C6 | Thursday, April 15,2021 | HoustonChronicle.com |Houston Chronicle HH SOCCER | ETC.

DYNAMO Chemistry class in session as opener looms By Corey Roepken New faces try to solve scoring woes, but it will take time to fully mesh Dynamo CORRESPONDENT update As the 2020 season Friday: San Jose lurched to a conclusion, at BBVA Stadium in season Dynamo coach Tab Ramos’ opener, 7 p.m. loudest message became a TV/radio: KTBU; 97.5 FM. broken record. Over and over again, the first-year boss bemoaned the best of him at some his team’s inability to fin- point here, and I’m hoping ish at a high enough rate to that starting Friday he can win games. The Dynamo help us win the game.” created good attacking op- To win Friday, the Dyna- portunities but rarely put mo also will have to carry the ball in the net. They over their application of scored six goals in their fi- Ramos’ high-pressing nal seven games — a stretch style, which worked well in that saw them go 0-5-2 en Saturday’s preseason fina- route to a last-place finish le against FC Dallas. Dallas in the MLS’ Western Con- is one of MLS’ elite teams at ference. playing out of the back but Houston will have a struggled to do so for much blank slate when the 2021 of the game. season kicks off Friday That’s one of the things night with a home game that has Houston feeling against the San Jose Earth- good heading into Friday’s quakes at BBVA Stadium, opener, but whether that but how soon will those at- yields high goal totals right tacking woes be reversed? away remains to be seen. Considering the turn- Ramos said he believes over of the attacking play- that among Picault, Urruti, ers and several other fac- Quintero, Tyler Pasher, Ari tors — most notably fledg- Lassiter and Christian Ra- ling chemistry — Friday mirez, the Dynamo have night is likely too soon. enough talent up front. For “It's only a few weeks the time being, however, that we have been togeth- they’ll have to learn a sys- er,” said forward Fafa Pi- tem that is brand new to cault, whom the Dynamo some of the team’s best bought from FC Dallas in Steve Gonzales /Staff photographer players. December. “So we have to In his first eight Major League Soccer seasons — spent with Toronto, Portland, Dallas and Montreal — new “I think the team is get- look at the bigger picture. Dynamo forward Maxi Urruti, left, totaled 53 goals in 208 games. ting better and better in It is a long season, 34 terms of guys getting to games. So it is going to take wing will go a long way to- Montreal in a January win Quintero, who shared reach the same level as his know each other and fight- afew real games to get ev- ward replacing what the trade. With 53 goals and 33 the league lead with 10 as- younger teammates. ing for each other, being in eryone on the same page. Dynamo lost when they assists in 208 appearances sists last season. Quintero, “If you think about it, the right spots at the right We are definitely heading transferred Alberth Elis to over the last eight seasons, however, is not likely to be- five months off is basically time,” Ramos said. “I was toward the right direction. Boavista FC in Portugal. Pi- Urruti gives Houston capa gin the season playing big like doing your ACL when actually a little bit sur- We have a lot of good piec- cault has 24 goals and 14 as- ble hold-up play and veter- minutes because Ramos you’re 35 years old,” Ra- prised at how well we es to do so.” sists in 107 appearances an leadership. said he is not yet fit. mos said. “It’s not easy. It’s pressed in the first 40 min- Picault is one of the ad- over the last four seasons. On paper, those two Ramos said that Quinte- taken him longer. Some- utes (against Dallas). Hav- ditions Ramos has raved He’ll likely start beside would look appetizing ro, at 33 years old and the times it’s two steps for- ing so many guys adapt to about throughout the off- striker Maxi Urruti, who when written on the lineup team’s only designated ward and one step back. I the way we do things is not season. His speed on the came to Houston from sheet next to winger Dar- player needs more time to think we’ll be able to see easy.”

