Yes, you read the headline correctly: five ways the Houston Cougars could win the AAC title.
At the start of October that topic would have seemed absurd. Houston was reeling at 2-3 without a quality win and a loss in its first conference game of the season. Then something happened in Houston; the Cougars came back to beat Memphis on the road and stayed on the accelerator after getting a lead at home against Temple. At the time those were the two “it” teams to challenge ECU for the title. Now it’s the Cougars getting that buzz.
Can the Coogs stay the course? Here are some things I see as “must-do” for a championship run.
1. Believe You Can Keep Winning
Obviously Houston has to win games to win the conference; but it’s more than that, the Cougars need to have the confidence to build off this modest winning streak and make it into a run that lasts through the end of the season. Houston didn’t have that to start 2014. It was clearly out-classed by UTSA and BYU and seemed to lack confidence in both.
But there is something different about these Cougars in the last two weeks. Maybe something clicked or maybe coach Tony Levine has finally put the pieces of the puzzle together correctly. Whatever the case, the Cougars’ confidence must match their talent level if they want to make a serious run.
2. Get By With a Little Help from Your Friends
The Cougars don’t have to play ECU this season. That could be a blessing or a curse. The blessing is that’s one less potential conference loss. The curse is, UH will have to rely on someone else to knock off the Pirates if they want to jump into the top spot.
Let’s pretend for a moment someone does actually upset ECU; there’s still the matter of UCF to deal with. The Knights don’t have a conference loss at this point, and their win in Houston will haunt the Cougars if UCF continues to rack up wins. The Knights and Pirates end the season with a matchup in Greenville, so if ECU has gotten bit by the upset bug before December 4, the Cougars could become the biggest fans of the Pirates outside of the state of North Carolina.
3. Defense Wins Championships
When people think about the Cougars they typically think of Andre Ware, David Klinger, Case Keenum, and a high-flying offense. The Cougars are still packing a punch on the offensive side of the ball, but the defense has been the calling card in 2014. The “Third Ward Defense” led the nation in creating turnovers in 2013, and it is No. 2 so far this year with 23.
The ball-hawking Cougars were on display against Temple, with Trevon Stewart’s pick-six in the first quarter and a forced fumble at the goal line. The Cougars also lead the conference (and are 9th nationally) in forcing three-and-outs. The defense will need to continue to be strong down the stretch, but will do so without the services of starters Derrick Matthews and Lee Hightower, who both suffered season-ending injuries in the Memphis game.
4. A New Ward in Houston
The city of Houston is known for its Wards; the political and geographical districts that divide the city. As mentioned above the Cougars’ defense is nicknamed after Houston’s Third Ward. But there’s a new Ward in Houston quickly making headlines.
Greg Ward, Jr. is the Cougars’ new quarterback. A converted wide receiver, Ward took over for the struggling John O’Korn and hasn’t looked back. Ward had a coming-out party of sorts against Temple, going 29-of-33 for 268 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 62 yards and didn’t turn the ball over.
In two starts Ward has completed a whopping 75 percent of his passes. The key the rest of the season is to use him wisely. He isn’t a classic “gunslinger” quarterback, but he does provide a certain spark to this offense. In this week’s AAC Coaches Teleconference, Levine said, “Some people are born with those leadership abilities, and I think Greg Ward fits that mold.”
5. Hold Serve at Home
This is another one that sounds pretty obvious, but it hasn’t been that easy for the Cougars in their swanky new TDECU Stadium. The Cougars christened the new digs with an ugly loss to UTSA, and never got into the end zone in their loss to USF. With the big win over Temple, maybe the Coogs are finally settling in and getting the furniture arranged. What’s left on the home schedule? Tulane and Tulsa. That isn’t exactly the cream of the AAC crop, but Houston needs to prove it can consistently win at home if it wants to be in the championship conversation.
Did I miss anything or do you disagree? Please leave comments below or you can find me on Twitter: @JayinMilwaukee
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