Houston DB Says Victory Over Stephen F. Austin Was 'Almost Like Practice'

Following a long and productive offseason, this Houston Cougars defensive back credits Thursday night's victory over the Lumberjacks to fundamentals and staying true to who the team is.

Aug 28, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars defensive lineman Khalil Laufau (18) celebrates with defensive back Marc Stampley II (22) after a defenisve play during the first quarter against the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Winning the season opener is one thing; holding a team scoreless through four quarters is another. For Houston football, Thursday night's victory over Stephen F. Austin was a glimpse at the capability the defensive unit has going forward through the 2025 campaign.

A strong helping of defensive pressure meant a main course of offensive firepower and the ability to keep the foot on the gas all night. Seven pass deflections, two sacks, as well as five tackles for loss put the Cougars in the driver's seat without ever having to look out for traffic.

Following such a decisive win, defensive back Marc Stampley II sat down postgame to discuss his side of such a lights-out, all-around victory on defense.

Firing On All Cylinders

Aug 28, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars defensive back Will James (15) and defensive back Kentrell Webb (8) attempt to tackle Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks wide receiver Bugs Mortimer (9) during the first quarter at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Big success is no random or sudden; it dates back to preparation and being ready to play a complete game through 60 minutes. Therefore, Houston made sure to rally its troops before kick-off and make sure that its best foot was out against the Lumberjacks.

"I feel like defensively we prepared really well," Stampley said. "We went into this game having time at camp and the good past weeks and I feel like today we were locked into our keys and our assignments. We were able to do our job and fly around and the game almost felt like practice."

Stampley and his costars put an award-winning act in their night against Stephen F. Austin, snagging two interceptions from the Lumberjacks, including one the veteran defensive back returned for 17 yards before being corralled.

"It was in a bit of man coverage playing inside, the opportunity came when the receiver broke inside, and earlier on in the game I dropped one, so I knew I had to capitalize on it," Stampley said. Capitalizing on the opportunity would be an understatement, as the Cougars' defense let up just 145 yards all game.

Additionally, the Lumberjacks managed just 105 yards through the air and earned seven first downs the whole game. Putting together a recipe for victory was paramount from the get-go for head coach Willie Fritz's squad, and it paid off in the Cougars' first shutout win since 2021.

"We as a group know what we have and what we can do at practice every day with each other," Stampley said. "We've just been working to really show the world what we have planned and what we have going on here at Houston."