1999 Football Notes
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Electric Ketric
With his sixth 100-yard output of the season, senior running back Ketric Sanford moved over the 1,000-yard plateau for the second consecutive season. Sanford becomes the first back since Chuck Weatherspoon (three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 1988-90) to post back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns. Against LSU last Saturday Sanford rushed for 105 yards on 27 carries and scored his 11th rushing touchdown of the season. The scoring tally was the 27th of his career to pull him into a first-place tie with Weatherspoon for career rushing touchdowns. His sixth 100-yard game also was the 14th of his career, tying him with Paul Gipson for third on the all-time list. As for all-purpose yards, Sanford is just 52 yards shy of surpassing Weatherspoon in that category as well. On the season Sanford had 1,092 yards rushing, which is now the 12th best in school history. He trails Emmett King (1,095) for 11th, Weatherspoon (1,097) for 10th and Gipson (1,100) for ninth.
Big Game for the Leader
In one of the biggest games of his three-year career, junior quarterback Jason McKinley led the Cougars to victory over LSU, and in the process, guaranteed a winning season and made Houston bowl eligible for the first time since 1996. In front of a hostile crowd of 76,671 in Death Valley, McKinley directed the Cougar offense to a critical 20-7 win over the Tigers. McKinley completed 19-of-27 passes for 203 yards and a 30-yard scoring strike to tight end Scott Regimbald. McKinley was instrumental in directing 20 unanswered points for Houston after LSU scored a touchdown on its initial drive of the game.
"Hill"acious Play
One week removed from stopping the Tulane Green Wave offensive attack, senior safety Kenny Hill continued his dominant defensive play in the crucial 20-7 road win over LSU. Hill registered a team-leading 14 tackles, including 10 solo and one for a loss of two yards. Hill also posted a career-high two interceptions, both of which stopped late fourth-quarter LSU drives within the Houston 10-yard line. To top it off, Hill also returned four punts for 54 yards (an average of 13.5) and his 16-yarder in the 16-yarder in the first quarter led the Cougars to their tying touchdown.
Clark Becomes Double Threat
Even though he led the nation in punting two years ago at Ricks Junior College, junior specialist Mike Clark was signed by the Cougars to be the team's field-goal kicker. Halfway through his initial Division I campaign, Clark also assumed the role of punter and has become one of the best in Conference USA. Against LSU on Saturday Clark constantly kept the Tigers at bay with his booming punts, averaging a season-best 47.6 yards on eight kicks. Clark also kicked a career-best 59-yarder and placed one of his punts inside the LSU 20-yard line. Clark was also a perfect two-of-two on both field goals and extra points, connecting on his three-pointers from 22 and 29 yards away. For the season Clark is now averaging an even 43 yards per punt.
Streak Continues for Iglesias
With his team-leading four receptions for 55 yards against LSU, Orlando Iglesias continued his pass catching streak. Since the third game of his true freshman year-a 1997 contest with Pittsburgh-Iglesias has at least one catch in every game since. His personal streak reached 30 games in the game against the Tigers. As a matter of fact, in the 32 games he has suited up for the Cougars, Iglesias has only one game-1997 against California-where he did not make at least one catch.
Iglesias, Part II
Orlando Iglesias is now fourth all-time in receiving yardage with 1,987 yards and seventh in receptions with 150. He is just 13 yards from becoming only the fourth UH receiver to attain 2,000 yards in a career. More impressively, he is three catches away from slipping past the legendary Elmo Wright (153, 1968-70) into sixth.
Speaking of Streaks
For the 22 consecutive game the Cougars have put points on the board. Houston has not been shut out since a 33-0 loss to Southern Miss on November 15, 1997. The Cougars also have a streak of scoring in 54 of their last 55 games, dating back to the 1994 season.
What A Grip
Ketric Sanford has his streak of fumbleless touches stop at 385 when he fumbled against Tulane. (See Careful Ketric on page 6 of this release.) Based on at least 500 career touches, this is where Sanford ranks among the nation's best:
Lowest Fumble Ratio Lowest Fumble Lost Ratio 1:251 Travis Prentice, Miami (Ohio) 1:825 Darren Davis, Iowa State 1:240 Darren Davis, Iowa State 1:496 Travis Prentice, Miami (Ohio) 1:223 Thomas Hamner, Minnesota 1:223 Thomas Hamner, Minnesota 1:125 Ron Dayne, Wisconsin 1:172 Jonas Lewis, San Diego State 1:106 Ketric Sanford, Houston 1:141 Lamont Zachery, Arkansas State 1:79 Lamont Zachery, Arkansas State 1:125 Ron Dayne, Wisconsin 1:74 Jonas Lewis, San Diego State 1:121 Ketric Sanford, Houston 1:78 Thomas Jones, Virginia 1:95 Thomas Jones, Virginia
Picks Galore for James
All-America candidate Mike James came up with yet another big game in the Cougars crucial 20-7 road win over LSU. James recorded 11 total tackles and also intercepted a pass to twart a LSU late fourth-quarter drive. The pick was James' seventh of the season, which the most for a Cougars since Jerry Parks had eight during the 1990 campaign. His total is already the eighth best total for a season, tying him with Butch LaCroix in 1981.
Turnovers to Points
So far this season the Cougars have been the benefitiaries of 26 opponent turnovers. Houston has converted 11 of these gifts into scores. Here is the breakdown 1) Rice's Leroy Bradley fumbles which is later converted into a 16-yard TD by Mike James.
2) Rice's Jeremy Bates fumbles and Mike James recovers the ball in the end zone for a TD.
3) Rice's Chad Richardson fumbles and one play later Orlando Iglesias scores on an eight-yard pass.
