Interviews

GoCoogs interviews with Houston athletes, coaches, and administrators.

Oral History: Tulsa Fan Attacked Matt Hogan In 2009

GoCoogs Interviews

Former UH kicker Matt Hogan shares a couple of stories about unruly Tulsa fans during the 2009 game that he won with a 51-yard field goal. To our knowledge, he's never shared these stories publicly. Matt is a contributor for GoCoogs and we thank him for his help...

Eddie Nuñez joins Talkin’ Bout Them Cougars Live!

Talkin' Bout Them Cougars!

UH VP for Intercollegiate Athletics Eddie Nuñez joined Talkin' Bout Them Cougars Live! to discuss football, basketball's upcoming season, and the excellent rollout of the Houston Blue merchandise and uniforms in the Baylor game. In addition to the AD, Kelly Marchbanks, Associate Athletic Director of Development, joined the show...

Manjack joins CATS! after upset over Kansas State

Football Interviews

Junior WR Joseph Manjack made (what appeared to be) a touchdown catch to end the first quarter against #17 Kansas State. But the play was called down and not reviewed. He also threw a pass to QB Zeon Chriss in the red zone, leading to another UH score. After...

CATS! after UH beat Kansas State in the blackout game

CATS!

Watch CATS! from UH's massive upset over #17 Kansas State from GoCoogs.com. Brad, Martin, and Ryan break down the game and the progress the team has made. They are joined by starting WR Joseph Manjack, who was robbed of a TD in the game. Spotify: Apple Podcasts: Megaphone: Soundcloud: GoCoogs.com Podcasts · Coogs...

CATS! postgame interview with Jack Martin

Football Interviews

Jack Martin achieved something that no one at UH has done in 15 years: a walk-off field goal. Jack’s 43-yard boot won Houston’s homecoming game over Utah 17-14. Jack breaks down the game-winner in this interview from the Cougar After Thoughts Show (CATS!), the changes he’s made since last...

Keith Cooper Jr. discusses the defense through 6 games

Football Interviews

Standout defensive end Keith Cooper Jr. discusses his grades for the 2024 defense, what he needs to improve on, and what he's seen from Kansas on film.

Interviews with Ja’Vier, Ramon, and Mylik

Basketball Interviews

Tuesday was media day for UH Men's Basketball. GoCoogs spoke with Ja'Vier Francis, Ramon Walker, and Mylik Wilson about the 2024-25 season.

Jam-packed Talkin’ Bout Them Cougars Live!

Talkin' Bout Them Cougars!

We have a crazy lineup for Talkin' Bout Them Cougars Live! at 8 p.m tonight. Join Brad and Ryan as we welcome Emanuel Sharp, Galen Robinson, Devan Williams, Re'Shaun Sanford, and Jack Martin. Sponsored, as always, by Star Pizza!

Offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay after Monday’s practice

Football

Kevin Barbay's offense has struggled all season and has been shut out the last two weeks. Monday, Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle and GoCoogs.com were once again the only media members attending practice and spoke to Kevin Barbay about his unit's performance.

Quick hitter: UH safety A.J. Haulcy

Football

After Tuesday's practice, A.J. Haulcy spoke to GoCoogs briefly on his game and the UH defense.

Michael Batton joins CATS! for a postgame interview

Football Interviews

Linebacker Michael Batton, perhaps the soul of this much-improved Cougar defense, joined GoCoogs.com's postgame show CATS! following the beatdown of the Rice Owls. Batton is a great interview - check it out:

Joseph Kim steps up into the placekicker role

Football

Near the end of the UNLV game, a special teams substitution was hardly noticed. After UH scored their only TD of the game, kicker Joseph Kim and punter Liam Dougherty trotted out for the point after. To that point, Kim was the backup kicker, and Dougherty was the backup...

GoCoogs Interview: Eddie Nuñez discusses his vision for UH Athletics

Football

AD Eddie Nuñez discusses his experiences in the first few weeks on the job, his priorities, and why old excuses will not fly with him. Over the first three weeks of Talkin' Bout Them Cougars Live!, GoCoogs.com has hosted basketball coach Kelvin Sampson, football coach Willie Fritz, and now...

