After false starts, UH finally gets season started against Tulane

For the past month, the University of Houston would have better luck finding an opponent by taking out a personal ad on Match.com.

COVID-19-free college football team seeks other COVID-19-free college football team for Thursday, Friday or Saturday date. Must have own transportation. Serious inquiries only.

Two longstanding opponents, Rice and Washington State, canceled dates during the summer. Memphis and North Texas got sick.

Baylor and UH played matchmaker and attempted to renew a relationship from 25 years ago. In college football parlance, the Bears stood up the Cougars less than 24 hours until kickoff.

“(The cancellations) were a buzzkill,” defensive lineman Payton Turner said.

After two consecutive weekends sitting at home with nothing to do, the Cougars finally have plans Thursday. Once again, they will attempt to begin the 2020 season, this time against the Tulane Green Wave at TDECU Stadium.

“I’ve never been more anxious than I am right now going into Game 1,” coach Dana Holgorsen said.

So much so that Holgorsen approached the American Athletic Conference about moving up this game a week.

“The league wouldn’t budge,” he said.

What’s another week anyway after such a long delay? Everything, apparently, as the Cougars went through preparations for three straight opponents — and still have yet to take a snap. Each week went something like this: Install game plan. Practice. Game canceled.

“Guys were feeling discouraged all those weeks,” right guard Braylon Jones said.

By the time UH takes the field at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, it will have been 53 days since the start of preseason camp in August to the season opener, the latest date to begin a season in school history.

“It’s finally here,” Jones said. “It’s a lot of excitement. We’re ready to finally get this (season) kicked off.”

Due to COVID-19, UH will be greeted by an altered game-ay experience. Only 10,000 fans will be in attendance, 25 percent of the 40,000-seat capacity at TDECU Stadium. Masks will be as visible as helmets and shoulder pads. The Spirit of Houston Marching Band, cheerleaders, mascots and Cougar Dolls will sit in the stands instead of regular spots on the sidelines.

Otherwise football will be football.

“I feel like it’s going to be like a scrimmage feel but with a little more people,” Jones said. “We’ve just got to come in and bring our own energy and we’ll be fine.”

UH is somewhat of an unknown and will unveil a revamped defense, particularly with several new faces in the secondary and added depth on the defensive line. Junior Clayton Tune, the starting quarterback to begin a season for the first time in his college career, will be surrounded by a deep receiving corps, led by two-time all-conference selection Marquez Stevenson, a 1-2 punch of Kyle Porter and Mulbah Car in the backfield and experienced offensive line.

While there is some mystery about the Cougars, Tulane (2-1, 0-1 AAC) will be playing its fourth game.

“Not quite sure how I feel about it, we’re playing teams that have played three and four games and we haven’t even played yet,” Holgorsen said. “I don’t know if that’s ever happened in the history of college football.”

It’s no secret how the Green Wave move the ball: they are fourth in FBS in rushing, averaging nearly 300 yards per game. Cam Carroll leads the nation with eight touchdowns, all but one rushing. Tulane also features a veteran defensive line, led by ends Cam Sample and Patrick Johnson, who have combined for seven sacks and nine tackles for loss.

Through the delay, Holgorsen said the Cougars have done a good job of keeping players ready while balancing how they practice. The speed and physical part will come as UH plays games. In the meantime, they will need to be mindful of tackling and mistakes that come with early jitters.

“I haven’t worn them out,” Holgorsen said. “We haven’t practiced too much.”

After weeks of no football, the Cougars will play games in nine consecutive weeks. All are conference games, except for the Oct. 16 home game against No. 15 BYU. Even an old fling is back: Memphis has been rescheduled for Dec. 5.

“We’re running out of Saturdays to play,” Holgorsen said. “So, these games are going to be played.”