The Cougars returned for practice #5 after a day off on Sunday. Counting today’s practice, UH will work out 16 of the next 19 days. Today, the team worked out inside the Indoor Practice Facility for almost an hour before heading outside for the second hour. Tomorrow’s schedule should be similar.
Basketball trainer John Houston was at practice on Monday. He spent much of his time between the practice fields talking with football’s Director of Strength & Performance, Kurt Hester. I would love to hear that conversation.
Willie Fritz uses a sound system for virtually all of practice. With his hoarse voice, it makes it easier for everyone. He will coach players up over the microphone, but when he really wants to hammer home a point, he’ll drop the mic and talk directly to the player. Would love to hear that conversation, too.
Sherman Smith sprained his right ankle not long after the team went outside. It happened in a run-game simulation when his ankle was rolled up on a tackle by Zavian Tibbs. Smith was heavily taped and iced in the training tent for the rest of practice.
Today’s news about UH and Rice mutually agreeing to drop two years of the Bayou Bucket (2026 and 2027) is not surprising when you know the reasons. Sure, it’s about getting one more home game (the 2027 schedule was a problem with the road game at Rice and playing the opener at NRG Stadium vs. LSU). But it’s also about squaring the playing field and aligning with the Big 12 scheduling model.
The Big 12 calls for a P5 (P4 now) game, a G5 game, and an FCS game. UH will not play an FCS team this season. Last year, UH did not have an FCS game, and they didn’t have one the year before, either. When Houston hosts SFA on August 30, 2025, it will have been nearly four years since UH last played an FCS team (Grambling 2021).
Why is that a big deal? Other teams in the conference get a game each year to play lots of guys on their roster in a home game. Meanwhile, UH has played five down-to-the-wire OCC games in the last two seasons, meaning they haven’t given the younger guys that playing time. And if you swapped out Rice 2023 and Kansas 2022 for FCS teams, you probably have two extra wins.
I’m certain that UH will be the only team in the country that goes three years without an FCS game. There’s no reason for that to happen. In addition to everything above, I think this also shows that there’s no romance about the Bayou Bucket ‘rivalry’ anymore. It hasn’t been an equal exchange in a long time and UH has to look out for UH.
One of Fritz’s maxims is that “the Coogs don’t beat the Coogs.” When an OL jumped in 11-on-11, the players all chanted, “The Coogs don’t beat the Coogs.” It seems that the team is buying in.
Receiver Marquis Shoulders scored a TD late in Saturday’s practice in 11-on-11 but tweaked his right leg on the play. He was held out of practice today as a precaution. In the Fritz system, players being held out wear a yellow jersey. Devan Williams, another Tulsa transfer, was also held out today for an unknown reason.
Fritz loves to run kick return drills. He’s active in all special teams but he really enjoys kick return. A bunch of players have been running back kicks – today, Fritz singled out returner Teagan Wilk (ECU transfer) for “an outstanding session.”
In interviews, running backs told us that Re’Shaun Sanford is twitchy. Parker Jenkins said that Sanford is “one of the quickest people I’ve ever seen.” That was on display today in 7-on-7 and run-game simulations. He’s got a shiftiness to him, and he senses when the hole is going to open, and explodes through it.
It seems the receivers have dropped a lot of passes near the LOS. That said, Willie bragged on his receiving corps today following a question from the new Daily Cougar sports editor, Camryn Alberigo.
Tidbits: In 11-on-11 Monday, Brandon Mack had a strip, and JD Rhym had a pass breakup. I keep hearing good things about nose tackle Keith Cooper Jr. Sam Secrest was running second-team center today.
