The Rob will be jumping later on today as the 2010 edition of my fave college team takes to the field for its most eagerly awaited season opener in years to play the Texas State Bobcats. For those of you with long gridiron memories, it's President Lyndon B. Johnson's alma mater, the school formerly known as SW Texas State.
My Coogs climbed as high as a number 12 ranking in the polls before having a rough end to the season. There was a lot of positive momentum in wake of a 10-4 season despite the downer of losses in the C-USA title game and the Armed Forces Bowl meltdown.
During the offseason the plans were unveiled for a new stadium, a talented recruiting class came in, some attention from the Mountain West as a possible expansion target and Head Coach Kevin Sumlin got a well deserved contract extension to stay here through the 2015 season. The love from the Mountain West is fine and we're becoming a big sports fish in the C-USA pond, but we Cougar alums remember our old Southwest Conference days when we were the best collegiate team in the Lone Star State, not those burnt orange clad poseurs at Longhorn Elementary.
The goal is to build back to elite level and never let it slip once we get there to the point where we will get elite conference membership like the Big 12 or SEC.
Case Keenum is back for his senior season along with much of that high octane number one NCAA ranked offense that helped us win the C-USA West Division title. We know they can score and the offense is now under former UH alum Jason Phillips who was an all-SWC receiver back in the day. He also played for and coached under Jack Pardee, John Jenkins, Dennis Green, Dan Reeves and Sherm Lewis..
The concern as always for Cougar fans will be the defense. Our new defensive coordinator Brian Stewart has installed a 3-4 alignment that we hope will STOP the other teams from scoring more often this year.
A shot at a BCS bowl is the goal, and in the initial preseason poll UH is in the 'others receiving votes' category at number 30, just five spots short of the Top 25, so we're on people's radar screens. If they get off to a good start that will change before the year is out.
And now, the UH fight song!
Good luck Coach K and my UH footballers. Eat 'em up!
