University of Houston Athletics
Game Notes: #HTownTakeover vs. Memphis
10/17/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football
GAME NOTES - HOUSTON | GAME NOTES - MEMPHIS
| THE GAME AT A GLANCE | |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday, Oct. 19 |
| Time | 7 p.m. CT |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Venue | TDECU Stadium |
| Capacity | 40,000 |
| Surface | Synthetic Turf |
| TV | ESPN |
| Radio | KPRC 950 AM |
| Live Stats | |
HITS ON HOUSTON |
« Houston (4-2, 2-1 The American) returns home on a short week with a Thursday night showdown vs. No. 25 Memphis (5-1, 2-1 The American). Thursday's game kicks off at 7 p.m. on ESPN and on KPRC 950 AM with radio pregame coverage starting at 6 p.m.
« The pivotal American Conference West Division showdown will feature Houston looking to bounce back from its first loss in league play, a 45-17 decision at Tulsa, while Memphis will look to extend its two-game conference winning streak following a 30-27 win over Navy. Thursday night's winner will control its own destiny in terms of American West standings as the two enter tied for second in league play behind Navy, who is 3-1 in American games with the loss to Memphis and a Nov. 24 showdown at Houston.
« Houston will look to extend its lead atop The American's all-time win list. Since the league's inception, Houston leads all members with 25 wins over conference opponents. UCF is second with 22 wins over the same span. Memphis is tied with Temple for fourth with 20 wins.
« Houston is second among FBS schools in Texas with 34 wins since the start of 2014. TCU leads the way with 35 wins in that span. Texas A&M is third with 29 wins while Baylor is fourth with 28 wins and Texas Tech is fifth with 20.
« Thursday features Houston's No. 16 pass efficiency defense and No. 18 red zone defense facing The American's top passer as Memphis' Riley Ferguson leads the league with an average of 302.3 yards per game and is third nationally with 19 passing touchdowns.
« The #HTownTakeover defense is also taking the ball away in the air, ranking No. 12 nationally with nine interceptions while safeties Garrett Davis and Terrell Williams are tied at No. 12 nationally with three interceptions each.
« The defense is ninth nationally in allowing a touchdown in only 40.9 percent of its opponents trips to the red zone.
« Houston's Linell Bonner is 12th nationally with an average of 7.4 receptions per game while Steven Dunbar is 21st with an average of 6.7.
« UH is eighth nationally with an average of 26.9 yards per kick return while John Leday is 11th nationally with a return average of 28.0 yards.
« Houston sophomore defensive tackle Ed Oliver entered 2017 after one of the most explosive seasons by a true freshman in college football. The Houston native earned first-team All-America honors and was named The American's Rookie of the Year after totaling 23 tackles for loss, second nationally. He totaled 47 solo tackles, second best among all linemen nationally while leading all linemen with nine pass breakups.
« Oliver started the season with a bang, with 11 tackles at Arizona. In just 19 games, Oliver has 27.5 tackles for loss for his career. Oliver is No. 19 nationally with two forced fumbles this season. The sophomore leads all players nationally with a career average of 1.42 tackles for loss per game.
« Houston linebackers Matthew Adams and D'Juan Hines are No. 21 nationally and second in The American with an average of 9.5 tackles per game.
« UH ranks 10th nationally and the best in Texas with nine seasons with at least eight wins since 2006. LSU, Boise State and Oklahoma lead the way with 11 such seasons since 2016 while six teams, including The American's Navy, are tied with 10 such seasons.
« The Texas Tech loss snapped the longest winning streak by a non-autonomous 5 team against autonomous 5 opponents with seven wins over the last four seasons. Houston picked up wins over Arizona, Oklahoma, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Louisville (2x) and Pitt during the streak.
« With its win over No. 3 Louisville last year, Houston has a program-record six straight wins over top-25 opponents, a number that's second nationally among active streaks against ranked opponents. It also marked Houston's fourth straight win over an AP Top 10 team (three of which have come in the last three seasons), which leads the nation.
