junior defensive back Horace Richardson and redshirt-freshman defensive back Jordan Wyatt each have two interceptions on the season.
« Thursday's meeting marks the 31st meeting between the two teams with Houston owning a 19-10-1 edge in the series. The Cougars have won the last two meetings, eight of the last nine and 11 of the last 13 meetings.
« Houston defeated SMU last season, 35-9, outscoring the Mustangs 28-0 in the second half. All five Houston touchdowns came on the ground including a career-high three rushing touchdowns from Greg Ward Jr.
TIES W/ SMU |
« Two members of the Houston staff have had stints as members of SMU's coaching staff. Defensive line coach Oscar Giles spent three seasons (2000-02) in the same position for the Mustangs while running backs coach Kenith Pope spent the 1981-86 seasons as the Mustangs' wide receivers coach.
« Pope and SMU defensive coordinator Van Malone spent two seasons (2006-07) as members as the Texas A&M coaching staff where Pope was assistant head coach and running backs coach while Malone served as the Aggies' secondary coach.
« SMU secondary coach Jess Loepp has crossed paths with two members of the Houston coaching staff starting from 2003-05 at Tulsa where Houston offensive line coach Derek Warehime was Tulsa' s starting center the first two seasons of Loepp's time and an offensive student assistant in 2005. Warehime and Loepp both joined Rice's staff in 2006 as a graduate assistant and safeties coach, respectively, where they served alongside UH offensive coordinator Major Applewhite, who was the youngest coordinator on the FBS level at the time as the Owls' offensive coordinator.
« Warehime has also coached with SMU linebackers coach Archie McDaniel as the two spent the 2012-14 seasons at New Mexico, Warehime as the tight ends coach in 2012-13 and run game coordinator/special teams coordinator/tight ends coach in 2014 and McDaniel as the defensive line coach in 2012-13 and outside linebackers coach in 2014.
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 (62,627) has racked up more offensive yards than Houston who has 61,119 yards in that time.
Rank Team Total Yards (06-present)
1. Oregon 62,627
2. Houston 61,119
3. Texas Tech 59,332
4. Oklahoma 58,125
5. Nevada 56,575
« Houston has scored in 189 straight games dating back to Sept. 30, 2000.
« Nine of Houston's 26 scoring drives this season have been less than two minutes with three lasting less than one minute, the quickest just 29 seconds.
« Houston had two scoring drives of four plays in its season-opening win over Tennessee Tech and a two-play drive vs. Texas State.
« Houston has 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 183 points in its first four games is the second-best four-game start behind the 236 points the 1989 Houston team scored in its first four 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 six rushing touchdowns vs. Tennessee Tech marked the first time UH had six rushing TDs in a game since Sept. 10, 2010 at UTEP.
« The Cougars have scored touchdowns on their first drive in each of the season's first four games. On the flip side, the Houston defense has forced two three-and-outs and a turnover on three of its first four drives of the season.
« With 38 points at Tulsa, the Houston offense has posted 30+ points in each of its last eight 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 (264.5 yards per game) and over 100 rushing yards per game (118.0) while leading The American and ranking fifth nationally in total offense with 382.5 yards 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 at Tulsa, a UH single-game rushing record for a quarterback. With his 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.
« The electrifying Ward leads the nation with seven rushing attempts of at least 30 yards and is second nationally, first among all quarterbacks, with nine rushing attempts of at least 20 yards.
« With his seven rushing touchdowns and eight passing touchdowns in four games, Ward is fifth nationally in points responsible per game with 22.5 points per game.
« 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 12th nationally and second in The American with a season passing efficiency rating of 164.9
« He is 13th on the Houston career passing yards chart with 3,378 yards. Next is David Dacus (1987-88) with 3,446 yards.
« Texas State marked Ward's sixth game with multiple passing TDs while Tulsa was his ninth with over 200 yards passing.
« Ward ranked ninth nationally in completion percentage in 2014, completing 67.3 percent of his passes, or 177-of-263 attempts. He ranks ninth nationally this season, completing 69.7 percent of his passes through four games.
« Houston added two transfer quarterbacks as part of its 2015 signing class, senior Adam Schulz (Utah) and sophomore Kyle Postma (Trinity Valley Community College).
« Both saw action in Houston's opener with Schulz throwing for 80 yards on 6-of-10 passing and rushing for 12 yards and one touchdown on two attempts. Postma made his debut in a different way - after taking reps at receiver four days prior to the game, the sophomore pulled in four receptions for 82 yards including a 29-yard TD pass from Ward.
« Schulz was lost for the year with a torn ACL vs. Texas State as Postma switched back to QB to back up Ward.
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.
« In 2014, Farrow and Jackson helped Houston 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 capturing The American's 2014 rushing crown, trailing Marlon Mack of USF'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.
« Farrow ranks seventh on the Houston career rushing touchdowns chart with 24 career scores with the record of 39 set by Bryce Beall from 2008-11.
