Monday’s practice was entirely indoors. The schedule was to move outside, but a downpour kept them inside.
The two-deep was released during practice, and there were notable surprises. But in his Monday noon press conference, Willie Fritz said that the two-deep is fluid the first two weeks. Transfers in their first year at UH are noted:
Wide receivers are no surprise: Joseph Manjack, Jonah Wilson, and Stephon Johnson, as we believed. Three transfers – Marquis Shoulders and Devan Williams from Tulsa and Mekhi Mews from UGA – are backups. Those guys might be as compelling to track as the first-string guys.
OL is David Ndukewe, Peyton Dunn, Demetrius Hunter, Tank Jenkins, and Jake Wiley (UCLA transfer). Wiley is a mild surprise as it appeared that Shamar Hobdy-Lee was getting the most first-string reps in the preseason. Wiley was working at RG, and Hobdy-Lee was at RT today, although that seems temporary.
Re’Shaun Sanford is listed as the backup to Parker Jenkins at RB. Sanford blazed in the second scrimmage at TDECU Stadium and may have played himself into that role. I like watching him catch balls out of the backfield.
The tight end might be the deepest room on the team. As we knew for a few weeks, Jayden York (Texas Tech) is the starter, with Maliq Carr (Michigan State) as the backup. Both will be in heavy rotation in this offense. Traville Frederick will play a good amount, and OL-turned-TE Cedric Melton (Ole Miss) will get some time. At practice, we have seen various two-TE sets and even some three-TE sets near the goal line. The offense UH will roll out Saturday will feature the TE in more ways than any I’ve seen in 25 years around this program.
Donovan Smith will be the QB, with Zeon Chriss (Louisiana) behind him. Willie Fritz praised Chriss quite a bit today. I expect situations early in the season when each play and perhaps both on the field together.
On defense, Keith Cooper (Tulane), Carlos Allen (Kennesaw State), and Anthony Holmes Jr. will start on the line. Brandon Mack will be the “DOG,” a hybrid position. Michael Batton (ULM) and Kendre Gant (Louisiana) will start at linebacker, while the DBs will be Juwon Gaston at anchor, Ajani Carter (Utah State) and Latrell McCutchin at corner, and Kentrell Webb (Tulane) at strong safety, A.J. Haulcy at free safety. There’s a lot of depth at corner Willie said today.
Jack Martin will kick, and Liam Dougherty will punt. Mews and Bryan Massey (SMU) will return kicks; Mews will field punts. Jacob Garza is the long snapper, and Jake Sock will hold.
Three offensive starters and one defensive starter came to UH directly from high school. An incredible indictment on the prior staff. 53% of the roster (63/119) are in their first season at UH. It’s the first time in 20+ years that UH returns only one starter on the offensive line (Tank Jenkins).
Against UNLV, Parker Jenkins is going for ten consecutive games with a catch.
UH has 13 uniform combinations this season (two helmets, four jerseys, and three pants).
On Friday, the team will go to TDECU for a dress rehearsal. Fritz wants to show where position groups will huddle in the locker room, how they’ll do halftime, and more.
The team focused heavily on specific situations today: A lot of last-play-of-the-game situations, free kicks after a safety, and similar. One of OC Kevin Barbay’s final plays is called Heartbreak.