Houston has been picked by many media polls to capture the Conference USA West Division and has a serious Heisman Trophy contender to make it happen.
The Cougars 2010 campaign started off with a perfect 2-0 record before losing quarterback Case Keenum for the season with a torn ACL in week three against UCLA. He returns for a sixth year and will be in position to break numerous NCAA records, including career yards of total offense and touchdown passes.
Keenum has been named Conference USA’s preseason offensive player of the year, which is no surprise based on his 2009 numbers. He threw for 5,671 yards in his last full season of action.
Four other offensive starters also return from a unit that averaged 37.7 points per game without the services of Keenum for the final eight games of the season. Senior wide receiver Patrick Edwards was named on the conference’s first team last year, catching 71 passes and 1,100 yards.
The team also has a dangerous weapon in the backfield with the return of senior Bryce Beal, who led the conference with 12 rushing touchdowns, while finishing fourth in rushing yards (870).
Beal is featured inside the tackles and averaged 5.3 yards per carry, but the offense has some other threats at running back, including sophomore Michael Hayes. He gained 629 yards and scored eight touchdowns in his freshman campaign. The team will also utilize him in the passing game, as evidenced by his 30 catches last year.
The defense returns seven starters from a unit that ranked 103rd nationally in total defense last season. Senior linebacker Marcus McGraw will continue to serve as the unit’s leader, leading the team in tackles the past two years.
A major weakness in the 3-4 scheme for Houston is the defensive line, as opposing teams averaged 4.8 yards a carry last year and ran for 28 scores.
The Cougars are just a year removed from a 9-3 record and 6-2 conference mark, as head coach Kevin Sumlin wants to make 2010 a distant memory. The school is definitely more prepared for a potential injury to Keenum, with backups Cotton Turner and David Piland gaining much-needed experience in his absence last year.
Bettors will take notice that Sumlin is 16-19-1 ATS in his first three years, and 2-2 ATS as a home underdog.