Texas Tech quarterback Donovan Smith warms up earlier than a sport Iowa State, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. Smith transferred to Houston within the offseason and the frontrunner for beginning QB duties in 2023. Charlie Neibergall, Related Press
Houston coach Dana Holgorsen seems to be on the scoreboard throughout sport towards South Florida, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Houston. Michael Wyke, Related Press
Editor’s observe: Thirteenth in a sequence previewing every crew within the Large 12.
What do the Houston Cougars deliver to the Large 12?
There’s that vast media market, the fertile recruiting space, and a top-flight males’s basketball program that has flirted with an NCAA championship the previous few years.
On the soccer subject, Houston brings a fiery coach, Dana Holgorsen, who ought to make post-game information conferences fascinating even when the Cougars don’t make a lot noise within the standings their first yr within the Energy 5 convention.
“The schedule is difficult, however it's what we’ve signed up for, so let’s go.” — Houston coach Dana Holgorsen
Holgorsen faces a little bit of a rebuilding undertaking within the Bayou Metropolis, after the Cougars have been imagined to be actually good final yr however have been simply barely above common, ending with an 8-5 report, 5-3 within the American Athletic Convention.
Gone are veteran QB Clayton Tune and his favourite goal, Nathaniel “Tank” Dell, and a bunch of different veterans who have been seemingly on monitor to make 2022 the Cougars’ yr, till defensive struggles doomed them to a little bit of a disappointment.
As accidents and penalties mounted, and after the Cougars gave up a whopping 77 factors to SMU on Nov. 5 — the identical SMU crew that might muster solely 23 factors in a one-point loss to BYU within the New Mexico Bowl — Holgorsen had some explaining to do.
“I want to educate higher,” he usually mentioned.
The previous West Virginia coach, who brings that Energy 5 teaching expertise with him into the Large 12, is simply 27-20 in 4 seasons at Houston, however doesn’t consider he’s on the recent seat. He signed a contract extension after the 2021 season wherein the Cougars went 12-2 general, 8-0 within the AAC, and knocked off Auburn in a bowl sport.
Working towards the Cougars this yr is a tough schedule that features outgoing Texas — a lot to UH’s delight — at dwelling, together with TCU on Sept. 16 within the faculty’s first Large 12 matchup. Houston additionally has Holgorsen’s former faculty, West Virginia, at dwelling.
“The schedule is difficult, however it's what we’ve signed up for, so let’s go,” Holgorsen informed The Athletic.
On the prime of the to-do record when preseason coaching camp opens in August is discovering an enough substitute for Tune, who was UH’s signal-caller in 2020 when No. 14 BYU dumped the Cougars 43-26 at TDECU Stadium.
He threw for practically 12,000 yards and 104 touchdowns in a five-year profession. Battling to step into Tune’s spot are Texas Tech switch Donovan Smith and sophomore Lucas Coley. Smith is claimed to be the odds-on favourite, after a powerful spring.
A few switch receivers, Wyoming’s Joshua Cobbs and Oklahoma State’s Stephon Johnson, will give whoever wins the QB derby some succesful targets. Matthew Golden can also be again as a big-play receiver.
Operating again Alton McCaskill stood out for the Cougars in 2021, speeding for 961 yards and 16 touchdowns. However he tore his ACL and sat out your entire 2022 season, and now he’s off to Colorado to be part of Deion Sanders in Boulder.
Houston must keep away from trying previous its first two opponents and specializing in TCU in its Large 12 opener, as a result of UTSA and Rice are the kinds of instate opponents who will put every little thing they've into knocking off UH.
Texas-San Antonio gained Convention USA final yr, and is picked by many to repeat. The Roadrunners are good, as BYU present in 2020 once they virtually spoiled the Royal Cougars’ season.
Houston Cougars 2023 preview
2022 report: 8-5 (5-3 American Athletic Convention).
Native ties: None.
2023 schedule
Sept. 2 — UTSA.
Sept. 9 — at Rice.
Sept. 16 — TCU.
Sept. 23 — Sam Houston.
Sept. 30 — at Texas Tech.
Oct. 12 — West Virginia.
Oct. 21 — Texas.
Oct. 28 — at Kansas State.
Nov. 4 — at Baylor.
Nov. 11 — Cincinnati.
Nov. 18 — Oklahoma State.
Nov. 25 — at UCF.
Houston coach Dana Holgorsen seems to be on the scoreboard throughout sport towards South Florida, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Houston.
Michael Wyke, Related Press