« Houston and Alabama were the only two teams to claim double-digit wins over two top-10 teams in 2016.
« Houston is one of just four programs nationally with at least 13 wins on two different occasions over the last six years, joining Alabama, Clemson and Florida State in accomplishing the feat.
« The 2017 senior class enters the game with 34 wins, which currently ranks fifth on the Houston history for wins by a class. The 2017 senior class needs four more wins to tie the 2016 senior class for most wins in program history.
ABOUT THE COUGARS |
« Since 2014, Houston is second behind TCU for the most wins among state of Texas FBS schools with 34 wins. The Horned Frogs sit in the lead with 35 wins. The Cougars are five wins ahead of Texas A&M and six ahead of Baylor while standing 14 games ahead of Texas Tech in that span.
« Houston also leads the state of Texas among FBS schools with nine seasons of at least eight wins since 2006. TCU is second with eight seasons while Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech are tied for third with seven each.
« After three years of competition, the 2017 senior class is the fifth-most winningest class in Houston football history with 34 wins since starting in 2014. The class is only four wins away from the record of 38 established by the 2016 senior class.
« Houston started 5-0 in back-to-back seasons in 2015 and 2016 for the first time in program history. The Cougars are looking for at least eight wins to give them a fifth straight season of such, which would be a first in program history.
« Over 2015-16, Houston had 22 wins, the fourth-best total in the nation over the span behind the 28 wins of Alabama and Clemson, and 23 of Ohio State.
« Houston's 22 wins over 2015-16 marked the best two-season total in program history, topping the 21 wins from 2014-15.
« No. 3 Oklahoma became the highest-ranked foe to fall to Houston since the Cougars defeated No. 3 Texas, 29-15, on Nov. 10, 1984. OU would be the first No. 3 team to fall to Houston in 2016, as the Cougars would defeat No. 3 Louisville, 36-10, on Nov. 17, sacking eventual Heisman winner Lamar Jackson 11 times.
« With its 36-10 win over No. 3 Louisville last season, Houston has won six straight against AP top-25 teams, second nationally, and a nation's best four straight against AP top-10 teams.
ABOUT MEMPHIS |
« In its second season under head coach Mike Norvell, Memphis enters Thursday at 5-1 and 2-1 in The American. Memphis opened the season with wins over ULM (37-29), UCLA (48-45) and Southern Illinois (44-31) before suffering its first setback of the year to UCF (40-13). The Tigers rebounded with wins over UConn (70-31) and Navy (30-27).
« Memphis is led offensively by senior quarterback Riley Ferguson who has thrown for 1,814 yards and 19 touchdowns against five interceptions on 140-of-236 passing. Senior receiver Anthony Miller leads the Tigers with 45 receptions for 606 yards and nine touchdowns while sophomore running back Darrell Henderson leads on the ground with 542 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 67 attempts, an average of 8.1 yards per carry.
« Defensively, the Tigers are led by sophomore safety Austin Hall who has 44 tackles, three interceptions and one fumble recovery. Freshman defensive back T.J. Carter also has three interceptions while senior linebacker Genard Avery leads Memphis with six tackles for loss.
« Thursday's matchup is the 26th meeting between the two schools with Houston owning a 15-10 series lead. Last year's Memphis win snapped a six-game win streak in the series for Houston. Memphis has not won in Houston since Oct. 15, 2005.
« Major Applewhite and Memphis defensive line coach Paul Randolph spent the 2006 season together on the Rice staff where Applewhite was the Owls' offensive coordinator and Randolph the defensive coordinator.
DEGREES IN HAND |
« Nine Houston student-athletes entered the season having already earned an undergraduate degree. Linell Bonner, Reggie Chevis (Texas A&M), Nomluis Fruge, D'Juan Hines, Ellis Jefferson (Arizona State), Deon Mix (Auburn), Kyle Postma, Byron Simpson and Nick Thurman have all completed degree requirements prior to this season.