Talkin’ About Them Cougars Live! with AD Eddie Nuñez

Talkin' Bout Them Cougars!

Every Sunday at 8 pm, Brad Towns and Ryan Monceaux host Talkin' Bout Them Cougars Live! This week, we hosteed new UH AD Eddie Nuñez and Star Pizza's Mike Pittman. Check it out on YouTube or your preferred podcasting platform: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts Megaphone SoundCloud Talkin' Bout Them Cougars · Talkin Bout Them...

OC Kevin Barbay says he needs to trust the run game

GoCoogs Interviews

UH offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay's unit struggled to put anything together Saturday night against UNLV. Every position group had a hand in the 27-7 thrashing. After Wednesday's practice, Barbay said in an interview that he needed to be more committed to the run, that the staff needed to put...

Long snapper Jacob Garza dishes at Star Pizza

Football Video

Jacob Garza is the long snapper for UH in place kicking and punt team. Last season, he snapped for place kicks before moving to the punt team in the final four games. Garza received his UH degree in psychology in the spring and entered the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship...

Interviews with five Houston receivers

GoCoogs Interviews

Before Fall Camp began, GoCoogs talked with nearly 30 players in anticipation of Willie Fritz's first season. We released many of those interviews, but not all of them. Today, we present interviews with five receivers: Mekhi Mews, Jonah Wilson, Devan Williams, Marquis Shoulders, and Joseph Manjack IV.

Juwon Gaston and Hershey McLaurin discuss the ANCHOR position

Football Interviews

Some UH fans were caught off-guard when the depth chart came out. A new position, ANCHOR, was listed. What is that? Is it a nickelback? Another safety? GoCoogs asked the two guys listed first and second on the depth chart - Juwon Gaston and Hershey McLaurin - about it....

Winding roads: the journey to get to UH

Football

For many athletes, the trek to a scholarship is not a direct path. Not everyone is a four-star, highly sought-after recruit. Anthony Gangi Jr and Michael Batton took entirely different yet remarkably similar paths to UH. Each hopscotched the country looking for their football opportunity. They told their stories...

Willie Fritz interview heading into the season opener

Football Interviews

Willie Fritz joined Talkin' Bout Them Cougars Live Sunday night, just six days before his debut as the head coach of the Houston Cougars. Willie talked about prepping for first week during the portal era, what he looks for in recruits, broke down the games of a few of...

Podcast: Talkin’ Bout Them Cougars Live!

Football

GoCoogs.com's Talkin Bout Them Cougars Live! podcast with our guests: head coach Willie Fritz, WR Anthony Gangi Jr, and LB Mike Batton. We talked with Willie about technology and rules, watching UNLV film, some of his players, and how to prep for week one in the portal era. YouTube: Spotify: Apple...

Cornerbacks discuss how they prepare for a game

GoCoogs Interviews

The Houston Cougars are eight days away from the season-opener against UNLV. UH will practice Friday before giving the players Saturday and Sunday off before game week begins. Thursday, GoCoogs interviewed cornerbacks Jalen Emery and Southern transfer Kriston Davis about their prep work for an opposing offense: Follow GoCoogs...

Behind the scenes with QB coach Shawn Bell

Football Interviews

Shawn Bell leads the passing game and quarterbacks for the Houston Cougars. Bell has a storied career in Texas, at China Springs HS under his dad Mark, as a four-year starter at Baylor, and as a high school and college coach. Bell's brother Brian is an analyst on the...

Galen Robinson on Talkin’ Bout Them Cougars

GoCoogs Interviews

Cougar legend and CATS co-host Galen Robinson joined Talkin' Bout Them Cougars over the weekend. We recorded his segment beforehand since he flew to China again on Sunday. Galen talked about his experiences in China, his plans, new 1Substantial products, and more. He's always worth checking out: Talkin' Bout...

