Football

Cage Rage brings excitement to TDECU Stadium

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The captains of the team taught the students a new chant on Thursday night, which the team will perform in-front of the student section pregame every week. | Justin Tijerina/The Cougar

Bringing everyone one step closer to Saturday’s big home opener, the Cougars held the second-annual “Cage Rage” Thursday night at TDECU Stadium.

“It was definitely an improvement from last year,” junior Kimberly Chairez said. “I love the fact that they taught the fight song and alma mater to everybody.”

On a day declared as “Tom Herman Day” in Houston by Mayor Annise Parker, the football team brought relentless fire and emotion to the many students in attendance.

“We play for you and it’s important to understand how hard we’ve worked for you,” Herman said. “We’ve literally bled, sweat and poured our emotion out to make the University of Houston proud of our representation of them.”

Following in the steps of the H-Town Takeover movement, both Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Hunter Yurachek and President Renu Khator talked about the need of the students and fans to be in strong force for all the home games this season.

“Friends do not let friends stay home on Saturday,” Khator said. “We have the best team, coaches and student-athletes in the country and the nation’s eyes are on us to show them this Saturday.”

Herman echoed this sentiment when he took the stage after the playing of the alma mater by the Spirit of Houston.

“We have fulfilled our commitment with our sweat and blood, we have poured our heart mind and body on the practice field, and your job to reciprocate that is to just show up,” Herman said.

The leadership and differences Herman brought compared to the previous regime were easily felt by the students in attendance.

“He’s definitely bought along the spirit to campus,” Chairez said. “I know coming in as a freshman it was pretty meh, but now the spirit around the football program has changed. There’s people who come on tours just because of the football program.”

Saturday will show just how much of an impact Herman’s commitment to the city and embracing of the school has taken effect, but Chairez said it’s already a success.

“The H-Town Takeover has spread around Houston.”

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2 Comments

  • Excited to see this continue to grow! i’d love to see it become something that happens the week of any home game. Also saw they’re beginning a new pregame ritual between the players and students, in the video it looked awesome but i couldn’t understand what they were saying. Just graduated in May so sitting somewhere other than the student section is gonna be an adjustment

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