 |
|
| Sunday, August 12 Updated: August 14, 8:39 AM ET Houston has a problem -- who will play QB? By Eric Crawford Special to ESPN.com |
||||||||||
|
Houston Cougars 2000 record: 3-8 (2-5) Coach: Dana Dimel (2nd year, 3-8). Starters returning: 8 offense, 6 defense, 1 kicker. Outlook: The Cougars have one of the top receiving corps in the nation with Brian Robinson, KeyKowa Bell and Orlando Iglesias. But who will throw to them? With QB Jason McKinley graduated, second-year coach Dana Dimel has a decision to make between walk-on Kelly Robertson, converted DB Alvin Lee or Bubba Teague, who is the only one of the three to play for the Cougars last season. Dimel has to replace a star on defense as well, with LB Wayne Rogers departed. Just one lineman returns, but that's not necessarily bad news, and four of five starters are back in the secondary. Dimel has some speed to work with and has had some success recruiting. The Cougars are on their way back, but may be a year away from getting there. Special teams are an area of concern. Houston made just 10 of 21 field goal tries last season. Keep an eye on: Orlando Iglesias. He's an All-American candidate who missed 10 games last season but comes back on a medical hardship. He's caught 155 passes for 2,051 yards in his career. The 6-3, 220-pound senior is as tough to cover as anybody in the league, and explosive enough to put on a show whenever the ball comes to him. Key game: TCU in Houston on Sept. 29. Not only is it the Cougars' conference opener, but a chance to welcome the cross-state rival Horned Frogs to the league. It's a good year if... Houston can get good quarterback play, improve on defense and manage a winning record. The early part of the schedule isn't easy -- Georgia, Texas and TCU -- but if they come thorugh that stretch in good shape, they get a conference schedule with four of their seven games at home. Eric Crawford covers Conference USA for the Louisville Courier-Journal. |
| |||||||||