« Houston ranks 17th nationally with nine players having earned degrees prior to the start of the season.
ON THE OFFENSIVE |
« Since 2006, only Oregon and Texas Tech have racked up more yards than Houston who has 73,800 yards in that time.
Rank Team Total Yards (06-present)
1. Oregon 76,760
2. Texas Tech 73,912
3. Houston 73,800
4. Oklahoma 73,597
5. Nevada 67,160
« Houston has scored in 218 straight games dating back to Sept. 30, 2000.
« Six of Houston's 26 scoring drives this season have lasted less than two minutes with three lasting less than one minute, the quickest only 29 seconds with a two-play, 19-yard drive vs. Texas Tech.
« Houston has five scoring drives of four plays or less including two, two-play drives.
« The versatility of the offense is showing up as five different players have rushing touchdowns for Houston while six different players have receiving touchdowns and three different players have passing touchdowns. Last season saw seven players with rushing scores, eight with receiving scores and two with passing touchdowns.
« The Houston offense ranks 15th nationally in converting 47.3 percent of its third-down attempts, 42-of-90. It has been particularly strong in the first half when it has converted 55.1 percent of its third-down attempts, 27-of-46 attempts.
« With a balanced attack, Houston was one of just 15 schools nationally in 2016 to average over 145 yards per game rushing (147.1) and over 295 yards passing per game (296.3).
« The Cougars were also one of 19 teams nationally with at least 29 rushing touchdowns and 24 passing touchdowns.
« Houston was 17th nationally with 225 plays of 10+ yards.
« Against Louisville, Houston scored 16 points above the Cardinals' defensive scoring average and scored the most on UL since the Cardinals gave up 42 points to No. 5 Clemson earlier in the season.
« Houston totaled 624 yards against Memphis in 2016, its fifth game over 600 yards of total offense since the start of the 2015 season. Houston now has 75 games with 600+ yards in program history.
« Since 2015, Houston has 11 games with 500+ yards of total offense and has scored more than 40 points 12 times and more than 50 points five times.
A LOOK UNDER CENTER |
« With the graduation of Greg Ward Jr., the Houston program lost its second-most winningest quarterback in program history with 27 career wins.
« Ward closed his career among the program's top five for career passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions and total offense. He finished 10th in program history for career rushing yards and set the career rushing record by a QB with 2,375 yards.
« Two QBs have had the opportunity to fill in for Ward this season in Kyle Allen (starts vs. Arizona, Rice & Cincinnati) and Kyle Postma (starts vs. Temple and SMU). The two have helped Houston rank fifth nationally in completion percentage at 70.9 percent as Postma is 24th nationally with a completion rate of 65.6 percent.
« Allen, who sat out 2016 under NCAA transfer rules after transferring from Texas A&M. The nation's No. 1 quarterback in the 2014 recruiting class, Allen ran Houston's scout team during his year off.
« With the Aggies, Allen started 14 games over two seasons while seeing action in 20 games total. His sophomore season saw Allen lead Texas A&M in passing and total offense, completing 160-of-283 passes for 2,210 yards and 17 touchdowns against seven interceptions while adding 102 yards on the ground.
« Allen threw for 1,322 yards and 16 TDs as a freshman against seven interceptions on 118-of-192 passing. He closed the year with MVP honors in a Liberty Bowl win over West Virginia, throwing for 294 yards and four TDs while rushing for 33 yards.
« Allen set the Houston single-game completion percentage record against Rice, completing 31-of-33 passes for 93.9 percent.
« He started the Rice game completing his first 13 attempts and finished the night with 309 yards, his first 300-yard passing game with Houston, and the fourth of his career.
« Kyle Postma, who has five career starts under center (3-2 in the span), earned the start at QB at Temple. He finished the day with 226 yards with one TD and one INT on 25-of-36 passing. He had a game-high 81 yards rushing on 15 attempts.
« He had his first multiple passing TD game of his career vs. SMU, throwing for two scores on the day while also hauling in a 22-yard touchdown reception off a D'Eriq King reverse.
