What happened in Manhattan can be summarized in one word — embarrassing! No fight. No energy. No excitement. No execution.
the daily #91 | 10/30/2023 | Archives
Kansas State rolled through the Cougars and never looked back. It was 28-0 at halftime, and it turned into a 41-0 shutout. Yuck!
It was two steps backward for the Cougars following a week where they showed some promise and gave fans hope for the future. The Wildcats pancaked some Cougars, passed the ball at will, and just flat-out shut UH down.
Houston came out with a dud for the second straight week in a row. The difference this week was UH did not rally. It showed no flash. It showed no fight. The game’s outcome was decided by the middle of the second quarter.
Quarterback Donovan Smith went 13-of-28 for 88 yards. It was by far his worst performance as a member of the Houston Cougars. UH’s leading receiver was Samuel Brown, who caught four balls for 49 yards.
Already down 14-0, the Cougars were given a gift by Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson when he fumbled deep into the Wildcats’ own territory. Instead of taking advantage of it, Houston lost two yards and settled for a long Jack Martin field goal that was pushed left by the wind. UH never got a better chance to score again.
It’s the case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for Houston. One week, UH can show promise; heck, one quarter, it can look like a Power Five program, and then the next, it looks like a bottom-of-the-barrel team. Frustrating.
Against Kansas State, it was all Mr. Hyde. Ugly.
The Cougars’ next opponent is Baylor. The Bears will enter the game with a similar 3-5 record following the loss to Iowa State this past Saturday. Houston must win three out of its last four games to become bowl-eligible.
Can Houston win at least three games? Sure. Does anyone currently believe it will do so? Only a few. The Cougars may prove the rest of us wrong.
Going back to last week, though, this is why there is so much angst with the football team. The truth is Houston fans are in a toxic relationship with their head coach and this program. Enough with the flashes, consistency is all they ask for.
Perhaps it is followers of the program that are fools for expecting the team to change.