4) Rice's Jeremy Bates' fumble is returned 66 yards for a TD by Ahmad Charles.
5) Cincinnati's Deontay Kenner's interception is later converted into a game-winning field goal.
6) Mike James returns a Chris Redman interception 29 yards for a TD.
7) Louisville's Eric Lockhart fumbles and later Mike Green scores on a four-yard run.
8) ECU's David Garrard fumble is converted into a Mike Clark field goal.
9) Mike James' interception of Tulane's Patrick Ramsey leads to 22-yard TD run by Ketric Sanford.
10) TU's Gee Reshard fumble is recovered by Kenny Hill, which leads to a 43-yard FG by Mike Clark.
11)Kenny Hill returns a Ramsey interception 75 yards for a touchdown.
As for the opposition, nine Cougar turnovers have been converted into scores (seven TDs, two FGs.)
Scoring Not Boring for Sanford
With his touchdown run versus LSU, Ketric Sanford is now the Cougars leading scorer in 1999 with 66 points. For his career Sanford has scored 172 points, which puts him eighth on the all-time list after passing Gene Shannon (168) and Sebastian Villarreal (169) over the weekend.
Player, Years TDs PAT 2PT FG Total 1. Roman Anderson, 1988-91 0 213 0 70 423 2. Ken Hebert, 1965-67 22 89 2 7 246 3. C. Weatherspoon, 1987-90 37 0 1 0 224 4. Elmo Wright, 1968-70 35 0 3 0 216 5. Mike Clendenen, 1981-84 0 84 0 41 207 6. Manny Hazzard, 1989-90 31 0 1 0 192 7. Chip Browndyke, 1985-87 0 69 0 37 180 8. Ketric Sanford, 1996- 28 0 2 0 172 9. Sebastian Villarreal, 1995-97 0 76 0 31 169 10. Gene Shannon, 1949-51 28 0 0 0 168
Two-Headed Monster
It has been well-documented how effective the senior running tandem of Ketric Sanford and Mike Green has been in 1999. The two have combined for 1,768 yards and 17 touchdowns this season, which not only is the top tandem in Conference USA, but also second in the nation. Here is how the Sanford/Green one-two punch ranks with the national leaders heading into the LSU game:
1. Thomas Hamner (1,105 yds/229 atts)/Billy Cockerham (572/122), Minn. 1,677 2. Ketric Sanford (987/169)/Mike Green (612/103), Houston 1,599 3. Joe Gunn (838/168)/Deuce McAllister (571/106), Ole Miss 1,409 4. Shyrone Stith (869/170)/Andre Kendrick (501/76), Virginia Tech 1,370 5. DeVaughn Black (716/164)/Zain Gilmore (633/150), Missouri 1,349 6. Larry Ned (769/133)/Jonas Lewis (578/114), San Diego State 1,347 7. Dan Alexander (687/112)/ Eric Crouch (634/111), Nebraska 1,321 8. Lamont Zachery (759/150)/Jonathan Adams (552/110), Arkansas St. 1,311 9. William Andrews (948/186)/Ivory Bryant (300/77), Northern Illinois 1,278 10. Derrick Ward (769/112)/Paris Gaines (462/102), Fresno State 1,231 11. James Jackson (708/161)/Clinton Portis (407/76), Miami (FL) 1,115 12. Dee Brown (637/120)/James Mungro (425/92), Syracuse 1,062 13. Mike Anderson (693/136)/Omar Bacon (360/113), Utah 1,053 14. Jasper Sanks (694/124)/Quincy Carter (253/79), Georgia 947
Going Strong
Jason McKinley drew the starting assignment for the 29th consecutive game when took the first snap versus LSU. He took over the full-time job against Minnesota in game four of his redshirt freshman season in 1997. McKinley is on track to become the first-ever full-time four-year starter for the Cougars. Here is where McKinley ranks against other signal-callers throughout the nation.
Junior Quarterbacks Who've Started Since Freshman Year
Cleo Lemon, Arkansas State (25 starts)*
Ryan Kealy, Arizona State (28 starts)
Jason McKinley, Houston (28 starts)
Mike McMahon, Rutgers (21 starts)**
James "Butchie" Washington, Akron (22 starts)
Senior Quarterbacks Who've Started Since Freshman Year
Jamie Barnette, North Carolina State (38 starts)
Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech (39 starts)
Tim Lester, Western Michigan (37 starts)
Chad Pennington, Marshall (46 starts)
Chris Redman, Louisville (35 starts)
*currently injured **out for the season
Cougar Tidbits
First win over an SEC team since defeating Florida, 14-10, in the Astrodome on September 15, 1979...first win over an SEC team on the road since downing Georgia, 31-24, in Athens, on November 2, 1974...snapped a five-game losing streak to the SEC...First winning season since 1996...second winning season in the 90s...first time since the 1970 season (and only the third time overall) the Cougars have defeated both an SEC team (31-14 at Mississippi State) and an ACC team (26-2 vs. Wake Forest) in the same season...first time in school history the Cougars have beat both an SEC team and an ACC team on the road in the same season...Coach Helton is 0-1 versus Army...Army head coach Bob Sutton is 1-0 versus the Cougars...Army has 20 players on their roster from the state of Texas...the Army-UH game marks the first time this season the Cougars will play on artificial turf...the Cougars are 17-41-1 against the SEC...the last UH win over an SEC team was a 14-10 victory against Florida in 1979 in the Astrodome...the last SEC road win was 31-24 win at Georgia in 1974...this marks the second season in a row the Cougars have concluded a year with two consecutive road games...UH is 41-68-1 in the 90s...the Cougars are 23-21-1 in Robertson Stadium...