University of Houston
No. 24 Navy
Game Primer: Houston vs. Navy
11/27/2019 10:35:00 AM | Football
Game will air on ESPN2 (TV) and KPRC 950-AM (radio)
GAME 12
Houston vs. Navy
Nov. 30 | 6 p.m. CT |Â TDECU Stadium | Houston
Broadcast: ESPN2
Radio: KPRC 950-AM
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/2lz8Pp6
Game Notes: UH | Navy | The American
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
« Houston returns to TDECU Stadium for its final home game of 2019 as the Cougars host No. 24/24 Navy on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ESPNU with Mike Morgan (pxp), 1989 Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware (analyst) and Taylor Davis (sideline) on the call. Radio coverage on KPRC 950-AM begins at 5 p.m. CT.
« The Cougars lead the all-time series with Navy, 4-1, and have won three out of the four meetings between the two teams since the Midshipmen joined the American Athletic Conference. Houston is 2-0 all-time against Navy in Houston.
« Houston is 5-4 against ranked opponents inside TDECU Stadium since its opening in 2014. The Cougars' last win over a ranked opponent came in 2018 as Houston defeated then No. 17 USF, 57-36. The Cougars are 36-101-5 all-time against top 25 opponents.
« Navy marks the sixth top-25 opponent Houston has faced this season, matching a school record. The last time the Cougars played six ranked opponents in one season came in 1977.
« The Cougars are one of three programs to have at least five different players with at least one 100-yard rushing game this season. Houston, South Carolina and Georgia Southern are the only three programs to accomplish that feat.
« Junior nickel back Grant Stuard has emerged as Houston's defensive leader in 2019. Stuard is fourth in The American in tackles per game (7.9) and ranks second in the conference in solo tackles (57). The Conroe, Texas, native has three double-digit tackle games this season.
« Senior Dane Roy, a 2019 finalist for the Ray Guard Award, leads The American and is seventh in FBS with a 46.9 punt average. Roy's 46.9 punting average would set a UH single-season record, besting the previous mark held by Richie Leone set in 2012 (45.5 yards per punt). Because of Roy's efforts, Houston leads the conference and is second nationally in net punting (43.59).
« At Tulsa, Roy saw six of his eight punts downed inside the 20-yard line against the Golden Hurricane. Three of Roy's attempts went for 50-plus yards. Only two of the senior's 54 punts have been recorded as touchbacks this year.
« Junior kicker Dalton Witherspoon has made his last 13 field goal attempts dating back to Sept. 28 against Tulane. The Moore, Okla., native is tied with Roman Anderson (1988) for the school record for consecutive made field goals in one season (13). The junior's 18 made field goals this season are tied for sixth in UH single-season history.
FOR THE FANS
« Houston's 14-member senior class will be honored prior to kickoff. Senior Day recognition will take place at 5:53 p.m. Saturday's game marks the final home game in the careers of seniors TE Bo Alexander, LS Anthony Cantu, RB Patrick Carr, S Darius GIlbert, DL Leroy Godfrey, DL Aymiel Fleming, OL Josh Jones, WR Courtney Lark, WR Terry Mark, LB Jordan Milburn, P Dane Roy, OL Kordell Snyder, LS Nick Wildberger, DL Blake Young. The seniors will be honored in a pregame ceremony.Â
« Houston's 2009 team will be recognized during the game.Â
« Approximately two hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff, head coach Dana Holgorsen and the Cougars will disembark the team buses on Cullen Blvd. next to the southwest corner of the stadium (ICON Gate 2). Fans are encouraged to cheer on the team upon arrival and watch as Coach Holgorsen and the squad as they make their way into TDECU Stadium. Cougar Walk is slated to begin at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday.
« Fans can expect to see increased Wi-Fi capability inside TDECU Stadium.Â
« Fans will notice during TV timeouts on Saturday a digital clock on the sideline. The clock represents how much time is remaining in a commercial break before play resumes.
« TDECU Stadium has a clear-bag policy. For more information on Houston football's gameday procedures, click here.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
« Houston held Tulsa to minus-1 yards rushing in last week's 24-14 road win against the Golden Hurricane. It marked the first time the Cougars have held an opponent to negative rushing yards since Houston held Memphis to minus-14 yards rushing on Oct. 3, 1998.
« The Cougars lead the nation with six blocked kicks this season (five blocked punts, one blocked field goal). Houston's six blocked kicks are the second-most in one season by a team in The American in league history.
