Legal Commentary

2009 Weekly local football review

By Tom Kirkendall

(AP Photo/Dave J. Phillip; previous weekly reviews for this season are here)

Houston Cougars 29 Texas Tech 28

In one of the most entertaining games of the young season, the now 12th-ranked Cougars (3-0) pulled out the victory over Tech (2-2) with a magnificent 95-yard TD drive late in the 4th quarter engineered by QB Case Keenum, who has played better than any QB in the nation through the early part of this season. The Coogs did not play as well in this game as they did in knocking off then fifth-ranked Oklahoma State two weeks ago, but a plucky defense and the cerebral Keenum -- combined with a boneheaded decision by Tech Coach Leach to eschew a chip shot field goal in the 4th quarter -- were enough to propel Houston to victory. The Cougars travel to El Paso next week to face a UTEP (1-3) team that is licking its wounds after being hammered by Texas.

Jaguars 31 Texans 24

The Texans (1-2) continue to be plagued by a generally horrendous defense, although a horrific penalty call nullified what should have been a game-tying TD with about two minutes left in the game. Although the Texans offense looks to be productive enough for the club to have a decent shot at winning half their games, the lack of defensive development through three games raises a legitimate question of whether Head Coach Gary Kubiak has the depth necessary to correct the Texans' chronically deficient defense. When an NFL defensive team that is comprised of multiple high draft picks still cannot stop the run or put pressure on the opposing QB, that's usually a sure sign that something is seriously wrong in the coordination of that unit. The Texans better even their record next Sunday against the Raiders (1-2) at Reliant because four of the following five games are on the road.

Texas Longhorns 64 UTEP 7

I mean really -- what are the second-ranked Longhorns doing playing opponents such as UTEP (1-3)? The Horns third-team could have beaten the Miners by 30. The Horns have an off-week before facing under-performing Colorado (1-2) in Austin on October 10th and then 8th-ranked Oklahoma (3-1) the following weekend in Dallas.

Texas Aggies 56 UAB 19

The Ags (3-0) won their third straight against creampuff competition, so the jury is still out on whether the Ags will be competitive against the better teams of the Big 12. The Ags take on an Arkansas (1-2) team next weekend in Dallas that has to date not been able to stop a hard-chargin' marching band. But at least its an SEC opponent. That counts for something.

Vanderbilt 36 Rice 17

You know that the renaissance in Rice (0-4) football is over when the local media emphasizes that the Owls defense played really well in holding Vandy (2-2) to a 10-10 halftime tie. The reality is that the Owls are playing with an inexperienced group of QB's with a new offensive coordinator. This has not gone well and the next three opponents -- Tulsa (3-1), Navy (2-2) and East Carolina (2-2) -- are unlikely to allow the Owls to turn it around. My current over/under on Rice victories this season is two.

Full post as published by Houston's Clear Thinkers on September 28, 2009 (boomark / email).