Good Houston Preview

Harry · May 6, 2019

Houston Cougars

Head coach: Dana Holgorsen (first year)

2018 record and S&P+ ranking: 8-5 (64th)

Projected 2019 record and S&P+ ranking: 6-6 (73rd)

Five key points:

Houston made good on its word. Two years after the UH president said “We’ll fire coaches at 8-4,” UH fired Major Applewhite at 8-5.
UH plucked WVU’s Dana Holgorsen to basically coach the Coogs like a Big 12 team. They will certainly have a Big 12-level offense this year.
QB D’Eriq King, a potential 3,000/1,000 guy, returns almost his entire skill corps, from WR Marquez Stevenson to RB Patrick Carr.
The defense is as dire as the offense is exciting. New DC Joe Cauthen has to address depth issues in the front seven and a smoking crater at CB.
The schedule features six relative tossups. The defense being merely mediocre instead of terrible could make the difference between 7-5 and 10-2.

Salsa_Verde · May 6, 2019

A smoking crater at cornerback 😅

MeanGreenTexan · May 6, 2019

1 hour ago, Salsa_Verde said:

A smoking crater at cornerback 😅

If they have a smoking crater, I wonder what people would say about our CB situation? Canyon-like? We just lost 2 All conference, NFL caliber guys.

Salsa_Verde · May 6, 2019

It’s a concern for sure. 🤔

greenjoe · May 6, 2019

This works every time. Watch.

Beetlejuice

Watch

greenminer · May 6, 2019

We’ve got to disrupt their OL or they will shred us for 70.

we don’t need to sack their QB, but consistently create a ton of confusion and disruption on their side of the LOS.

(12 sacks would be nice, tho)

97and03 · May 6, 2019

5 minutes ago, greenminer said:

We’ve got to disrupt their OL or they will shred us for 70.

we don’t need to sack their QB, but consistently create a ton of confusion and disruption on their side of the LOS.

(12 sacks would be nice, tho)

Might have to keep someone in spy mode to contain his scrambling, assuming we can get pressure.

UNTLifer · May 6, 2019

I fear a 2007 Navy/UNT score, but really think our defense will be better than many think.

NorthTexasWeLove · May 8, 2019

On 5/6/2019 at 9:54 AM, UNTLifer said:

I fear a 2007 Navy/UNT score, but really think our defense will be better than many think.

I don't fear it. I embrace it. I think our D with our crowd will be able to pull out some key 2nd half stops and pull one out. I think it will be a shootout and I like that it will be. Their D is horrible and the hiring of Hologerson just solidifies that horribleness. I like our chances. I actually love them tbh.

UNTLifer · May 8, 2019

I like our chances to, but please, I don't ever want to sit through a 72-64 game ever again. I prefer some defense be played. Guess I am old school.

NorthTexasWeLove · May 8, 2019

8 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

I like our chances to, but please, I don't ever want to sit through a 72-64 game ever again. I prefer some defense be played. Guess I am old school.

No, I feel ya. And I too prefer defense being played. I just don't see either team being able to stop the other. I embrace a shootout vs UH because I think it provides us a good probability of winning.

UNT Mean Green · May 9, 2019

This will be an electric game in front of an excited (and hopefully sold-out) crowd!

Harry · May 10, 2019

7 hours ago, UNT Mean Green said:

This will be an electric game in front of an excited (and hopefully sold-out) crowd!

Honestly, it’s going to depend on how they do in the 1st 4 games. They are at OU, host Prairie View, Washington State (nrg) and on the road against Tulane. I mean they could honestly be 4-0 or 1-3 or anything in between... if they play well or beat OU we could see a huge UH contingent. If they lose 3 games prior to ours (Pirate is tough as is Fritz and Tulane roadie) it could be an SMU type contingent.