Talkin’ Bout Them Cougars: Manjack and York

Behind The Scenes

Joseph Manjack and Jayden York joined the Talkin' Bout podcast Sunday night to discuss their friendship, food, Donovan Smith's growth since his time at Texas Tech, and the funniest guy on the team. Talkin' Bout Them Cougars Interviews https://gocoogs.com/qb-recruit-austin-carlisle-shines-on-talkin-bout-them-cougars/ https://gocoogs.com/interview-kelvin-sampson-on-talkin-bout-them-cougars/ https://gocoogs.com/podcast-kelvin-manjack-york-carlisle-and-the-godfather

QB recruit Austin Carlisle shines on Talkin’ Bout Them Cougars

Football

Austin Carlisle plays with a chip on his shoulder. Coaches identified this before they even came to Houston. Carlisle has had a relationship with QB coach Shawn Bell since his freshman year and with Willie Fritz for a while, too. Carlisle was our first-ever guest on the live version...

Interview: Kelvin Sampson on Talkin’ Bout Them Cougars

Basketball Interviews

Kelvin Sampson graciously joined our first-ever Talkin' Bout Them Cougars Live! on Sunday. Coach gave us nearly 30 minutes and spoke on a wide variety of topics. Special thanks to Jeff Conrad for his help in getting Kelvin on the show. Watch:

Oscar Giles talks about his defensive line

Football Video

Few college coaches have worked in Texas as long as Oscar Giles. The 2024 season will be his 23rd in Texas after an All-SWC playing career at UT. Giles has a lot to replace from a year ago:

Ryan Elvin discusses his role as a grad assistant

GoCoogs Interviews

GoCoogs.com asked Ryan Elvin to sit down for an interview. It's the first time we've ever asked a graduate assistant for an interview, but we've never dealt with a GA like Ryan. His shooting skills, energy on the bench, and work ethic made him popular with fans and teammates....

Nutritionist Emily England helps players perform at their peak

Behind The Scenes

Emily England (MS, RD, LDN) gets to campus at 5 a.m., before most football coaches arrive, to oversee breakfast for the 116 players on the roster. She leaves around 9:15 p.m., having just distributed late-night snacks before those same players head home. Emily works every practice, walkthrough, and game,...

Behind the scenes with offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay

Behind The Scenes

Offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay plans to call plays from the press box this season, varying from his traditional routine of being on the sideline. Barbay says that QB coach Shawn Bell is capable of handling things on field level, which will give him the ability to "go up top...

Aussie Liam Dougherty leans on Dane Roy, Laine Wilkins

Football Interviews

Liam Dougherty is UH’s newest punter from Prokick Australia. For the last eight years, Dane Roy and Laine Wilkins, who both trained at Prokick, have handled punting duties for the Coogs. Dougherty is left-footed like Wilkins and from Victoria, like Roy. Dougherty grew up playing soccer and Australian rules...

Stephon Johnson wants to be more precise in his routes

Football

In 2023, Stephon "Boogie" Johnson went down in Cougar lore with a 49-yard Hail Mary TD catch as time expired to give the Coogs their first-ever Big 12 win. Where most players have multiple action shots on their UHCougars.com profile page, Boogie has just the one. Him right after...

Koby Young is turning heads early in his first camp

Football Interviews

Offensive players have been raving about Koby Young all summer. Last week, several receivers told me he was a guy to watch. Players mention his speed and burst. For his part, Koby has been like a sponge, trying to get better by learning from teammates and his position coach,...

Jack Martin’s new outlook (and Latreveon McCutchin, too)

GoCoogs Interviews

Jack Martin enters his second year of place-kicking duties for the Houston Cougars. The Dothan, Alabama, native left the Alabama Crimson Tide to come to Houston for a chance to be the man. Last year, he handled every kickoff (51), FG attempt (14), and PAT (34). Jack did struggle...

Interviews with Stacy Sneed and Tony Mathis Jr.

Football

Stacy Sneed and Tony Mathis Jr. have done this before. Sneed is in his fifth season at Houston, while Mathis is in his sixth college season (4 at WVU and the last two at UH). Both are expected to help Parker Jenkins carry the load in 2024. The two...

DOG Brandon Mack is back from injury

Football Video

Linebacker Brandon Mack transferred from Ole Miss a year ago to get more pass-rush opportunities. But in his second game, at Rice, he tore his lat and missed the rest of the season. Now in his sixth collegiate season, Mack is back: he’s got a new coaching staff, jersey...

