WR, RB needed to fill out Ward’s toolbox
Houston officially ended preseason camp over the weekend with two key areas on offense unresolved.
Who will start at slot receiver and serve as the backup tailback.
Surrounding quarterback Greg Ward Jr. with the right combination of weapons has been a laborious process, with decisions complicated by injuries at slot receiver and no separation from a pack of hopefuls for the No. 2 spot in the backfield.
At the “H” slot receiver, coach Tom Herman said the Cougars are “exhausting all options” following injuries to projected starter Ra’Shaad Samples (concussion) and true freshman Marquez Stevenson, who will be out six to eight weeks with a broken collarbone.
Samples, whose MRI came back normal, is being brought along carefully after suffering his third concussion, two of which have come since the spring.
The vacancy comes following the early departure of 1,200-yard receiver Demarcus Ayers to the NFL.
If the season began today, Herman said Linell Bonner — who had 25 catches for 317 yards and five touchdowns last season — would likely start.
“He’s a steady guy,” Herman said. “Not quite as explosive but at least he can block, run good
routes, catch the ball over the middle and has great hands.”
Another option is D’Eriq King, a true freshman from Manvel who was recruited as a quarterback. King was “open to the idea” and has spent the past week working at receiver.
On more than one occasion recently, Herman reiterated that King’s future at UH is as a quarterback. A short-term move from quarterback to receiver would be similar to what the Cougars did in previous years with Ward in 2014 and Kyle Postma last season.
Temporary move
“He’s a quarterback,” Herman said. “Come January, D’Eriq will be right back in the quarterback meeting room.
“We’re throwing him out there a little bit to see if he can help the team in some other way for at least a semester at a position of need.”
King, rated the No. 14 athlete in the nation, threw for more than 10,000 yards in his high school career.
“I told him that I promised you and your family that you were going to be a quarterback here and train that way,” Herman said. “I’m never going to go back on that promise. But if this is something you want to do to see the field this year, then it’s up to you.”
At backup tailback, Herman said he expected to take some time before one of the top four candidates emerged but admits “just maybe not this long.”
Duke Catalon is locked into the No. 1 job in the backfield, but lack of quality depth was exposed last week when he missed a few days with a neck injury that Herman said was “nothing serious.”
UH relies heavily on a productive running game (it averaged 235.8 yards in 2015) in its up-tempo offense.
The candidates for the job include Mulbah Car, Kevrin Justice, Kaliq Kokuma and Josh Burrell.
Wide-open race
“There is not a guy there that we trust so we have to keep fighting through it,” Herman said. “I think we are talented enough. I think we have to play with much better mental toughness. They have their moments of flashes that maybe this is the guy. Then there are other times you go, ‘Man, I don’t know.’ ”
Herman said the Cougars have time with 11 days until the season opener against third-ranked Oklahoma in the Advocare Texas Kickoff at NRG Stadium.
“I haven’t given up hope,” he said. “Somebody will emerge, hopefully 2-3 of these guys will push through the wall and out the other side.”
Another battle to emerge is at right guard with challenger Mac Long, who spent most of last season on the scout team, pushing Kameron Eloph.