The Houston Cougar offense had gone missing for several weeks, getting shutout in back-to-back games. There was no real hope for a turnaround in sight. A rotation at quarterback did not return the results the coaching staff had hoped for against Iowa State.
Zeon Chriss was given the start against TCU and didn’t look back. Despite a stumble on the first drive, Chriss led the offense to a combined 120 yards and two touchdowns on the next two drives, ending the long scoring drought and providing a boost to the team and fanbase.
While Chriss wasn’t reviving the old run-and-shoot offense, he was effective when asked to throw. There was an emphasis on getting the ball out quickly, as Chriss’s 2.41 average time to throw (ATTT) was the quickest for a Coog starting quarterback since D’Eriq King in 2017. To compare, Donovan Smith had an ATTT of over 3 seconds in the previous two games.
The average depth of target (ADOT) was only 4.1 yards, but that aligns with getting the ball out quickly. He averaged over nine yards a completion, meaning the playmakers on the outside were doing their part after the catch.
This game was the first time all season that the Coog offense finished with a positive EPA/play (expected points added). I’ve mentioned this stat in the past, and it is a good measure of offensive efficiency. While the Rice game was flashier because of the big plays, the output against TCU was a healthier version of what you want the offense to be going forward.
Zeon’s 71-yard touchdown run showed his burst and his big-play ability. The team rushed for over 200 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per play. The only real knock for the offense was their three fumbles on the day, but they managed to recover all three.
The eye test confirmed the stats: Watching the TCU game was the first time all season that the team might have some identity on offense. Chriss’s athletic ability will be the engine the offense is built around. The plays they ran made sense for the team on the field.
With Chriss at the helm, there is a scheme that can fit the roster around him and utilize his strengths. We saw a vanilla version of that scheme against TCU, which allowed him to get comfortable. They flashed some RPO wrinkles; I expect to see more going forward.
And the more reps and comfort Chriss gets, the more the passing game should open up. On two of the three sacks he took against TCU, there were receivers open that he could have hit. With film study and more snaps, things will slow down for him, and he’ll be able to make decisions and those short completions for positive yardage.
Kansas is struggling, and Chriss and the offense have an opportunity to continue the momentum they started in Fort Worth. It’s been almost two years since UH won back-to-back games, and another road win would solidify Chriss as the starter.