University of Houston Athletics
[GAME NOTES] Houston vs. Texas State
9/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
| THE GAME AT A GLANCE | |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, Sept. 26 |
| Time | 7 p.m. CST |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Venue | TDECU Stadium |
| Capacity | 40,000 |
| Surface | Synthetic Turf |
| TV | ESPN3 |
| Radio | KPRC 950 AM |
| Live Stats | |
HITS ON HOUSTON |
« The #HTownTakeover returns home Saturday at 7 p.m. when Houston takes on Texas State in its third non-conference game of the season. Houston is coming off its lone bye week of 2015 following a 34-31 win at Louisville on Sept. 12 while Texas State enters at 1-2 after a 56-50 home loss to Southern Miss. Saturday's game will be aired on ESPN3 and on KPRC 950 AM in Houston.
« Houston head coach Tom Herman could join rare air Saturday as he looks to become just the second coach in Houston history to open his career 3-0. John Jenkins accomplished the feat in 1990 and he, along with College Football Hall of Famer Bill Yeoman and Herman, are the only UH coaches to start their career 2-0. He is one of two new head coaches nationally (Jim McElwain - Florida) to start the year undefeated.
« Herman was officially named the Houston head coach on Dec. 19, 2014, one week after being named the 2014 Frank Broyles Award winner as the nation's top assistant coach.
« Herman has vowed Houston will be physical and the numbers are reflecting it. The Cougars rank fourth nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 49.5 yards per game, while ranking 17th on rushing offense with an average of 246.0 yards per game.
« Houston is receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches polls for the first time since midway through the 2013 season when it opened the year 7-1.
« Houston was narrowly picked to finish second in the west division of The American Athletic Conference 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 will play 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 |
« Entering its seventh season under head coach Dennis Franchione, Texas State enters Saturday's meeting at 1-2 after dropping its season opener to No. 9 Florida State, 59-16, before rebounding with a 63-24 win over Prairie View A&M. The Bobcats fell at home last week to Southern Miss, 56-50, in a game that saw 1,204 yards of total offense. Texas State had 591 yards of total offense led by junior quarterback Tyler Jones who finished the night with 310 yards through the air and 160 yards on the ground and five total touchdowns, three passing and two rushing.
« Texas State is led offensively by junior quarterback Tyler Jones, who leads the Bobcats with 247 rushing yards and three touchdowns along with 688 passing yards and six touchdowns through the air. Senior running back Robert Lowe is Texas State's second-leading rusher with 207 yards and three touchdowns. Senior receiver Jafus Gaines leads Texas State with 173 receiving yards while his classmate C.J. Best leads with 14 receptions. Sophomore Demun Mercer leads Texas State with two receiving touchdowns.
« Defensively, the Bobcats are led by junior safety Damani Alexcee who has 15.5 tackles including a team-best two sacks. Four different Bobcats have recovered fumbles as the team is looking for its first interception of the year.
« Saturday's meeting marks the sixth meeting between the two teams with Texas State owning a 4-1 edge in the series. The Bobcats won the last meeting between the two, a 30-13 victory on Sept. 1, 2012 in Houston.
TIES W/ TEXAS STATE |
« Four members of the Houston coaching staff have spent a portion of their careers at Texas State including head coach Tom Herman. Houston's leader spent the 2005-06 seasons at Texas State as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach and was joined by associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Craig Naivar and special teams coordinator/cornerbacks coach Jason Washington. The secondary coaches had two stints with the Bobcats, Naivar serving as the defensive coordinator/safeties coach from 2004-06 and 2011-13 with Washington serving as cornerbacks coach from 2004-06 and secondary coach in 2014. Houston defensive line coach Oscar Giles received his coaching start at Texas State as the Bobcats' defensive line coach in 1998.
« Houston running backs coach Kenith Pope spent 10 years as a member of Dennis Franchione's coaching staff at three different schools, starting in 1998 when he spent three years as receivers coach at TCU. Pope spent two years as assistant head coach and receivers coach for Franchione at Alabama before five years in the same role at Texas A&M.
« Houston offensive line coach Derek Warehime and Texas State co-offensive coordinator/running backs coach Jeff Conway spent the 2010-11 seasons together as members of Sam Houston's State's staff, Warehime coaching the offensive line and Conway serving as assistant head coach/wide receivers coach.
« Texas State defensive line coach Mike Hudson spent 2002-03 as Sam Houston State's defensive line coach and 2004 as the school's defensive coordinator. His time in Huntsville overlapped with Herman (2001-04) and Naivar (2000-03).
« Texas State assistant director of operations Jeremy Smith was a two-year letterwinner at Houston in 2009 and 2010.
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.
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.
« RT Alex Cooper and LG Ben Dew return for Houston after starting all 13 games at their respective positions and the Cougars welcome back senior LT Zach Johnson who missed the 2014 season with a torn ACL after starting 11 games at RT in 2013.