« Postma came off the bench with 7:26 left in the fourth against Texas Tech and lead Houston to back-to-back touchdowns on a 10-play, 73-yard drive capped by a 9-yard Postma rushing TD on 4th-and-1, and a 8-play, 76-yard drive finished by Postma hitting Bonner on a 4-yard score. He finished 8-of-13 passing with 100 yards while leading Houston with 52 yards rushing on four attempts.
« For his career, he has thrown for 1,468 yards and seven touchdowns against eight interceptions on 152-of-236 passing.
« His first three games of action came at receiver in 2015 when he caught six passes for 145 yards and a touchdown before being moved back to QB due to injuries suffered by others.
HANDY TOOLS TO HAVE |
« The wide receiver position provides Houston with talented leaders mixed with a group of promising underclassmen. The two leaders in Steven Dunbar (33) and Linell Bonner (16) have combined for 49 career starts and 73 career games.
« Bonner is 12th nationally and third in The American with an average of 7.4 receptions per game while Dunbar is 21st nationally and fourth in the league with an average of 6.7 receptions per game.
« Bonner led all returning receivers in The American and was second nationally with 98 receptions in 2016. He looks to follow up on a season that saw the former walk-on total 1,118 yards and three touchdowns.
« The former walk on opened the year with nine receptions for 59 yards and a score at Arizona, before upping his total by one with 10 receptions for 132 yards vs. Rice. He recorded his 11th career game with 7+ receptions against Texas Tech, finishing with seven receptions for 66 yards and a score.
« With 160 receptions, Bonner ranks 11th on Houston's career receptions chart and needs one more to move into the top 10.
« Bonner has 1,779 career receiving yards to rank 17th on the Houston career receiving yards chart. He needs six more to move into the top 15 and 42 yards to move into No. 14.
« He missed the SMU game with a head injury.
« Dunbar has led Houston in receiving yards in four games this season with 72 off six receptions at Arizona, 83 off six receptions vs. Texas Tech, 65 yards off six receptions vs. SMU and 107 yards, his fourth career 100-yard game, on 10 receptions at Tulsa.
« He has posted at least six receptions in all six games this season for Houston.
« The senior ranks 17th on the Houston career receptions chart and needs nine to move into the top 15, sitting at 144 receptions for 1,822 yards, good for 13th on the UH chart. He needs 105 yards to move into 12th for career receiving yards.
« Uber athlete D'Eriq King stepped up vs. Temple, leading the #HTownTakeover with seven receptions for 51 yards. The sophomore quarterback/wide receiver also had four carries for 15 yards including a 13-yard touchdown.
« King continued his production vs. SMU, tying for the team lead with six receptions, going for 47 yards including Houston's first score of the day, an 18-yard touchdown reception. King was also responsible for a passing touchdown, taking a reverse from John Leday and throwing a 22-yard strike to Kyle Postma for his second career passing touchdown.
« He has at least four receptions in every game played after pulling in four for 65 yards at Tulsa.
« Leday stepped up vs. Rice, recording career highs in receptions (7) and yards (60) while pulling in his first touchdown since the 2013 season opener.
« The group was joined by a sizeable addition in Arizona State graduate transfer Ellis Jefferson. The Denton, Texas, native saw action in 38 games over three seasons at Arizona State but was lost for two games after suffering injuries vs. Arizona.
« Jefferson's first catch in a Houston uniform was a big one, pulling in a 3-yard slant pass to give Houston a nine-point lead heading into halftime vs. SMU. He made a 15-yard reception at Tulsa before exiting with an injury on the same play.
BACK TO THE BACKS |
« Houston returned every scholarship running back from 2016 led by junior Duke Catalon who totaled 528 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 145 attempts. He also added 44 receptions for 281 yards and three scores.
« Senior Dillon Birden, who picked up his sixth career start at Arizona, teams with Catalon after running for 289 yards and six scores on 62 attempts in 2016 while pulling in seven receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown.