NCAA AP sources: Transfer rules to be loosened

Players will no decision told the Associat- UH adds Texas Tech transfer guard Edwards sports must notify their ed Press. schools they intend to longer be forced The people spoke on The University of Houston men’s basketball program continued to reload Wednesday transfer by May 1; in spring to sit out a year condition of anonymity be- with the addition of Kyler Edwards, a transfer from Texas Tech. sports, the notification cause two-day meeting was Edwards, a 6-4 junior guard, earned All-Big 12 honorable mention last season after date will be July 1. The noti- still in session and the averaging 10.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and team-best 2.8 assists. He made a team-high 56 fication dates begin in By Ralph D. Russo council’s decisions would 3-pointers while shooting 41.8 percent from beyond the arc. 2022. Edwards played in 98 games at Tech, including as a freshman reserve when the Red ASSOCIATED PRESS not become official until it For this year, athletes in ends Thursday. The Athlet- Raiders advanced to the national championship game in 2019. all sports will be required Starting next season, ic first reported the coun- “I’ve been a winner at Texas Tech so going to another winning program ... I can’t wait to to notify their schools major college football and cil’s vote. get there and win more games and championships,” Edwards said. about their intent to trans- basketball players will be The so-called one-time He picked the Cougars over LSU and Texas. His former Tech coach, Chris Beard, was fer by July 1. permitted to transfer one exception has been avail- recently hired as head coach at Texas. The council also voted to time before graduating able to athletes in other UH has moved quickly to fill holes from its Final Four roster, as Edwards joins Connect- let the current dead period without being required to NCAA sports for years, al- icut big man Josh Carlton and Cal State Bakersfield guard Taze Moore as additions since in recruiting in all sports ex- sit out a year of competi- lowing them to transfer the end of the season. pire June 1. A ban on in-per- tion. and play immediately. Ath- “Seeing (UH) play in the tournament and go deep made me want it even more,” Ed- son recruiting has been in The NCAA Division I letes in football, men’s and wards said. “I think it’s going to be a perfect match.” place for more than a year Council voted Wednesday women’s basketball, men’s Joseph Duarte because of the pandemic. to changed the long-stand- ice hockey and baseball Coaches will again be per- ing rule that has often de- have not had that available mitted to visit recruits off terred players in high-pro- to them without asking the fer. sitting out, but not under- ating under the same rules: campus, conduct camps on file sports from switching NCAA for a special waiver Athletes who have grad- graduates. Transfers will be allowed to campus and welcome pro- schools, two people with and claiming a hardship uated have also been per- Starting this fall semes- play right away. spective student-athletes knowledge of the council’s caused the need for a trans- mitted to transfer without ter, all athletes will be oper- Those in fall and winter on official recruiting visits.

before preseason camp guard, with Max Banes UH begins in August. and Cam’Ron Johnson the From page C1 “I’m happy with the top candidates at left guard. guys, but we need more Holgorsen would also like “I’m not worried about depth,” Holgorsen said. to add a couple more depth at all on defense. “We may need to go out offensive linemen to a We’re not actively out there and find some (re- group that includes Reu- there pursuing anything ceivers).” ben Unije, Jack Freeman, that we feel like we need. I UH has options in the Derek Bowman and Jordan cannot say that about our backfield, including sixth- Boatman. offense. We are out there year players Mulbah Car While Tune has received actively recruiting people and Chandler Smith and work under center in the about at every spot pos- Texas Tech transfer Ta’Z- spring, reps have been sible, including the quar- hawn Henry, who sat out split between freshmen terback spot.” last season. Kelan Walker quarterbacks Sofian Mas- Holgorsen said he con- (5-11, 230 pounds) offers a soud and Maddox Kopp. tinues to be pleased with bigger option, walk-on Walk-on Ike Ogbogu, who the progress of Clayton James Fullbright III has has been in the system for Tune, who has been the been productive in limited three years, is not getting starter at quarterback for playing time, and Terrell reps this spring to allow parts of the past three “Smoke” Brown is coming the Cougars to take an seasons. Where things get off knee surgery but is extended look at Massoud dicey is surrounding Tune expected to be cleared by and Kopp. with playmakers, especial- summer camp. Oak Ridg- “We have to figure out ly at wide receiver with the e’s Alton McCaskill, one of what they can do,” Hol- offseason losses of Mar- the nation’s top running gorsen said. “They look quez Stevenson (gradua- backs in the class of 2021, like freshman quarter- tion/NFL draft) and Keith will arrive on the UH cam- backs to me. They’ve got Corbin (transfer portal). pus in June. to get as many reps as they UH returns Nathaniel Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Devastated by injuries possibly can. Dell, who had a team-high UH returns leading receiver Nathaniel Dell (4) but is searching for reliable depth the past two seasons, the “We’ve got to be OK if 29 receptions and 428 at the position and may explore transfer options before fall practice begins. starting offensive line something happens with yards during an abbreviat- should be improved with Clayton Tune. That’s just ed eight-game COVID-19 UH’s top playmaker on young receivers such as really, quite honestly, have the addition of center the reality in college foot- season, Tre’Von Bradley, offense is Christian Tra- Dylan Robinson, Khiyon not developed yet. We’ve Kody Russey, a two-time ball. If we feel like these Jeremy Singleton and han, a 6-3, 245-pound tight Wafer and Darius Ed- got to find some more All-C-USA center at Louisi- young guys can continue Bryson Smith. Holgorsen end who will continue to monds. guys. That’s not going to ana Tech, and left tackle to improve, great. If not, added Ke’Sean Carter, the see an expanded role in “We’ve got some work get it done right there. (Patrick Paul) and right we’re always going to be second-leading receiver at the passing game. to do,” Holgorsen said. That’s not enough depth.” tackle (Dennis Bardwell) looking for somebody else Texas Tech, and has been Before the start of prac- “I’m not comfortable with There is a strong possi- appear set. Tank Jenkins, a out there.” pleased with the devel- tice in late March, Hol- what our receiver depth is bility UH could look to add 6-3, 350-pound transfer opment of redshirt fresh- gorsen said it would be an right now. Just young guys at least two more receivers from Texas A&M, is the [email protected] man Ke’Andre Street. important spring for (that) need to develop that through the transfer portal leading candidate at right twitter.com/joseph_duarte