Houston Cougar Game Day 2 vs. North Texas Mean Green

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 Date: September 10, 2011

Time: 6:00 p.m. CDT

Location: Apogee Stadium on UNT Campus

Denton, TX

Radio: 790 AM (Houston, TX)

TV: ESPN3.com

Last Meeting: 1998 Houston 31 UNT 9

All Time Series : UNT leads 7-5

Welcome

The Houston Cougars travel to Denton, TX to help the University of North Texas open their brand spanking new Apogee Stadium.  How or why the Coogs were invited to open up is unknown to me.  Hopefully though it is a glimpse into the future of the Cougars.  With $60 million of $80 million needed to break ground pledges, the Cougars hope to soon open a new stadium too.

There's really not much to say about the game except the Cougars can't afford a let down.  The betting line is 21.5 in favor of the Coogs.  Under former coach Todd Dodge, the Mean Green were a complete mess.  Dodge was fired midseason after a 1-6 start.  The Green finished 3-9 under interim head coach Darryl Dickey.

A new stadium, a new coach, same old results.  UNT dropped the opener to FIU 41-6.

After a big game against UCLA, the Coogs should breeze to an easy victory.  The main thing is to avoid a let down, get a big lead and get the starters out of there to rest and avoid injury.

Not much more to add but Go Coogs!

Avenged - Houston 38 UCLA 34

It wasn't the beat down that the 2009 Rice game was. Nor the resounding thrashing of the 2010 UTEP game but the Houston Cougars extracted a measure of revenge on the UCLA Bruins for an upsetting game in the Rose Bowl last year.

Case Keenum returned to form.  So did the Houston defense.


Sam Khan, Jr. described the crowd best with the term raucous in his article about the Cougars win.   Fans of all ages were fired up for the game.  The student section sold out and was loud and proud.  The announce crowd tallied at 31,144.  Not sure if it's an official sell out but good to see the home town fans show up.  In the past a game like this might get 28,000 or might not.

Cougar of the Game
Case Keenum - He returned as if never injured.  With the Coog WR/RBs scorching the UCLA Bruins, Keenum amassed 310 yards passing and added another 30 running.  He also tossed one TD.  He continues his assault on the NCAA record book.

Troubling Stat of the Game
554 total yard by the Bruins offense. Head coach Kevin Sumlin did say the Bruins offense contained "some of the biggest humans we'll see."  I don't know if he was talking about the big uglies upfront but the Bruin TE and WR corp gave the Cougars fits all game long.  When not hitting his receivers down field for big gains, UCLA quarterback Richard Brehaut gashed them on the ground.

Not all was lost defensively.  Like I started on the Game Day 1 entry, if the defense can make some key stops and give the ball back to the offense, things might turn out different.

First off, despite the yardage, the Coog Mad Dogs recovered one fumble early in the game.  That turnover lead to a touchdown.

In the closing minutes of the first half is where the defense made its key stop and pretty much turned the game in the Cougars favor.  Brehaut completed a 5 yard TD and the Bruins closed the gap to 17-14 with 2:49 left in the half.  In the matter of 3 plays and under a minute the Coogs widen the lead to 24-14.  With 1:56 left, the Bruins had time to work.  The Cougars give up a first down but then hold on the next three plays forcing UCLA to punt.  Keenum and Company take possession with 35 ticks left on the half clock.  They needed only three plays, including a UCLA pass interference call, to put the ball in the endzone to Tyron Carrier.  Houston closes out the half up 31-14 thanks to one defensive stop.

Kicking Is Key
There was a total of one Bruin fans sitting in my section.  His recurring theme during the game was Bruin kicking game is an adventure.  Line drive extra point after line drive extra point, I expected a missed PAT.  It never happened.  Then came the 4th quarter.  Despite the yardage total, the defense made a stop and UCLA decided to kick the FG.  The kicker, Kip Smith, finally put some height on the kick but he still missed.  I knew it was no good as soon as the student section behind the goal posts went wild before the ref's signal.  A blocked extra point finally came after the Bruins cut the Cougar lead to four.  Despite all else, the game came down to two botched kicks by UCLA...a missed FG plus blocked extra point equals the difference in a 38-34 contest.

The Highlights and Other Videos
Game Highlights

Coach Sumlin's Post Game Press Conference


Keenum's Post Game Comments


Coach Sumlin's Motivational Video


UCLA Head Coach Rick Neuhisel's Post Game Comments

Houston Cougar Game Day 1 vs UCLA - Links Dump

Just dumping a few links in anticipation of the Houston vs. UCLA match up  on Saturday.

University of Houston vs. UCLA Game notes

Conference USA Week One Notes

From The Houston Chronicle:

Case Stories:  Keenum Once Kicked A 47 Yard FG

Faith, Family, Friends Help UH's Keenum Bounce Back From Injury

UH, Central Florida Set To Make More Headlines in C-USA

Houston Cougars Game Day 1 - vs. UCLA Bruins

VS 

Date: September 3, 2011
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Location: John O'Quinn Field at Roberston Stadium
University of Houston
TV: Fox Sports
Radio: 790 AM (Houston)
Last Meeting: 2010 @ UCLA 31 Houston 13

Revenge Match

The Houston Cougars entered the 2010 season with high expectations.  The Cougars had a highly successful 2009 season that saw victories over #5 Oklahoma St., Texas Tech and Mississippi St.  The Cougars took a late season tumble that ended with losses in the Conference USA title game and the Armed Forces Bowl.  The loss to Air Force in the bowl game was especially bitter to fans and star UH QB Case Keenum.  Keenum threw 6 interceptions in the game.

UH opened the 2010 season with resounding wins over Texas St. (68-28) and UTEP (54-24).  The wins also returned the Cougars to the national rankings entering the game with the Bruins.  