« The two combined for 161 rushing yards at Arizona with Birden rushing 14 times for 83 yards and Catalon 18 times for 78 yards. Birden accounted for the lone rushing TD of the night, a 3-yard dive.
« Catalon had the breakout game he had been waiting for with a 177 yards and two touchdowns against SMU, his first career 100-yard game and his first game with multiple rushing touchdowns. He averaged eight yards a carry with his 177 yards on 22 attempts.
« Catalon's 177 yards were the most by a UH running back in a game since Bryce Beall ran for 195 yards vs. UTEP on Sept. 10, 2010.
« With Birden out vs. SMU, sophomore Mulbah Car stepped up with 67 yards on nine attempts for an average of 7.4 yards per rush.
« Car also led Houston in rushing vs. Rice, his first action of the year, totaling 59 yards on 11 attempts with a TD.
« Birden returned at Tulsa to lead UH in rushing, totaling 82 yards on 11 attempts (7.5 yards average) including a 24-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
« Freshman Davion Mitchell joined the program after rushing for 3,283 rushing yards and 48 touchdowns at Rockdale High School (TX). He made his debut vs. Rice, rushing six times for 23 yards.
PAVING THE WAY |
« The group that returned the most in terms of experience offers new offensive line coach Chris Scelfo a variety of parts to move around the line. Scelfo stepped into a position with eight returners combining for 86 career starts and 133 career games played entering 2017. All eight started at least five games in 2016.
« Center Will Noble leads the line in terms of starting experience with 26 career starts, including eight in 2015 en route to earning FWAA Freshman All-America honors.
« Senior Marcus Oliver leads the team in overall experience with 40 career games played while totaling 21 career starts. Junior Mason Denley also has experience at the guard position, owning 12 career starts, with six in 2016.
« Sophomore Josh Jones stepped into the starting role at left tackle for the 2016 opener and never looked back, starting the last 19 games after redshirting his first season on campus. On the opposite side, Braylon Jones started the final six games of the season at right tackle as a true freshman after stepping in for an injured Na'Ty Rodgers who returns for his senior season after starting the first seven games of 2016.
« Braylon Jones shifted to guard to start the season at Arizona, giving Rodgers the return to right tackle.
« Houston ranks 14th nationally in allowing just seven sacks this season.
« The group did not allow a sack or a quarterback hurry to Arizona.
« Against Temple, who entered the game fourth nationally with 15 sacks, the line held the Owls to no sacks.
« One week later, the line upped the ante, holding the nation's leader in sacks at the time, SMU, to no sacks.
THIRD WARD DEFENSE |
« The Houston defense is one of just 10 nationally to hold opponents to an average of under 25 points scoring per game in each of the last four seasons. Taking it down a point further, UH is one of just seven schools to hold its opponents under 24 points per game in each of the last four seasons, joining Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Ohio State, Stanford and Wisconsin in accomplishing the feat.
« The Houston defense finished 2016 with the No. 4 rushing defense in the nation, allowing an average of 100.2 yards per game. Houston also ranked 13th in total defense (319.6 yards per game), ninth in first down defense (213) and 30th in scoring defense (23.5 points per game). UH led The American in rushing defense and first down defense and was second behind Temple in total defense and scoring defense.
« The defense has started 2017 right where it ended in 2016, as it ranks third in The American in scoring defense, allowing only 21.0 points per game.
« Houston ranks 18th nationally in red zone defense, allowing a score on an average of 72.7 percent of attempts, 16-of-22 attempts. The Cougars have allowed only nine touchdowns in their opponents' 22 trips into the red zone, or 40.9 percent which ranks ninth nationally.
« The Cougars are 16th nationally with a pass efficiency defense rating of 108.3, ranking second in The American.
« Houston ranks 12th nationally with nine interceptions on the year.
« SMU entered its game at Houston No. 3 nationally in scoring offense with an average of 48.2 points per game and left TDECU Stadium with just 22 points.
