Houston football players huddle together in a symbol of togetherness despite a tough start to the season. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

The Cougars had the No. 15 Oklahoma Sooners on the ropes all game, but a safety late in the fourth quarter wrecked Houston’s chance to score a big win in Norman, Oklahoma.

Despite Houston’s loss, head coach Willie Fritz spoke positively in the post-game press conference and believed the tough loss strengthened his Cougars after a haunting 27-7 loss during his week one debut.

“I’m very proud of our guys. I thought they were competitive at the beginning of the game until the end,” Fritz said. “This was a big step forward.”

The Cougars played confidently and executed plays more comfortably during this second game under their new head coach’s leadership. He was impressed with Houston’s defensive improvement from week one to week two.

“I think we cut our missed tackles in half,” Fritz said.

Houston’s defense shut down the Sooners’ electric offense, with only seven points given up after the muffed punt early in the first quarter.

In response to Houston’s strong defensive effort, Fritz praised UH defensive coordinator Shiel Wood.

“A sign of a good coordinator is putting your guys in a position to be successful, and he’s doing a good job,” Fritz said. “Even with the in-game rotation of several players, there was no lack of defensive efficiency. The proficiency of Houston’s defense is the strength of this team, and the Cougars will continue to lean on their tough defense to give their struggling offense more scoring opportunities.”

The Cougars look to improve their miscues after a combined 18 penalties through two games.

“We had too many pre-snap penalties and a hold on a big play that hurt us,” Fritz said. “These penalties inhibited Houston’s ability to capitalize on drives and score crucial points throughout the game.”

Houston’s ten extra minutes of possession time against the Sooners allowed 69 more total yards and an 18-15 lead on first downs. However, the Cougars managed only 58 rushing yards with an average of 1.7 yards per rush.

The lack of a running game from the Cougars kept the offense stagnant and forced Houston to rely heavily on the passing game. Houston’s Senior quarterback Donovan Smith passed for 260 yards and completed 24 of his 28 attempts.

Smith was tough against the Sooners with one crucial mistake: a late interception.

UH’s two turnovers compared to Oklahoma’s one was the difference in this game. The Cougars look to clean up their penalties and turnovers against a tough Rice team on Saturday.

Despite holding a 0-2 record for the first time since 2012, the Cougars have demonstrated an ability to compete with nationally ranked teams.

As Houston prepares to face their hometown rival, the challenge lies in their ability to maintain this status as a worthy opponent. Fritz reflected on Houston’s path heading into the next game:

“We need to continue to do a better job of becoming situational masters, understanding what to do in different situations,” Fritz said. “We need to play clean to be competitive. “

Houston heads into this weekend fighting to reclaim the Bayou Bucket Classic Trophy against Rice University. Kickoff starts on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 7:00 p.m. in TDECU Stadium.

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“Houston football shows improvement ahead of final week of non-conference play” was originally posted on The Cougar