Last season, UH usually wilted in the 3rd quarter. The Cougars were outscored 116-55 in the 3rd and in eleven of 12 games, UH scored 7 points or less (shutout 4 times). One way or another, Houston was outcoached or outplayed or just worn down. With a laundry list of things to choose from, it was one of the most damning things about the 2019 team.
But in the 3rd quarter of the 2020 opener, the Cougars looked much different. UH outscored Tulane 21-7 in the period. How different is that? In exactly four years (10/8/2016 – 10/8/2020), UH outscored just one team by 14 points in the 3rd quarter (Navy 2018).
What changed? Coming out of the half in the Tulane game, the Cougars were poised, had a game plan, and executed it.
As important as any of it was the play of Clayton Tune. Tune went 7/7 in the third, a remarkable turnaround after going 12/24 in the first half with two INTs and a strip-sack for a Tulane TD.
Here is Clayton Tune’s spray chart for the third quarter. On our spray charts, we look at how far the ball is thrown and not the ultimate distance of a play:
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