« Against Temple, the Houston defense held the Owls scoreless in the first half, snapping a 51-game streak that Temple had scored in the first half.
« The defense held Texas Tech to half its scoring average entering the game, holding the Red Raiders who were averaging 54.0 points per game to 27 points, and just three touchdowns. Although the Cougars gave up 521 yards, 234 yards came off just three plays.
« Houston held Rice to only three points, a field goal with 2:47 remaining in the game. It was Rice's lowest scoring output since falling to No. 4 Nebraska, 48-3, on Sept. 20, 2001.
« The Houston defense got on the scoreboard at Arizona, forcing a safety as Arizona was forced to recover a fumble in its own end zone.
TURNOVER U |
« Since the start of the 2013 season, no program has taken the ball away from opposing offenses more than Houston with 138 turnovers forced in that time with 12 in 2017, 18 in 2016, 35 in 2015, 30 in 2014 and 43 in 2013.
« UH has forced multiple turnovers in 47 of its last 66 games.
« Houston ranks 12th nationally and second in The American with nine interceptions while Garrett Davis and Terrell Williams are tied for 12th nationally and The American lead with three interceptions each.
« Houston opened the season with multiple turnovers at Arizona as Ed Oliver forced his fourth career fumble that was recovered by Alexander Myres, and Davis ended a late fourth-quarter drive with his first career interception.
« The Cougars made it two-for-two with multiple turnover games vs. Rice, as Matthew Adams and Leroy Godfrey both recovered fumbles and Payton Turner had an interception.
« Houston turned its three turnovers vs. Rice into 17 points as the Houston offense had to travel just a total of 58 yards to pay dirt following the defense's work.
« They followed it up one week later with a touchdown, having to travel just 19 yards, following Terrell Williams' first career interception vs. Texas Tech.
« Davis had a career-high two interceptions vs. Temple, both within his own 12-yard line to snuff out scoring threats while Isaiah Johnson added his first career interception in the game.
« Houston had a player with two interceptions in a game for the second straight week after Terrell Williams picked off two passes to end SMU's final two drives. Both came in the red zone with Williams picking off passes on his own 1-yard line and 6-yard line.
ED-UCATION |
« The American Athletic Conference and the nation were quickly introduced to Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver last season as the true freshman earned seven First Team All-America honors, FWAA Freshman All-America Honors and was named The American's Rookie of the Year.
« Ranked the nation's No. 2 defensive tackle in the 2016 signing class by ESPN, Oliver did not wait long to make his impression felt for Houston, earning his first career start vs. Oklahoma, leading all linemen with seven tackles including two sacks.
« Oliver finished second nationally in 2016 with 23 tackles for loss and leads all returning defensive linemen nationally.
« Playing out of the tackle spot on a three-man line, he was second nationally among all defensive linemen with 47 solo tackles and 13th among all defensive linemen nationally with 66 total tackles.
« Oliver also led all defensive linemen nationally with nine pass breakups. The number also led all non-defensive backs in The American and was sixth in the league regardless of position.
« Oliver's 66 tackles were second among all freshmen in The American, regardless of position, and led all freshmen defensive linemen nationally. His five sacks led all freshmen in The American. Oliver also led Houston and finished second in The American with three forced fumbles, a number that ranked second nationally among freshmen.
« He wasted no time to open the 2017 season, totaling 11 tackles at Arizona, his third career game with double-digit tackles. Oliver also had 1.5 tackles for loss, his ninth career game with multiple tackles for loss.
« Oliver added his 27.5 career tackle for loss vs. Tulsa, a game that saw the tackle total nine tackles and one pass breakup on the day.
« He has started off the season with forced fumbles in the first two games, and now has five in his career, ranking 13th in Houston history. His next forced fumble would move him into eighth and he is five away from tying the Houston career record.
« He leads all active players nationally with a career average of 1.42 tackles for loss per game and ranks third nationally with a career average of 0.26 forced fumbles per game.
« After recording one tackle vs. Temple, Oliver left the game after taking a diving block to the knee in the Owls' backfield.
