SB Nation Houston - Cougs Pull Away Late, Down Green Wave, 42-23https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46691/houston-fave.png2010-09-26T08:58:14-05:00http://houston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/14755072010-09-26T08:58:14-05:002010-09-26T08:58:14-05:00Houston Too Much For Tulane, 42-23
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/31pUoLi4JWTyFcdN7Qz5cKCdRMg=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828119/large_houston.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
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<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Bryce Beall ran for 123 yards and scored four touchdowns to lead the Houston Cougars to a 42-23 victory over the Tulane Green Wave in a Conference USA showdown at Robertson Stadium.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Freshman Terrance Broadway, making his first career start, completed 19-of-28 passes for 174 yards with no touchdowns and a lone interception in the win for Houston (3-1, 2-0 C-USA), while James Cleveland caught four passes for 69 yards for the Cougars. Broadway stepped in for starter Case Keenum, whose season came to an end after tearing his ACL in a loss to UCLA last weekend.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Kevin Moore threw for 156 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions to lead Tulane (1-2, 0-1) in the loss, with Devin Figaro grabbing four passes for 95 yards and a score. Albert Williams gained 83 yards on the ground on just 14 carries for the Green Wave.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">A three-yard run from Beall enabled the Cougars to jump out to an early 7-0 lead.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Cougars made it 14-0 early in the second period following a one-yard Beall plunge, and found the endzone again less than two minutes later with a one- yard run from Michael Hayes.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Green Wave got on the board late in the frame, as Moore connected on a 13- yard strike to Cody Sparks.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Moore struck again just minutes later, hitting Figaro with a 36-yard toss to pull Tulane to within 21-14.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">But the Cougars responded with less than a minute remaining in the half on a one-yard Beall plunge to take a 28-14 halftime lead.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Green Wave pulled to within 28-17 late in the third period with a 29-yard Cairo Santos field goal.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Tulane then made it a 28-23 contest early in the fourth quarter with a nine- yard Payten Jason scamper.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Beall hit paydirt for the fourth time on the afternoon late in the frame courtesy of a 25-yard scamper, and the Cougars added a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown by Loyce Means with just under two minutes remaining in the contest to claim a 42-23 victory.</p>
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https://houston.sbnation.com/houston-cougars/2010/9/26/1711968/houston-too-much-for-tulane-42-23Luke Zimmermann2010-09-25T12:46:22-05:002010-09-25T12:46:22-05:00Cougars Seek Second CUSA Win Against Tulane
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/31pUoLi4JWTyFcdN7Qz5cKCdRMg=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828119/large_houston.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
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<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">FACTS & STATS: Site: Robertson Stadium (32,000) -- Houston, Texas. Television: CBSCSN. Home Record: Tulane 1-1, Houston 2-0. Away Record: Tulane 0-0, Houston 0-1. Neutral Record: Tulane 0-0, Houston 0-0. Conference Record: Tulane 0-0, Houston 0-0. Series Record: Houston leads, 11-4.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">GAME NOTES: The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/houston-cougars" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Cougars</a> begin life without their star quarterback this weekend as they welcome the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/tulane-green-wave" class="sbn-auto-link">Tulane Green Wave</a> to Robertson Stadium for a Conference USA showdown.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">In line to potentially break numerous NCAA passing records, Houston's Case Keenum was one of the players to watch this season, until that season was cut short by a torn ACL last Saturday night versus UCLA in a 31-13 loss on the road. Despite appearing in just three games in 2010, Keenum was already in the NCAA's top-10 in several categories including passing yards (13,586) and passing touchdowns (107).</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Even more bad news for the Cougars, who are now 2-1 and have fallen out of the national rankings, is that backup signal-caller <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/75741/cotton-turner" class="sbn-auto-link">Cotton Turner</a> has also seen his 2010 campaign cut short by a fractured clavicle.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Meanwhile, the Green Wave are getting back onto the gridiron following a week off. The squad slipped by Southeastern Louisiana in the season opener, 27-21, a few weeks ago but then bowed to Ole Miss in the Superdome on September 11th by a final of 27-13. This game marks the team's first road test of the season, with a trip to Rutgers coming up the first weekend of October as well.