« Forty-four Houston players have made least one start this season (24 on offense, 20 on defense). The Cougars have started 12 different offensive lineman this season and have used eight different combinations up front in 11 games.
« Houston is one of five FBS programs this season to have three different quarterbacks with winning starts on its roster: D'Eriq King (Prairie View A&M), Clayton Tune (at North Texas, at Tulsa) and Logan Holgorsen (at UConn). BYU, Nevada, Tennessee and USC also have had three different quarterbacks win in at least one start this season.
« Since 2018, junior wide receiver Marquez Stevenson leads active FBS players with 10 receptions of 50 yards or more. The junior has also been explosive on kickoff returns during his career. This season, Stevenson is tied for first nationally with two kickoff returns for touchdowns.
SCOUTING NAVY
« Navy enters Saturday's contest after a 35-28 victory over SMU inside Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. With a victory and a Memphis loss to Cincinnati, the Midshipmen would clinch a berth in the American Athletic Conference Championship game.
« The top rushing offense in the FBS, Navy's triple-option attack averages 352.2 yards per game on the ground. Senior quarterback Malcolm Perry leads the conference and is fifth nationally with 1,354 yards on the ground. The senior leads all FBS quarterbacks and is fourth nationally with 18 rushing touchdowns. Perry's 3,696 career rushing yards are eighth-most among active FBS players. Through the air, Perry has thrown for 920 yards on 54.7 percent passing.
« Junior fullback Nelson Smith has recorded 529 yards on the ground and has added seven touchdowns, while sophomore fullback Jamale Carothers averages 7.7 yards per carry and picked up eight touchdowns with 449 rushing yards. Senior slotback Tazh Maloy has added 267 yards on the ground and averages 8.3 yards per carry, while junior slotback CJ Williams has rushed for 232 yards on 46 carries.
« Defensively, the Midshipmen are second in the league in scoring defense and limit opponents to 22.5 points per contest. Navy is first in The American and 24th nationally in total defense, surrendering 323.9 yards per game (216.6 passing, 107.3 rushing). Sophomore linebacker Diego Fagot leads the team and is seventh in the conference with 79 total stops this season.
LAST TIME AGAINST NAVY
« D'Eriq King threw for 413 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score and led the Cougars to 35 unanswered points in a 49-36 win over Navy inside Memorial Stadium on Oct. 20, 2018. King connected on 25-of-38 passes for the second-highest passing yardage total of his career and his fourth career 300-yard passing game. With the Cougars trailing 24-14 late in the first half, King led the Cougars to touchdowns on five of the seven possessions for his third come-from-behind victory after trailing by nine-plus points in 2018.
« Marquez Stevenson (141), Keith Corbin (104) and Courtney Lark (106) each recorded 100-yard receiving games with Corbin and Lark hauling in scores. They became only the eighth Houston trio in school history to record 100+ receiving yards in one game.
« After giving up 24 points in the opening 30 minutes, the Houston defense stiffened and did not allow the Midshipmen to score again until the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. Austin Robinson led all players with a career-high 21 tackles, including 11 solo stops. In addition to his tackle total, Robinson added 4.5 sacks for a loss of 29 yards, including a pair of sacks.
« Houston's defensive front then stepped up big time, as a fumble recovery from senior linebacker Emeke Egbule put the Cougars in position to go up 34-26, courtesy of King's third touchdown pass, which was caught by senior tight end Romello Brooker. On the succeeding defensive possession, sophomore defensive back Deontay Anderson hauled in the Cougars' lone interception of the night and ran it down all the way to the Tulsa nine-yard line.
GAME 11 RECAP: TULSA
« Houston took advantage of interception and kickoff returns for touchdowns to take a 24-14 win over American Athletic Conference rival Tulsa inside H.A. Chapman Stadium. Although outgained in total offense yards, 380-231, the Cougars used big plays on special teams and defense to take win for the second straight game and the fifth time in the last six outings against the Golden Hurricane.
« The Cougars forced four Tulsa turnovers and allowed minus-1 Golden Hurricane rushing yards. Junior cornerback Damarion Williams gave the Cougars the lead for good with a 25-yard interception return for touchdown late in the first half, and junior wide receiver Marquez Stevenson pushed the Houston lead back to double digits early in the fourth quarter after Tulsa moved to within 17-14. It was Stevenson's team-leading ninth touchdown and his second kickoff return for a score in 2019. He became just the third player in UH history to have multiple kickoff returns for touchdowns during their careers, joining Brandon Wilson and Tyron Carrier.
