Injuries latest test for surging Cougars
Jeremy Winchester is preparing to make his first start at cornerback for the University of Houston.
It just so happens it will come against one of the most explosive offenses in college football.
“I’m actually excited about the challenge,” Winchester said of preparing for No. 25 Memphis on Saturday at TDECU Stadium.
Winchester, a redshirt freshman who played at Klein Collins, was thrust into the starting role after cornerback William Jackson III suffered what is initially being diagnosed as a sprained MCL. The Cougars will have a better idea how much time Jackson, who is third nationally with 17 passes defended, will miss after he undergoes an MRI exam on Monday.
“I wouldn’t expect (him to play) this week,” coach Tom Herman said Sunday. “Usually, the best-case scenario would be next week (at Connecticut), but I’m just speculating a little bit.”
With backup tailback
Ryan Jackson suffering a season-ending broken collarbone, the injuries are the latest obstacle standing in the way of UH and a possible American Athletic Conference title and trip to a New Year’s Six bowl.
UH, one of six remaining unbeaten teams, climbed to No. 16 in the Associated Press and coaches polls on Sunday. The Cougars are the highest-ranked team from the so-called Group of Five conferences vying for a spot in either the Fiesta Bowl or Peach Bowl.
After surrendering 523 passing yards to Gunner
Kiel in a 33-30 victory over Cincinnati, UH must now contend with a Memphis offense that is sixth nationally in scoring (44.8 points per game) and seventh in total offense (546.7 yards). Quarterback Paxton Lynch has thrown for 3,014 yards and 19 touchdowns. The Tigers are coming off their worst game of the season in a 45-20 loss to Navy.
UH and Navy, both 5-0 in the AAC West Division, hold a one-game lead over Memphis.
“We go out of the frying pan into the fire, so to speak, from Kiel to Lynch in back-to-back weeks,” Herman said.
That’s just fine with Winchester, who entered Saturday’s game midway in the third quarter after Jackson was injured. Before then, the most action Winchester had seen in a game this season was Sept. 26 against Texas State, although he’s been in the two-deep rotation the entire season.
Senior Tyler White moved into the two-deep Sunday, joining starters Brandon Wilson and Winchester and third cornerback Marcus Dillard.
“The whole goal is to seem like we didn’t lose anyone,” Winchester said. “Of course, we all know how big a player (Jackson) is for our team, and he wants to be out there just as bad as we want him to be out there. All we can do is just work as hard as he does every day to make sure we can pick up the slack.”
With Ryan Jackson out, Herman said the Cougars will go with starter Kenneth Farrow and backups Javin Webb and Kaliq Kokuma in the backfield.