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">As for the all-time series between these two teams, Houston is ahead by a count of 11-4 after posting a 44-16 win in leas year's meeting in New Orleans. The Cougars have taken care of Tulane in seven consecutive battles.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The offense for the Green Wave is driven by aptly-named running back <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/115908/orleans-darkwa" class="sbn-auto-link">Orleans Darkwa</a> who has turned his 25 carries and 128 yards on the ground into four touchdowns for the program. While that's great news for him, it also means that no one else on the roster has made a trip into the end zone through two games. Quarterback Ryan Griffin has managed to convert 67.9 percent of his pass attempts thus far for 332 yards, with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/75852/d-j-banks" class="sbn-auto-link">D.J. Banks</a> being one of the prime targets down the field with his 13 catches for 150 yards. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/16311/casey-robottom" class="sbn-auto-link">Casey Robottom</a> also has 13 receptions for the squad, but his grabs have resulted in only 89 yards. Despite the efforts of Darkwa, Tulane's running game ranks 10th in the conference and 100th in the nation at this stage with a mere 108.5 ypg, the offense overall coming in at 111th in the country with an average of 282 ypg which places it last in C-USA heading into the fourth week of action.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Last year, the Tulane defense was one of the worst in not only Conference USA, but also the nation as it gave up a whopping 36.7 ppg to place 115th among the members of the Football Bowl Subdivision. Things are a little better right now with the group permitting just 24 ppg, but the Green Wave has yet to square off against any of the heavy hitters in the league. Through the first two games of the season, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/35886/trent-mackey" class="sbn-auto-link">Trent Mackey</a> has seemingly hit everything that moves, coming up with 27 total tackles, his 15 solo stops more than all but two of his teammates have total takedowns thus far. Mackey also leads the team with three tackles for loss and has one of their three forced fumbles. Somewhat disappointing is the squad's mere 1.5 sacks per game, placing them 10th in the conference and 83rd in the country right now. Another area that could use some attention is the pass defense which currently ranks 99th in the nation with an efficiency rating of 145.37.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Getting knocked out of the top-25 was one thing, but to watch both Keenum and Turner go down with season-ending injuries last weekend was too much to bear for the Houston faithful. Keenum, who threw for more than 5,000 yards and led the NCAA in total offense the last two seasons, was injured when trying to make a tackle following one of the interceptions he delivered. After Turner went to the locker room with his injury head coach Kevin Sumlin was forced to bring in redshirt quarterback <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/115617/terrance-broadway" class="sbn-auto-link">Terrance Broadway</a> who eventually led the Cougars to their first touchdown of the night. Clearly the depth chart at the quarterback position will have to be heavily scrutinized this week in order to give the Cougars the best chance to compete, but it won't be easy as coach Sumlin deals with inexperience at the position. With all of that uncertainty under center, seeing running backs <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36249/bryce-beall" class="sbn-auto-link">Bryce Beall</a> (five TDs) and Michael Hayes (four) get their hands on the ball more often is almost a given.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Against a desperate UCLA squad that had opened the season with a couple of setbacks, the Cougars fought an uphill battle as the offense sputtered and the defense tried to maintain respectability. The group did hold the Bruins scoreless in the fourth quarter, but that was only after the home team registered 31 straight points in the rout. The run defense was touched for 266 yards and four touchdowns, so perhaps the pass defense giving up only 99 yards and picking off a <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/38189/kevin-prince" class="sbn-auto-link">Kevin Prince</a> pass wasn't all that impressive. With the offense being revamped it will be the defense that will have to step up and take some of the hits for the Cougars until further notice and that's where a guy like <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36263/marcus-mcgraw" class="sbn-auto-link">Marcus McGraw</a> comes in after leading the group in total tackles (23) and coming up with two forced fumbles and a couple of recoveries for Houston. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/15609/matt-nicholson" class="sbn-auto-link">Matt Nicholson</a> will also be asked to continue his strong play with a couple of fumble recoveries and an interception through three games.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Perhaps the element of surprise at quarterback could be enough to get the Cougars back into the win column, but revamping the offense to fit a new set of skills won't be an easy task and there will be some growing pains for the program.</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/2010/9/25/2321577/cougars-seek-second-cusa-win-against-tulaneLuke Zimmermann