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After action report: Cougars lost direction in second half

Senior quarterback Kyle Postma runs the ball at TDECU Stadium on Thursday night in the Cougars’ 42-38 loss against the Memphis Tigers. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar

The Cougars have lost to another conference opponent after completely melting down in the second half of the game against the Memphis Tigers on Thursday. At 2-2 in conference play, the Cougars are now left to wonder if they can still make a run for the American Athletic Conference championship at the end of the season.

Now that fans and the team have had time to cool down and recover from the loss at home, it’s time to dissect what happened on Thursday night and figure out how the Tigers pulled off their second-half comeback.

Quarterback Kyle Postma

Stats during game: 29-40 315 yards 1TD, 1INT

Head coach Major Applewhite has tried to limit Postma’s decision-making to prevent turnovers. So far, it hasn’t worked. Postma has thrown six interceptions in four starts this season, including two each against SMU and Tulsa.

His 315 yards passing and 29 completions against Memphis may have been career highs, but they didn’t help him in the last two minutes when he turned the ball over twice to end the game.

Although he led the team to 17 points in the first half and a shootout with Memphis in the second, Postma still failed to find the same magic from that miraculous comeback win in 2015. This time it was Memphis who found magic and capitalized on key turnovers by Postma and Applewhite’s decision to punt on fourth and inches to take the lead with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Houston Defense

Allowed: 501 total yards, 4 rushing TD, 42 second half points

The defense looked good in the first half. Not only did they hold Memphis to zero points, but it allowed just eight rushing yards. The Cougars’ defense looked to be back to glory by holding the Tigers’ offense to one-of-eight third down efficiency and 12:56 of time of possession.

Defensive tackle Ed Oliver even had a big sack in the first half, which made it seem as if the Cougars were going to roll their 17-point lead into the second half and continue dominating. But everything changed when Memphis came out firing down the field and never looked back after its first score in the third quarter.

Memphis scored 42 in the second half. Led by senior quarterback Riley Ferguson, Memphis was able to score at will and completely dominated the Cougars’ defense for the rest of the game.

Senior quarterback Riley Ferguson

Stats during game: 33-53 471 yards 1TD, 1INT

Taking over for Paxton Lynch is no easy task, but Ferguson has made the transition look easy. Ferguson has led Memphis to a ranked season and a lead in the AAC West, and the team is now bowl-eligible.

This game was no different for the quarterback, who already has more than 2,000 passing yards and 20 touchdowns this season.

Although he was held scoreless in the first half, Ferguson finished the game with 471 yards in the air and a touchdown. The 6-foot-4-inch senior was instrumental in the Tigers’ 42-point comeback in the second half.

Ferguson’s 21-yard touchdown pass came with 1:28 left in the game, and it was the nail in the coffin for the Cougars, who couldn’t get out of their own way.

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2 Comments

  • Applewhite = Levine. Its the same formula, same results. We wanted to keep Levine because we wanted to have “continuity” We see how that in-house hire worked. Great talent, non-productive on the field. We hired Apple to sustain the “H-town Takeover”. I see the same results. Our Defense has saved us the last 3 years. Todd Orlando was a better choice, but due to him not having any Texas ties, we kept Applewhite. I hate to say it but until we get in to a P5 conference we will have to keep hiring coaches who are going to win and leave in 2-3 years. The only coaches who will stay are coaches who have been fired, want to settle down and appreciate where they are such as Briles, Leach, Les Miles, Charlie Strong, Chip Kelly.. With anyone of these coaches right now UH would be 7-0. All 3 loses came at the coaches decision to make adjustments or switching of the QB. We will lose the next 2 away games and finish out 5-6. So sad to watch. So sad to watch our stadium so empty. So sad to watch Applewhite’s boring demeanor and dry sense of humor translate to the field. Come on Coogs, Shock the world.

  • There is no doubt in my mind that Applewhite is a first year head coach with a steep learning curve to be a head coach of a P5 or major G5 program. Many folks around Texas believed Major’s first head coaching position should have been at North Texas, Texas State, UTEP, etc NOT UH! He is not ready for prime time but has more upside than Levine. Give MA 2-3 more years with the right DC and things will be better; .The real problem with UH football is our Defensive Coordinator ….You dont lose to Tulsa in the second half and then let Memphis score 42 points at will in the second half. If Todd Orlando was the DC this wouldnt have happen with current roster of players. UH had enough offense to win….The DC is the real problem, no doubt about it….FYI, Some smart P5 or G5 school is going to make Todd Orlando their head coach and have a Defense that will consistently win championships..Everybody knows that coach Herman cant win at Texas without him and his assistants…..
    So Coogs, at least beat ECU, Tulane(wont be easy) and UH will be bowl eligible….any first year head coach wants to make it to a bowl game to show value and this program needs to play in any bowl game to show recruits and fans some success even if it isnt a NY6 bowl game but instead a newly created Frisco Bowl in Dallas that seats 20,000 fans…Its better than no bowl….

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