By Ralph Lauro Aug 20, 2007, 14:10 GMT
OFFENSE: For the last four years the Cougars had the luxury of not having to worry about who would start under center each week. However, with the departure of the school's all-time leading passer Kevin Kolb, the team no longer has that luxury. As a matter of fact, the team still seems to be in limbo on who will replace Kolb, the 2006 C-USA Offensive Player of the Year. Sophomore Blake Joseph and redshirt freshman Case Keenum are the top two candidates, with Joseph holding the slight edge, as he had one season as Kolb's backup. Whoever is under center with have the luxury of throwing to a pair of returning starters in wideouts Jeron Harvey and Donnie Avery. The senior receivers both possess tremendous speed and they were productive last season, combining for 98 catches, 1,493 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. The biggest weapon in this offense however, resides in the backfield with Anthony Alridge. The senior running back can simply fly and that was no more evident than in the incredible 10.1 ypc he averaged last season. Alridge wasn't the starter, but he still led the team in rushing with 959 yards on just 95 carries. He also scored eight rushing touchdowns and that number should improve drastically now that he is the main focus in the running game. Three returning starters on the offensive line should also help Alridge become an all-conference player in 2007.
DEFENSE: The defense had some serious trouble getting off the field last year, allowing teams to convert 47.0 percent of the time on third downs and because of that the Cougars shifted from a 3-4 to a 4-2-5 this offseason. That transition, along with seven returning starters, should help this unit improve greatly on the 354.1 total ypg it allowed in 2006. The defensive line should be solid for Houston this year thanks to the return of two starters, most notably Phillip Hunt. The junior end is an emerging star after posting 58 stops, 12 TFLs and eight sacks in a breakout 2006 campaign. Playing behind the line will be two of the top returning linebackers in the league in junior Cody Lubojasky and senior Trent Allen. The duo are experienced and talented and are coming off a season in which they combined for 185 stops. As for the secondary, it is deep and talented and it welcomes back a pair of starters in corner Kenneth Fontenette and strong safety Ernest Miller. Fontenette, a junior, is a versatile player that came into his own last season, posting 72 tackles and 13 passes defended. The return of Rocky Schwartz from a knee injury should also help this unit. Schwartz, a senior, missed all of last season due to knee surgery, but Houston is hoping he can return to form and produce like the 2005 season when he recorded 114 tackles.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Houston had next to no success punting the ball last season, therefor redshirt freshman Tommy Skinner has no place to go but up. Ben Bell connected on 14-of-18 field goal attempts last season and his accurate leg will be back in the starting role once again.
OUTLOOK: The Cougars lost their star and face of the program, Kolb, from the last four years, but their is still plenty of talent here to repeat. Houston has enough weapons to make just about any quarterback successful, not to mention the defense is experienced and deep. The team's schedule isn't too tough either, so expect Houston to contend for double-digit victories again in 2007.
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