« Sophomore safety Gervarrius Owens led the Houston defense with a career-high 10 tackles, including six solo stops, and added an interception and half-tackle for a loss. Sophomore linebacker Donavan Mutin totaled seven tackles with three solo stops, while junior safety Grant Stuard posted six tackles, a tackle for loss and two pass breakups.
« Junior running back Kyle Porter led the Cougars with 57 rushing yards and added team-highs of three receptions for 34 yards. Sophomore quarterback Clayton Tune threw for 89 yards on 8-of-12 passing and rushed for 52 yards and the Cougars' opening score of the game.
ON THE OFFENSIVE
« Since 2006, only Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas Tech have racked up more yards than Houston, which has 87,243 in that span. Houston has scored in 247 straight games dating back to Sept. 30, 2000.
Rank Total Yards (2006-present)
1. Oklahoma - 92,563
2. Oregon - 89,238
3. Texas Tech - 88,065
4. HOUSTON - 87,243
5. Oklahoma State - 86,296
« In 2019, Houston has produced a strong rushing attack with five different players rushing for at least 100 yards in a game this season: D'Eriq King (twice), Patrick Carr, Mulbah Car (twice), Kyle Porter (twice) and Clayton Tune. The Cougars are one of seven programs to have at least four different players with at least one 100-yard rushing game along with Air Force, Georgia Southern, Louisiana, South Carolina, Wake Forest and Wyoming. Georgia Southern and Houston are the only two programs with five different players with at least one 100-yard rushing game.
« Houston ended 2018 fifth nationally in scoring offense with an average of 43.9 points per game and seventh in total offense with an average of 512.5 yards per game.
« Houston, Oklahoma and Clemson were the only schools to rank in the top 25 for both passing offense (No. 16, 295.5) and rushing offense (No. 24, 217.1) in 2018.
« Last season, the offense ranked fifth nationally with 92 plays of at least 20+ yards and 11th with 13 plays of 50+ yards. The versatility of UH's offense was evident as 10 different players had receiving TDs, eight of which return in 2019, and nine different players across three position groups had rushing TDs, of which eight return in 2019.
« Houston opened the season with 40+ points in its first three games of a season for the first time in program history and expanded the streak through its first eight games. The eight-game streak set the Houston record for
the longest such streak.
« With 45 points at Rice, 49 at Texas Tech and 49 at Navy, Houston scored 45+ in at least three road games in a season for only the third time in program history (1989 and 2011). It was also the first time since the 2011 team accomplished the feat five times.
« Since 2015, Houston has 21 games with 500+ yards of total offense and eight games with 600+ yards. It has scored more than 40 points in 23 of 63 games and more than 50 points on seven different occasions.
CALLED INTO ACTION
« Due to injuries and the decision to redshirt for the remainder of the 2019 season by D'Eriq King in September, the Cougars have had to prepare multiple players to take snaps at quarterback.
« Sophomore quarterback Clayton Tune inherited the starting job after senior King announced he would redshirt and return to action next year. After missing the Oct. 19 game at UConn, Tune returned to action against SMU and finished with a career-high 407 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-33 passing. The Carrollton, Texas, native became the 11th Houston signal caller to throw for over 400 yards in a single game in school history.
« Tune has thrown for 1,140 yards on 57.6 percent passing. The sophomore has recorded seven passing touchdowns and averaged 190.0 yards in six games. Tune has added a pair of rushing touchdowns, both coming over the last two games. At Tulsa, the sophomore's 15-yard rushing score tied the game early in the first half.
« Tune shined in his first start of the season at North Texas, throwing for 124 yards and one touchdown on 16-of-20 passing. The sophomore rushed for a career-high 100 yards on 11 carries, including a 55-yard scramble late in the fourth quarter. At North Texas, Tune showed off his dual threat ability as he became the eighth UH quarterback to throw and rush for 100 yards in a single game in school history.
« Against, UConn freshman quarterback Logan Holgorsen made his first career start, finishing 7-of-15 for 123 yards. Holgorsen tossed his first career touchdown pass with a 58-yard strike to Jeremy Singleton in the third quarter against the Huskies.
LINE ON THE LINE
« Offensive line coach Brandon Jones' unit has helped pave the way for the Cougars' rushing attack this year. Despite using eight different starting lineup combinations in 11 games, Houston's offensive line has helped the Cougars average 193.1 yards per game this season on the ground. With season-ending injuries to center Braylon Jones and right tackle Jarrid Williams, the unit has developed several new players to fill the gaps. Twelve different players have made at least one start on the offensive line this season for the Cougars.
