New head coach Kevin Sumlin won’t be the only one adjusting to a different playing field this season.
When the Cougars have their season opener at home against Southern on Saturday, the UH student section will have a new location among the confines of Robertson Stadium.
"The student section has been changed in conjunction with the football team changing locker rooms," Chris Burkhalter, UH associate Athletics director, said in a press release.
"The first thing the football team needs to see and hear is the student section support, therefore, the students have been moved so they are closer to the new entrance the football team will use when entering the field."
The new student section is still located on the East side of the facility, but has moved from the South end of the stadium to the North end.
The student section will now stretch across sections 114-115, 117-119 and 217- 219 of the stadium, with the Upper End Zone bleachers available for overflow seating.
As a result, students will surround the tunnel entrance the football team takes onto the field, as they have in the past.
"That’s what players need to see when they hit the field," said Melissa Brinz, a communication senior. "They need to see their fellow student body cheering them on."
Brinz said the relocation of the student section highlights the importance of student support and school pride and the impact it can have on the success of the team.
"The student body needs to support the Cougars to victory, and why not have the (student) section bigger and closer to the players?" she said.
In six home games last season, the average attendance was 20,955 fans per game, a number the University looks to increase this season.
"I hope the students realize that the Coogs need their support," Brinz said. "I think this is something that has needed to happen for a long time."
Senior music major Lance Laster, who plays trombone in the Spirit of Houston Marching band, agrees that student attendance at home games is something the Athletics Department should work on improving this year.
He said that the marching band, which sits in the student section during football games, helps bring students to the stadium and also keeps them involved in the game.
"(The students) are so close to us, they can see and hear what we’re doing, and a lot of times they’ll catch on (to the cheers)," he said. "I like being close to the students and stuff. They’re on the same page with us, because I’m a student, too."
To access the new seating, students must enter the stadium at Gate 10 along the East side of the stadium. UH Main Campus students will still be able to attend each home game for free with a valid Cougar1 ID card.
Burkhalter said all other game-day operations will remain the same. Students at UH main campus as well as satellite campuses can purchase up to four guest tickets for each home game at $10 each from the ticket office in the Athletic/Alumni Center with a valid ID.
The 2008 season kicks off with the home opener at 6 p.m. on Aug. 30, when the Cougars face off against Southern.