« Sophomores Marcus Oliver and Josh Thomas and redshirt-freshman C Colton Freeman will look to make a mark on the line in 2015 along with seniors Carter Wall and Damian Parris and freshman Will Noble.
« Freeman, Oliver and Wall each earned their first career starts vs. Tennessee Tech in the 2015 season opener.
THE WORD ON WARD |
« Named Houston's starting quarterback 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 games of 2014, Ward returned under center in the fifth game of 2014.
« Ward ranked ninth nationally in completion percentage in 2014, completing 67.3 percent of his passes, or 177-of-263 attempts. He currently ranks seventh nationally this season, completing 73.3 percent of his passes through two games.
« In his first career start at QB (Memphis - 10/11/14), Ward rushed for a game-best 95 yards including a 64-yard TD scamper.
« Ward moved to 2-0 when he led Houston to a win over Temple, finishing with an 88 percent completion rate and 268 yards with two touchdowns on 29-of-33 passing. Temple entered the game sixth nationally and first in The American with a pass efficiency defense of 97.1 and Ward ended the night with an efficiency rating of 176.1.
« He threw for two 300-yard games in 2014 - 336 yards vs. Tulane, and 360 yards and two touchdowns at Cincinnati.
« Ward had 15 receptions for 139 yards and one touchdown while returning nine punts for 63 yards in the first five games of 2014.
« 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. He became the eighth Houston QB to top 100 yards in rushing and passing in the same game, and the first since Kevin Kolb on Oct. 25, 2003.
« Ward narrowly missed a second straight 100-yard rushing game with 98 rushing yards in Houston's win over Louisville. He matched a career high with three touchdowns vs. the Cardinals. He moved into 16th on the Houston career passing yards chart with 2,831 career yards. Up next in the records book is Lionel Wilson, who threw for 3,049 yards from 1980 to 1983.
« The Louisville game marked Ward's fifth game with multiple passing touchdowns and his seventh game with over 200 yards of passing.
« 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 threw for 1,091 career yards and six touchdowns in eight career games with the Utes while rushing for 78 yards.
THUNDER & LIGHTNING |
« Houston's backfield features a thunder-and-lightning combo in seniors Kenneth Farrow and Ryan Jackson.
« In 2014 the duo 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. The two helped Houston to 399 yards on the ground vs. UNLV, as UH fell just one yard short of its first 400-yard rushing game since 1985.
« 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 and ranks 14th on the UH career rushing yards chart with 2,066 career rushing yards.
« Farrow led The American with seven 100-yard rushing games last season with 130 vs. Grambling,113 vs. UNLV, 112 at USF, 116 vs. Tulsa, 110 vs. SMU, 143 at Cincinnati and 103 vs. Pitt. 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.
« Farrow tied The American's single-game rushing touchdown record and placed his name along three others (Bryce Beall, Anthony Aldridge, Joffrey Reynolds) in a tie for second in Houston single-game history with four rushing TDs vs. Tulsa in 2014.
« 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 12th in UH history with eight career 100-yard rushing games, eight away from the career record set by Robert Newhouse (1969-71), after rushing for 109 yards vs. Louisville.
« Farrow ranks ninth on the Houston career rushing touchdowns chart with 22 career scores with the record of 39 set by Bryce Beall from 2008-11.
« He ranks 12th on the UH career rushing yards chart with 2,175 career yards. Up next is Anthony Evans with 2,295 career rushing yards from 2001-05.
« Jackson was seventh in The American last season with two 100-yard games, including a career-high 147 rushing yards vs. UNLV. Jackson 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.
« 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 opened 2015 with 272 yards rushing vs. Tennessee Tech and 226 yards vs. Louisville.
« Quarterback Greg Ward Jr. also averaged 44.1 rushing yards per game in 2014, gaining 573 yards on the ground on 118 attempts, with Javin Webb averaging 44.3 yards per game in the three games he appeared in 2014.
« 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.
STEPPING UP ON THE RECEIVING END |
« 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) 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 including a pivotal fourth quarter score in Houston's comeback win over Pitt in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.
« The Lancaster, Texas, native jumped out to a strong start in 2015, with career highs in receptions (10) and receiving yards (121). Ayers added 44 rushing yards and returned three punts for 25 yards, totaling 190 all-purpose yards.
« 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. At Oregon, Allen pulled in five receptions for 98 yards and one touchdown with action in nine games in 2013 and five games in Oregon's march to the National Championship game in 2014.
« August saw the addition of two more receivers, albeit already on the Houston roster in Kyle Postma, from the quarterbacks group, and Tyreik Gray, from the running backs. Four days after he started taking reps at the position, Postma exploded for four receptions totaling 82 yards including a 29-yard touchdown pass from Greg Ward Jr.