Donovan Smith is ready to be back on the field

Football Interviews

Quarterback Donovan Smith sat out spring football with a torn labrum. Now fully healthy, he will lead the Cougars out on August 31 vs. UNLV. Donovan talked to GoCoogs about his health, what he’s been working on, QB coach Shawn Bell, and the team's preparation for Fall Camp. Subscribe...

Interview: Noah Guzman is back from injury

GoCoogs Interviews

Defensive back Noah Guzman is a throwback. Mild-mannered and even-keeled, Guzman lets his on-field play do the talking. After Antonio Brooks was hurt in the 2023 opener, Guzman started against Rice - his first start as a Cougar - but suffered a season-ending injury in that game. Guzman is...

Receivers are all-in on Coach Derrick Sherman

Football Video

During our one-on-one sit-downs with players last week, GoCoogs asked wide receivers about their position coach, Derrick Sherman. In casual conversations over the last few months, it was apparent that the group is unusually close to Sherman. In addition to coaching the receivers, Sherman is also the assistant head...

Parker Jenkins wants to become a more complete back

Football Video

Parker Jenkins comes off much older than his age. He's mature and has natural leadership ability. In interviews, Parker is thoughtful, always searching for the precise way to convey a thought. Parker is likely the top running back in a deep, versatile room. Going into 2024, he's focused on...

Why Houston?

GoCoogs Interviews

We asked 13 recent transfers a question: Why Houston? Subscribe to @GoCoogs on YouTube for more of our player interviews and coverage of the 2023-24 Basketball Team and the 2024 Cougar Football Team. YouTube.com/@GoCoogs

UH transfers love the “tight end-friendly” offense

Behind The Scenes

UH football players gathered in the locker room at TDECU, waiting to meet with the media. Players had their own stations, and media selected players to chat with. After talking to the press, players walked into the club level to take publicity photos and update their online bios. Two players...

Wide receivers discuss the 2024 season

Football

Tuesday was the first of three days of media availability for Houston Football. Eleven players from the offense talked with the local media for about 45 minutes on day one. This video contains portions of our talks with five wide receivers: Joseph Manjack, Marquis Shoulders, Devan Williams, Mekhi Mews,...

Lauren Sampson joins the Old Men podcast

Basketball Interviews

Welcome to another No Conference for Old Men special episode (#27). Recently, the Old Men chatted with UH Men's Basketball Director for Operations, Lauren Sampson, to talk about the Houston Cougars men’s hoops. We discuss her role within the program, what it's like to work for her father, and get...

Anthony Gangi talks about his Spring Game performance

Football Video

Receiver Anthony Gangi has been in the Houston Football program for three years but has not had much opportunity to shine. He's twice been named the scout team's special teams player of the week but has not seen game action to this point. But his playmaking abilities were on...

Discussing UH’s NCAA Tournament run on SiriusXM

Media

GoCoogs.com publisher Ryan Monceaux appeared on Big 12 This Morning on SiriusXM's Big 12 Radio Channel 375. Hosts Ari Temkin and Tim Welsh asked Ryan about Jamal Shead's injury, how UH fans were reacting to the season, and the prospects for next year. Subscribe to @GoCoogs on YouTube...

Video: Sweet 16 practice at American Airlines Center

NCAA Tournament

The Houston Cougars got their first look at American Airlines Center on Thursday, a day before their Sweet 16 game vs. Duke. The team also checked out the Dallas Stars' locker room, which they’ll use this weekend. the daily #238 | 3/29/2024 | Archives GoCoogs.com was able to record...

CATS! post-A&M game locker room interviews

Basketball Interviews

The Houston Cougars came back from the brink late Sunday, escaping with a 100-95 overtime win over Texas A&M in the round of 32. UH moves on to the Sweet 16 for the fifth-straight year. the daily #234 | 3/25/2024 | Archives After the game, the CATS! crew had exclusive...

Pregame notes: Houston vs. Texas A&M

Basketball

News and notes heading into tonight's game vs. Texas A&M: Today's game will be the eighth in the NCAA Tournament against teams that were in the Southwest Conference with the Cougars. UH played six of the seven games before joining the SWC. Only the Baylor Final Four game has been...