B4THE DAILY NEWS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2015 GALVESTON COUNTY,

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

HOUSTON COUGARS TENNESSEE THE FARROW FACTOR 7 P.M. SATURDAY, TDECU STADIUM TV/RADIO: ESPN3, 950 AM Cougars’ net rushing in 2014 Senior running back Kenneth Farrow accounted for more than 43 percent of the Coog’s net rush- ing yardage last season. Courtesy photo UH Athletics Kenneth Farrow 1,037 Ryan Jackson 610 Greg Ward Jr. 573

Rest of the team Javin Webb Courtesy photo/University of Athletics Houston Cougars addresses the team during a fall training camp practice. 38 133 With fan interest piqued, UH looks to win SCOUTING TENNESSEE TECH

By ANTHONY OPPERMANN The Daily News New features for 2015 » HOUSTON at TDECU Stadium here is a buzz around the Uni- » Cub Zone kids concession versity of Houston football pro- stand — Located on the west OFFENSIVE DEFENSIVE gram, and one man is largely re- side of the stadium, the Cub Zone PLAYER TO WATCH PLAYER TO WATCH sponsible for it. concession stand at section 120 will “I think the new coach is the big provide specially priced and sized draw,” said Natalie Heard, a former concession items for kids 12 years Cougar Doll who teaches kinder- old and younger. It even includes garten at Woodard Elementary in kid-friendly counter heights. Cypress. “I think just his attitude, his enthusiasm, the winning atti- » Legends Plaza — Located tude and who he’s bringing in with outside Gate 1 of TDECU Stadium, his staf, I think it’s going to be a Legends Plaza is anchored by great season.” a statue of coach , he new coach is Tom Herman, Houston’s Hall of Fame coach. The and Heard’s father Ron shares his area also contains a bronze Cougar Ladarius Vanlier Tra’Darius Gof daughter’s outlook. statue honoring the “Brezina Boys” RB/KR #3 LB #30 “I think (Herman’s) going to be and panels notating Houston’s foot- One of four FCS players Preseason All-OVC selec- a major player in the upcoming ball history throughout the years. to return a kickof and tion … Missed all but years for UH,” he said. “I think he’s punt for a TD in 2014 … 3 games in 2014 with a » going to start getting a lot of local Wi-Fi — Boingo Wireless will Rushed for 494 yards shoulder injury … Grant- enhance its wireless service at Courtesy photo and ive touchdowns ed a medical redshirt … kids that we’ve been losing to oth- Athletics er schools. I think once they see TDECU Stadium for the start of the last season … Described Ranked second in OVC 2015 season to provide fast, reliable Former UH head coach Bill by Tom Herman as “a in 2013 with 101 tackles the attitude that he has, what he’s Yeoman poses with a statue of bringing to UH, it’s going to make cellular coverage and data capacity fantastic player, very … Named second team throughout the stadium. himself in Legends Plaza outside dynamic.” All-OVC in 2013. a big diference in college recruit- of TDECU Stadium. ing.” From staf reports he Heards aren’t the only ones AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE who’ve noticed Herman’s inlu- irst game against Tennessee Tech,” 2011, Herman is its eighth head ence and the new attitude sur- Yurachek said. “hat’s a game in all coach in the 28 seasons since Yeo- EAST rounding the football program. likelihood that should go our way, man’s retirement. Over that time, AMERICAN OVERALL “I’ve seen (Herman) more with but we thought that about games the program has claimed two con- W L W L the radio talk shows being in- here in (TDECU) stadium before ference championships (1996 and UConn 0 0 1 0 terviewed,” said Jef Robinson, a and it hasn’t happened.” 