Houston head coach Willie Fritz talks to the team during the end of practice, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. | Osar Herrera/ The Cougar
Houston football practiced in TDECU Stadium for the first time during the 2024 preseason camp last Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in their preparations.
Construction of the new Football Operations Center kept the team from entering the stadium until this point. The Cougars have taken the most reps on the team’s grass practice field and the indoor facility.
Now with less than two weeks until the season kicks off the Cougars are embracing change, building endurance and attempting to maintain their health.
“We are trying to give our guys different environments to play in and practice in, so they are used to everything,” head coach Willie Fritz said. “But we want to have a true home-field advantage and that is why we got to practice in TDECU.”
Since the beginning of preseason practice, Fritz has applauded his team’s ability to adapt to change, a skill that will continue to be necessary throughout the season. Now that they are over the initial hump and more than ten practices in for the season, Houston knows what it means to put in the work before game day regardless of the environment.
“You want to practice physical and furious, but you want to stay on your feet, “ Fritz said. “Nobody wants to hurt their teammate and you got to be smart to do that.”
However, non-contact injuries have shaped up to be the demise of the Cougars running back group which looked to be a stronghold for Houston’s offense. Senior Tony Mathis Jr. tore his ACL during camp.
Last season, Mathis appeared in 10 games for Houston, with two starts. Before his time in Houston, the rusher spent four seasons with West Virginia.
Redshirt freshman Steve Polk also suffered an Achilles injury that will cause him to miss the season.
However, the Cougars return redshirt freshman Re’Shaun Standford II, who suffered a season-ending knee injury during last year’s preseason, junior Stacey Sneed and sophomore Parker Jenkins. Jenkins led the Cougars with 464 rushing yards last season and started in eight contests.
Houston welcomed freshmen running backs DJ Butler and J’Marion Burnette.
“I think two freshman backs are going to be great,” Fritz said. “Their first-day going semi-life situation was in the stadium, so we got two more guys at the toughest position in football.”
Redshirt freshman quarterback Caleb McMickle with be joining the two injured backs on the sideline after undergoing a season-ending ACL injury.
“I didn’t want to see anyone get hurt. It’s one of the only bad things about football,” Fritz said “However, I know these guys will work hard and come back.”
Houston will look to adapt and establish their depth chart and get more work in at TDECU in the days leading up to their Aug. 31 season opener against UNLV in front of their home crowd.
