Willie Fritz Highlights Offense, Points to Secondary After Georgia Southern Win
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The No. 20 Houston Cougars took care of business against Georgia Southern, winning 42-28.
However, Houston head coach Willie Fritz is still concerned with some aspects of the game.
Here is what he had to say in the postgame press conference and upcoming game for the Cougars.
Fritz Proud of Clock Control, But Knows The Issues On Defense
First, Fritz complimented the Cougars' offense by highlighting its ability to convert plays when it mattered.
"Did a sensational job controlling the clock, controlling the ball and converting on third down," Fritz said. "I'm just really proud of our run game, pass game."
Quarterback Conner Weigman threw for 239 yards and four touchdowns while running back Re'Shaun Sanford II ran for 120 yards on 17 carries. Wide receiver Trent Walker had his best game of the season with 83 yards and a touchdown on six catches.
However, Fritz also talked about the secondary being a liability to the defense. In total, Houston's defense allowed 355 yards, 289 yards in the air and 66 on the ground.
The run defense for the Cougars has been one of the best in the conference, allowing only 63.5 rushing yards per game. The pass defense has been struggling and Fritz acknowledged that in the postgame press conference.
"There's three or four times we had a chance to shut the door and make a play and we didn't quite do it," Fritz said.
Houston's secondary allowed multiple big plays that kept the Eagles in the game. Quarterback Max Johnson connected with wide receiver Alex Taylor for a 40-yard touchdown for Georgia Southern's first points of the game.
Taylor ended the game with 119 yards and two touchdowns on six catches. Additionally, Johnson had a 70.3 quarterback rating.
The pass defense is second-to-last in the Big 12, allowing 262.3 yards per game in the air. This uneven dynamic between the offense and defense is something the Cougars need to clean up quickly.
The next big challenge Houston will face is against No. 13 Utah on Oct. 24, a team that averages 491.3 total yards per game. The Utes' quarterback Devon Dampier has thrown for 896 yards and nine touchdowns while completing 70.3% of his passes.
The good news for Fritz is that the offense looks to be one of the best in the conference. However, he made it clear that Houston might have to become reliant on its defense.
"There's going to be a game where we're relying on the defense like crazy. Maybe the offense is stalling," Fritz said.
If the Cougars want to be a top team in the Big 12, Fritz and company will have to fix the secondary.
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Micah Clay is a staff writer for the Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a freshman at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Administration. He also works for The Cougar organization. You can find Clay on his Instagram(@mcjosh_btw_podcast)