2006) and has had 13 winning sea- Cincinnati 0 0 0 0 Pearland resident who has been a Most notably was Houston’s sons overall. East Carolina 0 0 0 0 UH season ticket holder for over performance in its home opener According to Yurachek, a sig- USF 0 0 0 0 eight years. “He’s gone to some of last year. A crowd of 40,755 — the niicant factor in UH increasing Temple 0 0 0 0 the TV sportscasters at night and largest for a UH home game since its attendance numbers is winning UCF 0 0 0 1 done interviews. I think he’s done 1991 and largest ever for a game consistently. WEST more than I’ve noticed in the past. played on the downtown campus “You can ask any athletic director AMERICAN OVERALL “He’s challenged everybody to — packed TDECU Stadium to around the country, winning helps W L W L come to the games, support the celebrate the opening of the new enormously sell tickets,” Yurachek Houston 0 0 0 0 program more or get an interest facility and what fans hoped was said. “We’ve got a little bit of a wait- Memphis 0 0 0 0 going more than in the past. He a new era in Cougar football. In- and-see attitude. I think we’ll see a Navy 0 0 0 0 seems to be trying to get anybody stead the excitement izzled in a big spike in our single-game tick- SMU 0 0 0 0 that hasn’t had an interest in the 27-7 loss to UTSA. ets sales which is exciting because Tulane 0 0 0 0 past to at least pique their inter- “Last year we were here for the those single-game ticket holders Tulsa 0 0 0 0 est enough to come,” Robinson irst game and it was a full stadium, this year will become season ticket added. and we never saw that the rest of holders in future years ater they THURSDAY’S GAMES So far, it has worked. the year because (the team) played wait and see, test drive the product » Florida International 15, UCF 14 UH athletic director Hunter so poorly,” Robinson said. “I think and really see what coach Herman » UConn 20, Villanova 15 Yurachek reported a spike in sea- there was a grand opportunity last and that team puts on the ield.” » Duke at Tulane, late son ticket sales the week before the year to get this stadium full. We While fans will have to wait and TODAY’S GAME Cougars’ fan appreciation event got it full but then the season didn’t see about the long-term success of » Baylor at SMU, 6 p.m. (ESPN) Aug. 23 as more than 1,500 sea- start out well enough for people to the program, Robinson doesn’t ex- SATURDAY’S GAMES son tickets were purchased. He ex- want to come back.” pect a repeat of last season’s home » Colgate at Navy, 11 a.m. (CBS Sports Network) pects season ticket sales to surpass In 25 seasons under Bill Yeoman opener when the Coogs take the » Penn State at Temple, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN) last season’s total of 15,000, which from 1962 to 1986, the Coogs won ield Saturday against Tennessee » Florida Atlantic at Tulsa, 2:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network) would be a record for UH football. four conference titles and had 17 Tech. » Towson at East Carolina, 5 p.m. (ESPN3) “I think everybody’s just excited seasons with a winning record. “I just think that they’re not go- » Alabama A&M at Cincinnati, 6 p.m. (ESPN 3) for this season to get started and While the football program is ing to be disappointed this year » Missouri State at Memphis, 6 p.m. (ESPN3) for Sept. 5 to be here and to really only four years removed from a like they were last year,” Robinson » Florida A&M at USF, 6 p.m. (ESPN3) see how our team stacks up in that school-record 13-win season in said. » Tennessee Tech at Houston, 7 p.m. (ESPN3)

Editor’s Pick: Game to Watch Trending Up Trending Down Did You Know? No. 15 Arizona State Tennessee Tech head vs. Texas A&M coach Watson Brown 6 p.m. Saturday is the older brother of TV: ESPN former Texas head coach The Sun Devils and and current ESPN analyst former Rice head . The two coach Todd Gra- TCU, Baylor Texas A&M, Texas have combined for 370 ham are expected The Horned Frogs (No. 2) The Aggies and Longhorns wins, most all-time by to challenge USC in and Bears (No. 4) enter the start the season both any combination of the Pac-12. Aggies’ season with their highest ranked outside of the AP brothers in D1 history. D gets its first test preseason AP poll rankings top 25 for the irst time Courtesy photo under John Chavis. AP File Photo/Rick Scuteri in school history. since 1997. Tennessee Tech