However the UTEP game only foreshadowed a more ominous injury against UCLA.  In the 3rd quarter against the Miners, Keenum threw a pick and attempted to make a tackle.  Keenum missed and was injured on the play.  It was later revealed he sustained a concussion.

Fast forward to the next game versus UCLA.  Things were already going bad for the Coogs.  Down 21-3, Keenum threw an interception to Akeem Ayers and again attempted a tackle.  The results of that one player devastated the Houston season.  Keenum and the hopes of Cougar fans everywhere lay crumpled on the turf of the Rose Bowl.

Case Keenum tore his ACL and the hearts of Cougar fans.  The injury ended Keenum's college career, his assault on the UH and NCAA record book, the Cougars hopes of crashing the BCS and dreams of a wonderful season.

To add insult to injury, Keenum's primary back up Cotton Turner sustained a season injury also.  The injuries thrust true freshman Terrance Broadway into the fire and the starting line up a week later.

In the last two seasons, Houston prevailed on revenge games.  In 2008, crosstown arch-rival Rice knocked the Cougars out of the C-USA title game and the 2009 Cougars responded with a 73-14 thrashing of the Owls.  In 2009, UTEP burst the bubble of the Coogs.  The Cougars were coming off back to back wins over #5 Oklahoma St. and Texas Tech then lost to UTEP.  The 2010 Cougars retaliated with a 54-24 beat down.

Coming off a bitter 5-7 season, the Coogs hope to get a second shot at the 2010 season.  Well not really.  The schedule plays much easier than 2010.  However, Case Keenum attained a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA.  The offense returns a high powered attack lead by WRs Patrick Edwards and Tyron Carrier.  The Coogs also return stud running backs Bryce Beall and Michael Hayes.  RB Charles Sims returns after sitting out his sophomore season.  The NCAA ruled Sims ineligible academically for the 2010 season.  Sims (2009) and Beall (2008) are former C-USA Freshman of the Year.

Finally a word about the defense.  If the Coogs defense leaps to the middle tier of NCAA defenses then the season becomes a much more promising one.  The defense doesn't even have to make a giant leap statistically.  If they can make just a few more stops a game and get Keenum and Company the ball back, the Coogs will soar in 2011.

Houston Cougars Basketball - Fall 2010/Spring 2011 Signees - Jherrod Stiggers

Continuing to meet the new Houston Cougar basketball signees, welcome Jherrod Stiggers from Terrell, TX.  Reports list Stiggers as a 200 lb. shooting guard.  According the release from the University, Stiggers averaged 18.4 points per game and named the 15-4A move valuable player.

Stiggers joined the Cougars in the early signing period last fall.

Rivals rates Stiggers a 3-star recruit while Scout ranks him a 2-star recruit.  ESPN also rates Stiggers with 3-stars and gives him a 91 grade.  The 91 score reflects him as a Mid-Major Prospect on the ESPN Grading Scale.  Follow the links for more information on Stiggers.

Jherrod Stiggers Summer Mixtape; University of Houston Commit

 

Find more videos like this on BALLISLIFE - It's More Than A Game, It's A Lifestyle

Find more videos like this on BALLISLIFE - It's More Than A Game, It's A Lifestyle

NFL Lock Out Update

I've written post about the lock out from the perspective of sitting at the negotiating table myself.  I'm a union steward for my shop and represented the employees in contract talks with the company I work for.  Fortunately we were not in a lock out situation like the players. 

The other thing to consider is that the NFL labor situation is unique and different than the private sector.  Basically it is a group of workers negotiating a collective bargaining agreement.  In the private sector that CBA pretty much sets working conditions and pay.  Pay is the key difference between the two types of CBAs.  My CBA sets wages, a wage scale and raises.  In the professional sports world, pay is individually negotiated by agents as well as pay raises and other perks.  There are some guidelines on what can and cannot be included in an individual contract.  There is a player standard contract that meets minimum requirements and spells out certain expectations like player conduct.  Finally, the league office and the players union must also sign off on it. 

According to the latest reports, both sides have reached tentative agreements on most the major issues.  The two outstanding issues are the rookie wage scale and an issue with free agency. 

As for the rookie wage scale, some basic parameters have been set but how many rookies will it affect and the length of contracts they can sign appear to be the issues.  The owners want to include several first round picks in the draft subject to the scale.  Since there is a gentlemen's agreement on slotting rookie contracts, they only need to agree where the scale starts and how many players it covers.  After that, by the slotting system, the scale trickles down to the lower drafted players.

There is a good side bar in an ESPN.com story on the rookie wage scale.  I highly recommend reading it.  I can't do it justice trying to explain it here.

I think the rookie wage scale is workable.  I can't see how it would scuttle the rest of the agreement.  The biggest issue, the revenue split, is agreed upon.  That was the issue that potentially could have shortened or canceled the season.  With that out of the way, unless some boneheaded owners dig in, the CBA should be done soon.  Keep in mind it only takes a few owners to sink the agreement.  To ratify the deal, 24 out of 32 owners need to approve the deal.  It will take 9 owners to sink an agreement.

The Dead Days of Summer

I have nothing new to add thus no entries lately.

The Astros are atrocious.  The best I can do is start to scan the minor league system for looking for something to clasp onto in desperate hope for the future.

The Texans still concern me.  I still want to know who is going to play linebacker.  I'm not sold on Connor Barwin as a LB.  They are going into the new season with the same defensive backs.  If there is a new season.

I pretty much could careless if the NBA locks out, folds and goes away for ever.

So right now I'm keeping myself entertained with soccer.  I watched the Gold Cup, some of the women's World Cup and the Dynamo. 

At the very least I'm looking forward to college football and the Return of Case Keenum to my Houston Cougars.

No blog entry for a while because really not much to blog about.