Season ends in loss, but hope abounds
Holgorsen praises team for not quitting during trying year
Saturday was all about goodbyes for the University of Houston.
Dane Roy ran onto the field draped in an Australian flag, honored along with 13 other seniors in a pregame ceremony.
Longtime athletics trainer Mike “Doc” O’Shea announced his retirement after a tenure that spanned 27 years and eight head football coaches.
So long, 2019 season.
The Cougars’ season finally, mercifully, came to an end with a 56-41 loss to Navy before an announced crowd of 22,824 at TDECU Stadium.
“2019 is done,” coach Dana Holgorsen said after his first season ended with a 4-8 record, the program’s worst since going 3-8 in 2004. “There is no tomorrow for 2019.”
Some of the same shortcomings were present until the very end. UH committed five turnovers — including two inside Navy territory that led to touchdowns — and had no answer for the tripleoption.
UH failed to beat an FBS opponent with a winning record for the first time since 2004, with its four wins against FCS Prairie View A&M, North Texas, Connecticut and Tulsa.
From a grueling schedule of four games in 19 days to open the season to “The Year of the Redshirt”
to enough offensive line combinations to make quarterback Clayton Tune fear for his life, the Cougars’ fate had long been decided before Saturday.
A losing season. No bowl appearance.
But hope for the future.
“We didn’t give up on the season,” Holgorsen said. “We didn’t quit coaching. We didn’t quit practicing. We didn’t quit preparing. We didn’t quit playing. Ever. Not in 12 games. I’m proud of that.”
Like many games this season, the Cougars remained competitive into the second half and had several chances to tie or take the lead. They missed a field goal and had two drives — which began after the defense made fourth down-and-short stops — end on a pair of Tune interceptions.
Of the 24 players on offense and defense to start the season finale, only three (nose guard Aymiel Fleming, wide receiver Courtney Lark and running back Patrick Carr) were seniors.
A snapshot that defines UH’s season: 35 players, either injured or using a redshirt, spent the game on the sideline wearing red hoodies. The Cougars also will lose to graduation left tackle Josh Jones, a mainstay on the offensive line and projected high-round NFL draft pick who missed the final three games with an ankle injury.
Tune connected with Courtney Lark for a 26-yard touchdown to pull the Cougars to within 35-34 with 5:48 left in the third quarter.
UH’s defense made two fourthdown stops but the Cougars could not capitalize, as Tune threw interceptions on back-to-back drives.
Navy put the game away on Jamale Carothers’ fifth rushing touchdown of the game and 18yard run by Tyreek King-El.
Navy, the nation’s leader in rushing, only attempted four passes and finished with 447 yards on the ground. Carothers had 188 rushing yards, and Malcolm Perry added 146 yards and a touchdown.
Tune was 23-of-35 passing for 393 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. Marquez Stevenson had eight catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Tre’Von Bradley gave the Cougars an early lead with a 67-yard touchdown on the third play of the game.
Dalton Witherspoon made a pair of field goals, setting the UH single-season record with 14 straight, until missing wide right on a 23-yarder in the third.
Dane Roy, a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, did not have a punt in the game.