3 X Factors When Houston Plays TCU
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Fresh off a bye, the Houston Cougars should be healthy and recovered after a hard-fought game against the UCF Knights that was a nail-biter.
With the extra rest and preparation through an additional week of practice, evaluating the film of TCU and discussing the best way to execute were among the main topics for Houston's star players.
Going against a program coached by Sonny Dykes will not be a light task, as he is a critical thinker who has a ton of magic in his bag of tricks, but none of it can stop these three athletes from exploding on Saturday.
Kentrell Webb, Defensive Back
Junior stud from Katy, Texas, Kentrell Webb, has been one of the key players who has been the heart and soul of the Houston defense. Against UCF, he had a notable day on the field if you look at what the paper said about what he did, locking in on one of the Knights' biggest weapons. In the last road trip, he registered five total tackles, where three of those counted as solo tackles.
Bringing down ball carriers who were barreling ahead was something he excelled at, contributing to two assists. One area of Webb’s game that has improved throughout the year is his ability to use his eyes to read where the quarterback wants to throw the ball.
Coming off his first game where he recorded an interception, he will play with a boost of energy and confidence, which carries over as he faces a great TCU receiver room. Contested balls will give Webb another opportunity to go up in the air and show off his great hands. It plays a role in the Cougars' secondary.
Amare Thomas, Wide Receiver
When Cougars’ QB Conner Weigman drops back to pass and observes the field, his eyes instantly go to Houston’s best WR, Amare Thomas, because he is dependable to catch the ball.
His numbers prove that, as he sits at 45 receptions for 737 yards and eight touchdowns. Unfortunately for Houston, hearing the news that Stephon Johnson would be out for the rest of the season, the burden fell on Thomas to figure out how to continue improving the pass offense each week.
There have been three games where Thomas has reached the 100-yard mark, and last Friday was one of those games. He reaches it again. Since the Cougars need to establish early success, taking deep shots downfield will be where Thomas excels. He averages 16.4 yards per catch, so Thomas will have routes designed for him to rack up yards after the catch. His momentum and chemistry with Weigman carry over.
Ethan Sanchez, Kicker
Finding a quality kicker in the transfer portal can be a challenging process, but for coach Willie Fritz, he hit the jackpot as Ethan Sanchez has been highly reliable when needed. In multiple scenarios, he has risen to the occasion when the Cougars have required him to nail kicks in must-have games.
Look at how many of the games on the schedule have had outcomes for Houston where it needed the Dallas, Georgia, native to knock a handful of kicks through the uprights. Those games pile up. Colorado. Oregon State. UCF. Plenty more games.
Sanchez has an 86.4 field goal percentage and an extra point percentage of 100 percent. From 20 to 39 yards out, he is also automatic, going 9 for 9. Not too shabby. With 19 of his 22 attempts successfully converted, he might once again need to keep Houston’s Big 12 Championship hopes on the line. Expect consistently and comfort from No. 92 to do his job.
Kolton Becker is a journalist for Texas A&M Aggies and Houston Cougars On SI from Port Lavaca, Texas. He is a graduate from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural communications and journalism and a minor in sport management. As a former sports reporter with TexAgs and The Battalion, he has covered Texas A&M football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, track & field, cross country, swim & dive and equestrian. In his spare time, he loves to hunt, fish, cook, do play-by-play announcing at high school sporting events, spend time with family/friends as well as be involved with his local church.
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