The class of the days of “H-Town Takeover” is waning away for Houston. While some redshirt seniors may stay onboard for the 2020 season, the majority of the recruiting class of 2015 is gone. Bunches of the 2016 one is fading away.
On Saturday, the Cougars will say farewell to over a dozen seniors: tight end Bo Alexander, safety Darius Gilbert, long snappers Nick Wildberger and Anthony Cantu, punter Dane Roy, linebacker Jordan Milburn, offensive lineman Kordell Snyder and defensive linemen Leroy Godfrey, Blake Young and Aymiel Fleming.
The thought of leaving UH hasn’t quite hit the one departing senior defensive starter, Fleming. There is still football to be played.
“Maybe I’ll feel it after the game, or even during it at some point in time,” Fleming said. “But right now, I don’t know. I guess it’s just a lot of preparation to be done, so I’m kind of thinking about that more than thinking about my last college hoorah.”
Fleming won’t talk for others. However, the sentiment in the Cougars’ locker room is not about leaving. It’s about beating No. 24 Navy (8-2, 6-1) American Athletic Conference).
He, along with others, figure they still have football to play.
Fleming, who will graduate in spring with a degree in supply chain logistics, has his eyes set on the NFL.
But not before accomplishing his final task as a Cougar: closing out a 4-7 (2-5 AAC) campaign with a win.
“It’s weird,” Fleming said. “Afterward, it may be a little different, but for now, it’s just preparing for football.”
Call that one last college hoorah, even if the 6-foot-3, 295-pound defensive tackle isn’t thinking about it.