« Three players made their first career UH receptions vs. Tennessee Tech - Chance Allen, Isaiah Johnson and Kyle Postma.
« 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. Tennesee Tech with two receptions for 19 yards.
TAKE IT AWAY, DON'T GIVE IT AWAY |
« Over the 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 29 of its last 36 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.
« A nation's best nine players had interceptions for Houston in 2014 with eight accounting for 11 fumble recoveries.
« Adrian McDonald led Houston with eight turnovers in 2014 - three fumble recoveries and five interceptions. Heading into the UCF game, McDonald had gained a turnover in seven straight games dating back to 2013.
« 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 converted its 30 turnovers into 17 scores, 56.7 percent, leading to 93 points on the year.
« 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.
« 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.
« McDonald is second 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.
« Houston leads The American and ranks 14th nationally with a turnover margin of+3 this season.
« The Cougars are second in The American and 11th nationally with just two turnovers lost this season - one interception and one fumble recovery.
THIRD WARD DEFENSE |
« 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 while ranking 18th nationally in pass efficiency defense at 111.65.
« UH allowed just 37 plays of 20 yards or more to lead the nation, and 16 plays of 30 yards or more, ranking eighth.
« Opponents threw just 27 passes of 20 yards or more, ranking eighth nationally.
« With Todd Orlando at the helm for two of the seasons, the Utah State defense has 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 has 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 has 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 Cougar defense ranks fourth nationally in allowing opponents just an average of 49.5 yards rushing per game.
« The 2015 defense looks to be the first since 1998 to hold its first three opponents to less than 100 yards rushing.
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, enters the season with seven career games with double-digit tackles.
« Trevon Stewart is fourth nationally among active players with 303 career stops and is one of just five players nationally with multiple seasons with triple-digit tackles.
« Senior linebacker Elandon Roberts had led Houston in tackles in each of the first two games with a career-best 12 tackles vs. Louisville. Through two games, Roberts has 21 tackles after totaling 33 stops through his first two seasons.
ANYTHING BUT SECONDARY |
« The secondary group made a name for itself in the takeaway department in 2013, recording 29 of the team's 43 turnovers or 67 percent. 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.
« At free safety, Stewart has started 37 career games, earning FWAA Freshman All-America honors in 2012. 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 303 career tackles.
« Stewart recorded an interception and a fumble recovery in UH's win at Louisville. Stewart now ranks seventh on the UH career fumble recoveries chart with seven.
« A high school quarterback, McDonald led The American in 2014 with eight turnovers (five interceptions and three fumble recoveries) at his strong safety position.
« 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.
« With Hightower lost for the season, Houston turned to other corners to make their mark including junior Brandon Wilson and sophomore Howard Wilson.
« Brandon Wilson made his first career start at BYU while Howard Wilson saw significant time at nickel back with interceptions vs. UNLV, Temple and Tulsa, receiving his first career start against the latter.
« Sophomore Khalil Williams also made his debut vs. the Owls, coming in at a safety position in the nickel package. Williams earned his first career start in Houston's season-opening win over Tennessee Tech.
LOOK AT THE LINEBACKERS |
« With the loss of Derrick Mathews (45 career starts) and Efrem Oliphant (29 career starts), junior Steven Taylor (20 career starts) led the group into a new frontier with a change to the 3-4 defense.
« Taylor owns seven 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.
« A new captain, senior Elandon Roberts tied a career-high with a team-best nine tackles in Houston's 2015 season opener before setting a new career high with 12 stops at Louisville. Through two games Robert has 21 tackles after recording 33 in his first two seasons.
« 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.
« Junior Tyus Bowser made the move from defensive end, where he earned three starts in his first two years, to outside linebacker and has sacks in each of the first two games of the season to extend a four-game streak with sacks dating back to 2014. Bowser now owns 9.5 career sacks.
UP FRONT |
« Moving to a three-man front in 2015, the Houston defensive line has three players with starting experience - senior Tomme Mark (17 career starts), junior B.J. Singleton (13 career starts) and junior Cameron Malveaux (three career starts).
« The three 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.
« Mark and Singleton were a part of a four-man defensive tackle rotation in 2014 and will play along the line 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.
« 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, finishing the game with a career-best four field goals including a career-long of 51 yards.
« With his two field goals at Louisville, Bullard recorded the seventh multi-field goal game of his career and the first of 2015.
« 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 moved into eighth on the UH career field goals chart. He needs six 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 the year with 16 kickoffs, averaging 62.9 yards per kickoff, with six 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 seven punts with an average of 45.1 yards per attempt. He had a long of 56 yards vs. Tennessee Tech with one fair catch and one punt land inside his opponents 20-yard line with no touchbacks. .
THE RETURNS DEPARTMENT |
« 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 three returns for 25 yards vs. Tennessee Tech.
« 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.
