Defense, turnovers top the list of second-half troubles in loss
If only Thursday night’s game had been a boxing match, the University of Houston could have delivered a right uppercut to send No. 25 Memphis to the canvas in the first half.
“It’s not a boxing match,” coach Major Applewhite said earlier in the week when asked about putting away an opponent early. “You don’t get to knock out the guy in the first round and go home. It’s scheduled for 60 minutes, and it’s going to be 60 minutes.”
Putting together a complete game has been elusive most of the season for the Cougars.
The latest collapse came Thursday, as Memphis scored touchdowns on six second-half possessions to rally for a 42-38 victory.
In the second half of the last two games, both losses, UH has allowed 38 points to Tulsa and 42 points to Memphis. After halftime, the two opponents have racked up 624 yards of total offense and scored touchdowns on 11 of 13 possessions.
The Cougars led at halftime both games.
“We’ve played halves,” Applewhite said. “We need to play a full 60 minutes.”
The first 30 minutes Thursday was just about everything the Cougars could have asked for. The tempo on offense created problems for Memphis. Quarterback Kyle Postma made good decisions. The running game — behind three touchdowns from Duke Catalon on the night — helped control the clock. UH was turnover-free.
The result: UH led 17-0, marking the first time in nearly five years Memphis went scoreless in the first half.
Scoring quickly
The good fortune was short-lived. Memphis finally woke up behind four rushing touchdowns by Patrick Taylor, a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Tony Pollard and Riley’s Ferguson’s only touchdown pass of the game — a 21-yarder to Sean Dykes for the game-winner with 1:28 remaining.
The Cougars controlled the clock for nearly 38 minutes, but it hardly mattered as Memphis showed its quick-strike ability. All six scores in the second half required just eight minutes.
“We have to learn how to finish better in the second half,” safety Garrett Davis said.
Applewhite said there were a “multitude of things” that contributed to the Cougars’ struggles in the second half, including some that have become familiar in a season that is quickly slipping away.
Defenders were out of position, while others took the bait on double moves. There were missed tackles, a pass interference penalty that extended a drive and the decision to kick to one of the nation’s top returners.
Even after Memphis took the lead, the Cougars still had two chances to put together potential winning drives. But Postma, making his fourth straight start at quarterback, had a fumble and interception in a 25-second span. In the last two games, Postma has six turnovers.
“It comes down to finishing and securing the ball,” Postma said. “We lacked that in the end.”
Before the season, Applewhite said the Cougars would have to develop players on both sides after losing several experienced players, among them quarterback Greg Ward Jr. and NFL-bound defensive players Tyus Bowser, Brandon Wilson and Howard Wilson. The unofficial two-deep depth chart for Thursday’s game featured 14 players who are either freshmen or sophomores.
“There’s a lot of things I knew coming into this season in terms of our competitive experience,” Applewhite said. “This team does not have a lot of competitive experience. It’s never an excuse, but hopefully the last two weeks we’re learning as a football team and developing some competitive experience. What does that mean? That means you haven’t been in a lot of damn games and haven’t been in a lot of crunch-time situations.”
Correcting their course
Now the margin for error is slim. The Cougars (4-3, 2-2) continue the tough stretch with an Oct. 28 game at No. 16 South Florida, looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak since 2013. There is also concern about the health of running back Dillon Birden, who left late in the fourth quarter with an apparent right arm injury.
“When you’re talking about making a run for your side of the conference in terms of a championship, you have to play well at crunch time,” Applewhite said.
In the meantime, the search for a complete game continues.
joseph.duarte@chron.com twitter.com/joseph_duarte