Random thoughts, numbers, and ramblings on this final home game day of the year …
A few Random Notes
- UH has allowed 20 or more points in the first half 6 times this year including in each of the last four games.
- The Cougar defense has given up more scoring drives (65) than punts forced (58 punts).
- And as we wrote for GoCoogs Insiders earlier this week, Temple’s 8 rushing TDs is the most in FBS this year. In fact, it’s only been topped 6 times in over 2500 games in FBS, FCS, D2 and D3 this combined.
Meaning, over 5,000 teams have had a chance to do it but less than .001% have.
There’s No Defense for this Defense
- In 10 games this season, the UH defense has played 866 snaps – 87 plays a game. That is a lot of work. In fact, it’s the most in FBS.
To compare, the Texas A&M defense has played 550 snaps – or the equivalent of 4 full games – less than UH. Because of Mark D’Onofrio’s bend bend bend but don’t break scheme, our defensive guys have played a 14-game schedule already.
- Which explains the injuries. And the dwindling returns. And the fact that we’ve given up 44 ppg over the last month. The D’Onofrio defense is sacrificing the health of our players.
- Speaking of D’Onofrio … as we’ve been telling you all year, UH is 124th in 1st down defense. 110th on 3rd down. 124th in the red zone. 129th in pass defense. 121 in total defense. 105th in scoring defense. Glad that the Houston Chronicle finally discovered how bad this defense has been.
But with those abysmal stats, is it any wonder we’re last in TOP and plays per game?
Rush Defense: Not Quite As Bad!
- UH is now 1-6 under Major Applewhite when the opponent has more rushing yards.
- After 4 weeks this season, UH was 28th in rush defense. Today, we’re sitting at 79th.
- Temple had 312 yards rushing (152 yards more than their season average). SMU had 196 (+66 from their average). USF had 204 (-1) and Navy had 344 (+50). That’s 3 of the last 4 with significantly more rush yards than their average.
- Tulane averages 215 rush yards. Be ready.
AAC Free-Fall
- Just 12 days ago, the Coogs were up two full games in the AAC West standings. If UH loses tonight and SMU beats Memphis tomorrow, that’s it. SMU wins the West. Who saw that coming after the USF game?
- We need to sweep Tulane and Memphis and hope SMU slips to the Tigers or at Tulsa. Tulsa has just one FBS win in their last 14 games – basically, we need help from Memphis.
Non sequitur
- Tulane is the 16th-smallest school in the FBS. After tonight we’ll have played 5 of the 16 smallest schools (Tulane, Tulsa, Navy, Rice, and SMU).
- Combined, those 5 schools have a total of 41,304 students – smaller than UH’s Fall 2018 enrollment of 46,355.
- UH’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Science is the same size as SMU and four UH colleges are larger than any of Tulsa, Navy, and Rice (CLASS, Bauer, Technology, and Natural Sciences & Mathematics).
- For what it’s worth, Memphis’ enrollment is 21,521 – less than half the size of UH.
I told you it was non sequitur.
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