« Although a game time decision vs. SMU and limited with an MCL sprain, Oliver still managed four tackles, three quarterback hurries and one pass breakup.
« Nick Thurman was second among UH linemen in 2016 with 26 tackles and two sacks, part of his 5.5 tackles for loss. He's totaled 76 tackles and 14 tackles for loss in 38 career games played. He picked up his first sack of the season vs. Texas Tech.
« Texas A&M graduate transfer Reggie Chevis stepped into the starting lineup at Arizona for an injured Jerard Carter. The end had a career high and his first career double-digit tackle game with 12 stops at Tulsa.
« True freshman Payton Turner had an impressive debut vs. Rice, snagging an interception on his first career play to stop an Owls' first-quarter drive. On Rice's next drive, Turner picked up his first career sack to force a three-and-out and a Rice punt.
« Turner added a career-high four stops at Temple including a tackle for loss.
NO FLY ZONE |
« While Houston returned its two starting safeties in Garrett Davis and Khalil Williams, the Cougars looked to replace two players with starting cornerback experience in Brandon and Howard Wilson. The two combined for 44 starts and 78 career games played. Jeremy Winchester with 10 career starts and 27 games played at the position returned in 2017.
« A senior, Khalil Williams staked claim to one of Houston's defensive back spots after starting all 13 games in 2016 and owns 22 career starts. The secondary's leading returning tackler with 69 stops in 2016, Williams is being used in the nickel back role held by Brandon Wilson in 2016.
« Williams has started off the 2017 season with seven tackles for loss through the first six games, a number that is second among defensive backs nationally. He ranks sixth in The American regardless of position.
« Davis, who owns 18 starts, totaled 65 tackles including seven for a loss last season. He made a big difference in the season-opening win, making his first career interception to snuff out an Arizona drive at his own 32-yard line with 3:49 left in the game.
« Davis also totaled 11 tackles, his second career game with double-digit stops.
« He added to his career interception total with a career-best two at Temple, while totaling five tackles and now ranks ninth nationally this season with three picks.
« Senior Terrell Williams, who owns 11 starts in two seasons, is also patrolling the Houston secondary this season, breaking up four passes while ranking ninth nationally with three interceptions after picking off two passes vs. SMU, earning the Jim Thorpe Award Player of the Week and The American's Defensive Player of the week honors as a result.
« Senior Alexander Myres and junior Isaiah Johnson both made their first career starts at cornerback at Arizona with Myres recovering a fumble and making one tackle and Johnson making three tackles. Johnson made the jump to defense after two seasons at receiver while Myres, a walk-on, was rewarded with a scholarship prior to the start of the season.
« Johnson had a career-high 11 tackles vs. SMU while Myers returned to the starting lineup and had a career-high six stops.
« Myres returned to the field against Temple in a game that saw Johnson make his first career interception while breaking up a career-best two passes.
« Against Texas Tech, Winchester made his 11th career start in place of an injured Myres and finished with six tackles and one pass breakup while Johnson had a career-high eight tackles and one breakup.
« Winchester had his 12th career start at Tulsa and responded with his first career interception, a diving effort in his own end zone.
« Playing in a third-down package, Joeal Williams made his first career sack against SMU, an eight-yard loss on a 3rd-and-13 in the third quarter.
SMASHMOUTH FOOTBALL |
« Senior Matthew Adams, who led the team in tackles with 82 stops last year also forced two fumbles and had two sacks in 2016.
« Adams has led Houston in tackles in three of six games with 11 tackles against Rice, a career-high 15 stops vs. Texas Tech and nine stops at Temple.
« The Texas Tech game marked his eighth career game with at least 10 tackles.
« Fellow senior D'Juan Hines returned to the group after starting seven games in 2016, finishing with 44 stops.
« He totaled a career-best 20 tackles at Tulsa. The effort marked the 11th best single-game total in Houston history and was just six off the single-game record. It is the most in a game by a player from The American this season and the second-most nationally.
