Wide Receiver: After losing their top receiver of 2006 in Vincent Marshall, the Cougars will turn to seniors Donnie Avery and Jeron Harvey to head the receiving corps. Avery will be the top returning receiver after finishing an impressive 2006 campaign with 57 catches for 852 yards. In 2006, Harvey finished with 41 catches for 671 yards, which led the team in yards per catch (16.4). At 6-5 215 pounds, Harvey should provide a huge target for the quarterback.
Running Back: Senior Anthony Alridge has graduated from the role of the change-of-pace back. In just 95 attempts, Alridge netted nearly 1,000 yards and led Conference USA in yards per carry (10.1) in 2006. His touches should double this season, while freshmen Terrance Ganaway, Justin Johnson and Andre Kohn will take the carries as the backups. Alridge also led the team in all-purpose yards last season, proving to be a viable option in the receiving game after finishing 2006 with 19 catches for 274 yards.
Quarterback: Since head coach Art Briles’ arrival in 2003, the quarterback position has been one of the most stable. After losing four-year starter Kevin Kolb to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Draft, the Cougars will have a healthy competition at the position to see who will start the season under center. Sophomore Blake Joseph, red shirt freshman Case Keenum and Oklahoma State transfer Al PeÒa will all get shots at the starting job before the season opener at Oregon
Offense: The quarterback position is still a three-horse race between Blake Joseph, Al PeÒa, and Case Keenum, but whoever wins the job will be coming into an offense that is loaded on that side of the ball. Senior running back Anthony Alridge rushed for 959 yards last season after splitting time with Jackie Battle. After leading the country in yards per carry last season, Alridge looks to improve in his senior campaign.
Donnie Avery and Jeron Harvey will be the top returning receivers for the Cougars and will be the main targets at wide receiver this season. Senior Perry McDaniel and sophomore Chris Gilbert will also see time at the position. The offensive line should be solid this season with Dustin Dickinson and Jeff Akeroyd returning for their senior season. Quarterback protection should be a strong suit for the Cougars as they look to improve on the 33 sacks given up last season.
Defense: On the defense end of the ball, the Cougars will return four of their top five leading tacklers from last year along with Senior Rocky Schwartz, who led the team in tackles in 2005 (114). Senior Trent Allen and junior Cody Lubojasky will anchor what figures to be a strong group of linebackers for UH.
Junior Kenneth Fontenette and a healthy Schwartz will lead the defensive backs and also look to the likes of junior safety Ernest Miller to replace the key losses of Willie Gaston and Will Gulley in the secondary. Sophomore defensive end Phillip Hunt led the Cougars in sacks last season with eight and will look to find a way to increase that total.
Special Teams: Junior Ben Bell will be back to handle the field goal-kicking duties for the Cougars. Bell was successful on nearly 78 percent of his kicks in 2006 and led the team in total points with 93.
Last season, the team averaged 21.4 yards per kick return and 7.6 yards per punt return. Senior Anthony Alridge led the team with 603 yards on 27 returns. With Aldridge having an increased role in the backfield this season, expect the Cougars to look for contributions in the return game from the likes of Perry McDaniel and Randall Antoine.
