Catalon vows to keep working despite career day
Junior RB backs up his promise with a 177-yard effort
Earlier in the week, Duke Catalon approached Major Applewhite for a “quick little talk.”
Catalon, the University of Houston’s junior running back, felt he was not meeting expectations in practice and on game day and wanted to reassure his coach that things were about to change.
“I just felt like I wasn’t going hard enough in practice to his expectations,” Catalon said. “I was just apologizing to him because he was the one who brought me here from Texas (as a transfer). I was just saying thank you for the opportunity and that I was going to start working hard for him in practice.”
Then Applewhite offered these words to Catalon: “We don’t need to talk about it. Just go out and do it.”
In Saturday’s critical 3522 win over SMU — which improved the Cougars to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the American Athletic Conference — Catalon had careerhigh 177 yards and two touchdowns. It was the highest rushing total by a UH running back since Bryce Beall had 195 yards against UTEP in 2010.
More importantly, Catalon, who has split time in the backfield with Dillon Birden, showed he is capable of carrying a bigger load (22 carries), and the offense line had a moment of vindication opening holes as the Cougars discovered their rushing attack for the first time this season.
“I just believed in him,” Applewhite said of Catalon. “He came in Sunday or Monday, and we had a little quick talk.
‘Hey, I’m going to do better than what I’ve been doing.’
I was like, ‘I love you man, and I know you are going to do well.’ ”
Breakout performance
In one night, Catalon came within five yards of equaling his entire season total through four games. He ran with authority, breaking loose for a 45-yard run — with the Cougars pinned at their own 8-yard line — to set up a 3-yard touchdown catch by Ellis Jefferson.
In what was arguably the biggest play of the game, Catalon delivered a 52-yard touchdown run just 31 seconds after SMU pulled within 21-19 in the third quarter. He also added a 16-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Catalon said he knew early it would be his night.
“Really, my first carry, when I saw the line was blocking good,” Catalon said of the 12-yard run up the middle on UH’s second offensive play. “I said this is going to be good.”
Catalon led the team in rushing last season with 528 yards, despite missing four games with ankle problems and concussion symptoms. UH finished the season averaging 147.1 yards per game, which ranked 99th among Football Bowl Subdivision schools.
Worth the wait
The Cougars got off to another slow start this season in the post-quarterback Greg Ward Jr. era, with an average 140 yards through four games that ranked 86th nationally.
Before Saturday, the Cougars had yet to produce a 100-yard rusher in a game, and the longest run from scrimmage was 35 yards by quarterback Kyle Postma.
“I’ve been waiting on this,” Catalon said. “I’m glad it happened to me. I can’t get ahead of myself. I need to keep working hard.”
Without Birden, who was a late scratch with a stiff neck, the Cougars turned to sophomore Mulbah Car as the No. 2 back. He responded with nine carries for 67 yards.
“There was no pressure on me (with Birden out),” Catalon said. “I believe in Mulbah and backup Davion Mitchell.”
The Cougars’ 265 rushing yards were the most in a game not including Ward since piling up 381 yards and three 100-yard rushers last season against Lamar.
Next up for the Cougars is struggling Tulsa (1-5, 0-2 AAC), which has allowed 328, 421 and 488 rushing yards in three straight games against optionbased offenses.
“We can’t get too high on our horse,” Applewhite said. “We have to understand we have another conference game on the road against a team that’s coming off a loss and is every bit as mad as we were after we lost to Texas Tech.”