With an abundance of youth on their roster, a fast start was exactly what the Cougars needed Saturday.
That was not a problem, as UH crushed Northwestern State, 55-7, in front of a crowd of 22,043 at Robertson Stadium.
The Cougars pounced on the Demons early and often, holding a 28-0 lead with 2:30 left in the first quarter. They extended the lead to 41-7 at halftime, providing an opportunity for the backups to play significant minutes in the second half.
Although they have more depth and leaders this season, head coach Kevin Sumlin was pleased to see his underclassmen gain a solid amount of playing time.
‘Things were happening fast, but we need it, and it was a learning experience for a lot of players,’ Sumlin said. ‘We played a bunch of guys and it’s obvious that we’ve added some depth in youth.’
But it was far from a perfect night for most of the young Cougars.
‘We did not sustain (our fast start),’ Sumlin said. ‘We have to grow up as a team. Certainly, we have to come back this week and get our younger guys and backup guys playing at the level we need.’
A few freshmen and sophomores, including running back Charles Sims, did enjoy their playing time. The freshman emerged as another weapon in the Cougars’ offensive arsenal, leading them with 128 receiving yards on six receptions.
‘The addition of Charles Sims really helps our offense,’ Sumlin said. ‘He has great ball skills and great ball-catching abilities.’
Sims was not as effective on the ground, earning only two yards on three carries, but starting running back Bryce Beall filled the void. The sophomore rushed for 58 yards and one touchdown on nine carries.
Saturday’s most intriguing matchup may have been between Beall and Sims, as Northwestern State failed to provide much competition. Each recorded a rushing and receiving touchdown, leading Beall to reveal their friendly rivalry.
‘(Playing with Sims) is fun and exciting. It’s about competing and making both of us better,’ Beall said. ‘He scored one touchdown, and then I came in there and scored a touchdown. He said it’s one to one ‘hellip; Then it was two to two.’
Sims and Beall were not the only two underclassmen who shined Saturday.
Freshman linebacker Phillip Steward had a team-high 13 tackles, while redshirt freshman linebacker Kris Johnston recorded seven. Several freshmen defensive linemen, including Radermon Scypion and Zeke Riser, also made solid contributions.
The valuable experience provided by the blowout was made possible by the starters’ domination.
Case Keenum distributed the ball to 14 players, leading the starting offensive unit to six touchdowns in the first half. Sumlin pulled the junior quarterback early in the third quarter after Keenum had amassed 359 yards and four touchdowns.
‘We had a lot of different players who got open tonight and did some good things,’ Keenum said. ‘The offensive line did a good job of giving me some time, and the receivers got open and caught the pass.’
Despite their success in the opener, UH will need to perform at a higher level when it travels to Stillwater, Okla. to face Associated Press No. 5 Oklahoma State. The Cougars will be searching for redemption after falling to the Cowboys, 56-37, last season at Boone Pickens Stadium.
‘We had opportunities we didn’t (capitalize on) last year,’ defensive end Tyrell Graham said. ‘(Northwestern State) was a good win, but we expected this. Now we have to move on and get ready for Oklahoma State.’
