Why the Houston Cougars Defense is Ready to Rebound Against the Cowboys
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After Week 6 of the college football season, the Houston Cougars (4-1) defense appears to be under a microscope with their recent blowout loss at the hands of the No.9 Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-0). With the Cougars' matchup against Oklahoma State this Saturday, it could be the perfect time for the Houston defense to get back on track.
During the offseason, Coach Willie Fritz and the Cougars were aggressive in acquiring defensive secondary depth in the transfer portal. With additions like Marc Stampley II and Will James, Houston had seemingly built a defense capable of contending with many programs in the Big 12.
The illusion of Houston having a top defense in the Big 12 appears to have come crashing down after the Cougars allowed over 550 yards of total offense to the Red Raiders. While Houston's first loss of the season may have exposed some weaknesses in defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong's defense, the Cougars have a prime chance to reassert their dominance this weekend.
Cougars' Secondary Key to Setting the Tone
It's an understatement to say that the Cowboys have been extremely underwhelming this season. After transfer quarterback Hauss Hejny went down with a foot injury in the team's season opener, things have only gotten worse for the Cowboys as they've been handed four straight losses, including a brutal 69-3 beatdown at the hands of the No.2 Oregon Ducks.
With the firing of long-time head coach Mike Gundy following the team's loss to Tulsa, many surrounding the Oklahoma State program don't quite know what to expect for the remainder of the season.
For the Houston defense, a struggling team like Oklahoma State presents the perfect opportunity to regain some confidence during Big 12 conference play. The Cowboys land at No.15 in the conference in both passing and rushing offense, averaging only 315.8 yards per game, and only finding the endzone this year.
The turnover battle played a large part in Houston's lopsided loss this past weekend. The Red Raiders came away with two interceptions and a fumble recovery, while the Cougars only came away with a fumble recovery early in the fourth quarter. By that point, the game was already out of hand.
During Houston's postgame press conference on Saturday, defensive back Kentrell Webb provided some encouraging statements about the Houston defense going forward.
"I feel like I missed a lot of tackles," Webb said. "We left a lot of plays out there, but we did force them, a good offense, to kick a lot of field goals, so we had a lot of pressure on us. We feel like we did what we could, but we did leave a lot of plays out there, so that's going to be the focus for next week."
When Webb was asked if the Houston defense felt like they needed a takeaway early in the game, the defensive back said that while the Cougars emphasize going after the ball, they don't need turnovers to be a good defense.
"Not necessarily," Webb answered when asked if the defense needed a takeaway to feel that they could contend with Texas Tech. "We've been trying to focus on the ball, get at the ball, rip at the ball, the opportunity just didn't present itself. I feel like we don't necessarily need that to get the game going."
With Oklahoma State's starting quarterback, Zane Flores, out with an injury he suffered last week against Arizona, Houston's defense, particularly its secondary, has the potential for a big week against the Cowboys.