« He's ninth on the UH career rushing yards chart with 2,402 yards. Up next is Alois Blackwell (1975-77) with 2,467 yards.
« Jackson was seventh in The American last season with two 100-yard games, including a career-high 147 rushing yards vs. UNLV. He owns five career 100-yard games with Houston undefeated when he eclipses the century mark on the ground.
« 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, Farrow (159) and Greg Ward Jr. (182) posted the highest combined yardage by a duo since running backs Anthony Aldridge (225) and Jackie Battle (136) totaled 361 yards at SMU in 2006.
« With Ward ranking third (118 yards per game) and Farrow sixth (96.2 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 286.0 rushing yards per game, a number that ranks seventh nationally.
THIRD WARD TARGETS |
« With the loss of five receivers combining for 77 career starts graduating, Tom Herman has 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 32 for 377 yards and three TDs.
« 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 17 receptions and 210 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 seven receptions for 62 yards.
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.
« With Dew's injury, senior captain Alex Cooper shifts 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 holds 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.
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 31 of its last 38 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, ranking third nationally with a per game average of +2 in the turnover margin. Houston is 12th nationally with 11 turnovers gained and eighth with three turnovers lost. Both numbers lead The American.
« 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 four different players have fumble recoveries with Stewart owning the team lead with two.
« 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 ninth nationally with an average of six three-and-outs per game, with 24 three-and-outs on 58 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 315 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 three of the first four games. The lone game he did not resulted in a career-best 13 tackles at Tulsa. Through four games, Roberts has 44 tackles after totaling 33 stops through his first two seasons.
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 with interceptions from Adrian McDonald (5), Trevon Stewart (3), Howard Wilson (3), William Jackson III (2), Lee Hightower and Earl Foster while McDonald (3) and Jackson (1) had 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.
« Playing in man coverage at Tulsa, Jackson had a career-high three PBUs while holding Keyarris Garett, who entered the game third nationally in averaging 151.3 yards per game, to 85 yards. He leads The American with six PBUs on the year.
« At free safety, Stewart has started 39 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 315 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 sixth career fumble vs. Texas State and ranks fifth 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 12 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.
« Sophomore Khalil Williams opened 2015 with back-to-back starts as Houston's fifth defensive back.
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 ninth nationally with five sacks as he prepares to face a team that ranks 127th in sacks allowed with 21 through five games.
« He ranks fifth nationally with an average of two tackles for loss per game and looks to best his 2014 effort vs. SMU when he had two tackles for loss - both sacks.
« 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 44 tackles through four 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.
« 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 10.5 career sacks. Bowser is fourth in The American with his three sacks.
« Bowser forced his second carer fumble vs. Tulsa to end a Golden Hurricane drive with 4:32 left in the game.
« 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 4e.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 (19 career starts), junior B.J. Singleton (15 career starts) and junior Cameron Malveaux (five career starts).
« The five 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.
« 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.
THE BOOK ON BULLARD |
« Senior Kyle Bullard took over as the team's placekicker in the seventh game of 2013 and has held the position ever since, being placed on scholarship in April of 2014. Bullard saw action in seven games in 2013 and connected on all 20 extra-point attempts. Bullard was perfect in his first season, hitting all six field goal attempts including a long of 46 yards at Louisville.
« 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.
« He was 16-of-22 on field goal attempts last season and 42-of-47 on extra points. The season ranked seventh on the Houston single-season field goal chart as he ranks ninth on the UH career field goals chart with 23.
« Bullard set a program record with 18 consecutive made field goals last season after connecting on his first 12 of the season.
« Bullard was named a Lou Groza Award Star of the Week following his performance vs. UCF last season, finishing the game with a career-best four field goals including a career-long of 51 yards.
« He finished fifth among all players in The American with 90 points last season.
« He ranked third in The American with 16 field goals in 2014.
« Bullard opened the season with 10 points vs. Tennessee Tech - seven extra points and one field goal.
« 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 OTHER FOOT |
« Junior Ty Cummings holds the starting role as the team's kickoff specialist.
« Cummings had 21 touchbacks on 75 kickoffs last season with an average of 61.7 yards per attempt.
« He's opened this year with 33 kickoffs, averaging 63.0 yards per kickoff, with 14 touchbacks.
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 12 punts with an average of 43.8 yards per attempt. He has three punts over 50 yards with five landing inside the 20-yard line and three punts forcing a fair catch from Houston's opponent.
« He set a career high with a 71-yard punt in Houston's win at Tulsa.
« With Piper's booming leg, Houston's punt team ranks 13th nationally in net punting at 41.58 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 and Brandon Wilson have assumed Ayers' role as kick returners with Wilson totaling 78 yards on three returns vs. Tennessee Tech and Jackson returning one kick 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 six players nationally with two returns of 40+ yards this season and ranks 11th nationally with an average of 32.3 yards per return.