« Hines posted 13 stops vs. Texas Tech while forcing his first career forced fumble.
« The two combined to make 17 stops at Arizona with Hines leading the way with nine tackles.
« Adams and Hines are tied for second in The American with an average of 9.5 tackles per game, a number that ranks 21st nationally.
« Junior Emeke Egbule stepped in with five starts last season and had one of five Houston defensive touchdowns after scooping and scoring the game-winning touchdown against Tulsa on a 24-yard fumble return. He recorded his second career sack at Arizona.
« Following a common linebacker theme, Egbule recorded a career-high eight tackles against Texas Tech.
« Godfrey recovered his first career fumble vs. Rice while also making his first career solo tackle for loss.
RETURNS DEPARTMENT |
« The early returns look good for Houston, as the #HTownTakeover is eighth nationally and second in The American in kickoff returns with an average of 26.9 yards per return.
« The Houston punt return defense is ninth nationally and leads The American with an average of 1.0 yard per return.
« Senior John Leday wasted no time in a new role, taking his first career kickoff return 81 yards to the Arizona 16-yard line, setting up the Houston offense for a short touchdown drive. Leday also added a 24-yard return later in the game.
« Leday took his one return vs. Texas Tech back 47 yards and ranks fifth nationally with two kickoff returns of at least 40 yards and 13th nationally with three kickoff returns of at least 30 yards.
« Leday ranks 11th nationally and second in The American with an average of 28.0 yards per return.
« Texas State graduate transfer walk-on Brandon McDowell took over the punt returning duties for Houston, making one return for six yards at Arizona. McDowell also saw action at kick returner vs. Rice, returning one kick for 35 yards.
THE PUNT-AH |
« Sophomore punter Dane Roy returned after his first season in America as a 27-year old true freshman in 2016.
« The Bunyip, Australia native and former Australian rules football player for Richmond Central placed 20 of his 59 punts in 2016 inside his opponent's 20-yard line with only four touchbacks. His high-hanging punts helped Houston rank seventh nationally in punt return defense, allowing just 2.6 yards per return while forcing 26 fair catches.
« Roy ranked third among returning punters in The American Conference after averaging 40.6 yards per punt in 2016.
« Roy dropped all three of his punts vs. Rice inside the Owls' 20-yard line, with one inside the 10-yard line, forcing two fair catches and holding Rice without a punt return. He earned The American's Special Teams Player of the Week honor for his efforts.
« Roy continued to show his precision vs. Texas Tech, dropping three of his four punts inside the Red Raiders' 10-yard line and a fourth inside the 20 with just one touchback. His punts resulted in three fair catches and only two returns for a total of one yard.
« Roy leads The American with 15 punts inside the 20-yard line and leads the league with 50 percent of his punts landing inside the opponents 20-yard line.
« Ten of his 30 punts have been inside his opponents' 10-yard line.
« Prior to arriving in Houston, Roy won the longest kick competition at the AFL grand final in Melbourne, Australia, after booting a torpedo 73 meters, which equates to 79 yards. Roy, who stands 6-7, also has a personal-best hang time of 5.4 seconds.
KICKING IT |
« Yet another new name in the Houston special teams, junior Caden Novikoff walked on to the Houston program in training camp and grabbed the kicking reigns.
« He has successfully converted multiple field goals in three of five games this season and leads Houston in scoring this year 32 points.
« Novikoff connected on a career-long 45-yard field goal vs. Texas Tech while converting all three extra point attempts.
« After hitting a 26-yard field goal at Tulsa, he has connected on his last four field goal attempts.
SNAP IT TO ME |
« Unfortunately Houston lost its starting long snapper in senior Byron Simpson in late May due to a non-football related medical condition. The Cat Spring, Texas, native started all 13 games at the position in 2016.
« The Cougars turned to Simpson's backup in 2016, junior Nick Wildberger. The San Antonio, Texas, native redshirted in 2016 and made his debut at Arizona, totaling 10 long snaps.