« Senior tackle Josh Jones leads the way with 45 career starts, having stepped into the left tackle role in the 2016 opener and never looking back. Jones is the only remaining starter from the Coogs' first game of the season on the offensive line. He was named a Pro Football Focus Midseason All-American and earned an invite to the Reese's Senior Bowl.
« Graduate transfer Gio Pancotti brings valuable experience up front for the Cougars. Pancotti played in three games last year at Texas Tech before transferring to Houston. He has made starts this season at left guard, right guard and right tackle this season. Junior Keenan Murphy owns six career starts, stepping into the starting lineup at left guard against SMU. Murphy made his first career start at center last week on the road at Tulsa.
« Redshirt freshman Jack Freeman made his first career start at center at North Texas, filling in at center for Braylon Jones. Freshman Patrick Paul made his collegiate debut against Memphis, starting at left tackle. Redshirt freshman Max Banes also picked up his first career start at right guard versus Memphis. Sophomore Jordan Boatman recorded his first career start last week at Tulsa, filling in at right tackle.
TURNOVER U
« Since the start of the 2013 season, no program has taken the ball away from opposing offenses more than Houston with 180 turnovers forced in that time with 12 in 2019, 24 in 2018, 21 in 2017, 18 in 2016, 35 in 2015, 30 in 2014 and 43 in 2013. Houston has an three-turnover lead on its closest competitor in that stretch.
« Houston saw its streak of 21 consecutive games with a turnover forced come to an end against North Texas on Sept. 28. The Cougars rank third among FBS teams since 2013 with 109 interceptions. UH has also forced multiple turnovers in 58 of its last 96 games.
« Houston has been opportunistic with its turnovers, ranking third nationally since 2010 with 50 non-offensive touchdowns including 26 defensive touchdowns over the last seven seasons.
« The Cougars recorded a season-high four takeaways at Tulsa. Houston has logged at least one takeaway in 26 out of the last 28 games.
THE PUNT-AH
« Thirty-year old senior punter Dane Roy is back for his fourth and final season in America as Houston's starting punter. A former ice cream salesman, Roy is the third oldest player in FBS football behind Colorado kicker James Stefanou (32) and UCLA punter Wade Lees (31), both natives of Melbourne, Australia.
« Houston's first-ever finalist for the Ray Guy Award, Roy currently is first in The American and seventh in FBS averaging a career-best 46.9 yards per punt. His 46.9 yards per punt would set the Houston single-season program record if the season ended today. The senior leads the conference with 30 punts downed inside the 20 this season and has 22 punts over 50 yards. Roy shined at Tulsa, recording six punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
« The Bunyip, Australia, native and former Australian rules football player for Richmond Central led The American in 2017 with 25 punts inside the 20 and with 43.1 percent of his punts inside his opponents 20. Twelve of his 55 punts were 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.
SPOONMAN
« Junior Dalton Witherspoon took over the starting kicking role in Houston's second game of 2018 versus Arizona and never looked back, responding with a 35-yard field goal and connecting on all six extra point attempts.
« Witherspoon nailed a career-long 46-yard field goal against Prairie View A&M. The junior finished 3-for-3 against the Panthers, becoming the first UH kicker to make at least three field goals in one game since 2016 (Ty Cummings, Memphis). For his efforts, Witherspoon was named The American's Special Teams Player of the Week, his first weekly honor of his career.
« Witherspoon is also a perfect 107-for-107 on PATs for his career. He ranks fourth among kickers in The American in scoring per game (8.1) through 10 games and is 18-of-21 on field goals this season. The junior has made 13 consecutive field goals dating back to Sept. 28 at Tulane, which is tied for a school record. The Moore, Okla., native already is already tied for sixth in UH single-season history with 18 made field goals. His 18 made field goals are the most by a UH kicker since 2012 (20, Matt Hogan).
A HOUSTON WIN WOULD ...
« Improve Houston's program win-loss record to 446-373-15 all-time since 1946 and give Houston its 58th win since 2013, the most in Texas in that span.
« Improve Houston's series record to 5-1 against Navy.
AMONG THE BEST
« Since 2013, Houston ranks first in the state of Texas with 57 wins along with Baylor, while TCU and Texas A&M are third. The Cougars are 10 wins ahead of Texas and 18 ahead of Texas Tech in that span. Houston leads the state of Texas FBS schools with 10 seasons of at least eight wins since 2006. TCU is second in that span with nine.
