NEW ORLEANS (AP) -Houston has ridden quarterback Case Keenum and the most productive passing offense in the country to a national ranking.
What the No. 23 Cougars (4-1, 0-1) really need, though, is a win in Conference USA, and they’ll get their next chance against Tulane in the Louisiana Superdome on Saturday.
“Our team is looking forward to getting back in conference play and really feel we have a lot of things out there in front of us and a lot of things to prove,” Houston coach Kevin Sumlin said. “It is significant because our goals start with winning the West (Division). We’re playing a league opponent, and that should say enough right there.”
Houston’s only loss this season came in a conference game – a 58-41 shootout two weeks ago at UTEP. The Cougars responded with a 31-24 triumph at Mississippi State last weekend.
ense in the conference, allowing 197.2 yards per game through the air.
However, one of Tulane’s opponents this season was Army, an option team that rarely threw, likely skewing the numbers favorably in terms of the Wave’s ability to stop the pass.
Houston will present a true test if there ever was one.
“Not many people have slowed them down,” Tulane coach Bob Toledo said. “I’m looking at their games and you know they beat Oklahoma State, they beat Texas Tech and Mississippi State. They have a great quarterback.”
Keenum is averaging 426 yards passing and his 183 completions this season is 78 more than the number of passes Tulane quarterback Joe Kemp has attempted.
Houston uses a spread attack, with Keenum usually in the shot gun and ready to throw at any time.
“They use the passing game like a run game,” Toledo noted. “They’re not dropping back and winging the ball 40, 50 yards down the field. They’re throwing the ball down the line of scrimmage, they’re throwing 5-yard routes and then guys are making runs. They spread you out and then get their quick run-after-catch guys isolated on your athletes.”
By contrast Tulane’s offense revolves around running back Andre Anderson, who averages nearly 90 yards rushing and gained a whopping 199 yards to go with 4 TDs in a win over FCS opponent McNeese State last month.
emy Williams, who averages 115.6 yards receiving and 148.4 all-purpose yards.
Tulane will be trying to beat a ranked team for the first time since 1982, when the Wave beat then-No. 12 LSU in Baton Rouge. Since then, the Green Wave is 0-36 vs. the Top 25, including a loss this season to BYU.
The matchup also offers the chance for a measure of payback for Kemp. Last season, Houston linebacker Phillip Hunt body slammed Kemp after the quarterback had released a throw, breaking Kemp’s collarbone and ending his season. Kemp, then a freshman backup, returned to win Tulane’s starting job last spring, while Hunt no longer plays for the Cougars.
Kemp may have other things to worry about, though, such as losing his starting job. Tulane has had trouble scoring consistently. After taking a 7-0 lead last weekend against Marshall, the Wave never got in the end zone again in a 31-10 homecoming loss. Kemp was replaced late in the game by Ryan Griffin.
Toledo said Kemp remains the starter for now, and that patience is needed with him.
Keenum has no such issues. He spreads the ball around so well that four receivers already have 30 or more receptions each. James Cleveland has 41 receptions for 443 yards and five TDs. Overall, Houston’s offense averages 569.2 yards.
e have, and it’s just amazing how those guys get up the field after they catch it. It says a lot about the talent of our guys and the schemes the coaches give us. That’s the plan – to get the ball in the hands of those guys, and they can do special things with it.”
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