With Tune hurt, Cougars get creative at QB
Throughout Saturday’s game, Houston coach Dana Holgorsen experimented with his thin quarterback position.
Even after missing most of the last two weeks of practice with a hamstring injury, Clayton Tune took a majority of the snaps in the 38-23 loss to No. 25 Cincinnati. To protect Tune, Holgorsen used receiver Bryson Smith in the wildcat formation, had running back Kyle Porter take direct snaps and sparingly used backup Logan Holgorsen.
Moving forward, Tune will attempt to return to practice this week as the Cougars — off to an 0-2 start in conference play for the first time since 2002 — prepare for Saturday’s game at Connecticut.
On Monday, Holgorsen said Tune, a sophomore who moved into the starting job in Week 5 when D’Eriq King announced his plans to redshirt this season, is nursing a pulled hamstring he suffered on a run late in a 46-25 victory at North Texas on Sept. 28.
The extent of the injury had been unknown because Holgorsen seldom provides details on injuries.
“That thing should be a week better, and he should be close to being back to 100 percent and normal next week,” Holgorsen said.
Asked how Tune felt after Saturday’s game, Holgorsen said: “There’s going to be maintenance. Hamstrings just don’t wake up in the morning and it’s OK.”
Tune was severely hampered by the injury against Cincinnati, throwing three interceptions while being unable to showcase his mobility. He also took a blindside hit that “rung my bell” and forced him to sit out a series.
“I was kind of limited just staying in the pocket,” Tune said after the game.
A key to the UH running game in the past has been the presence of a mobile quarterback, whether Greg Ward Jr. a few years ago, King the past two seasons, or, in a smaller sample size, the careerhigh 100 yards by Tune against North Texas. Smith was used on about a half-dozen snaps out of the wildcat formation, a wrinkle that Holgorsen plans to utilize the remainder of the season. Smith, a prep quarterback who threw for nearly 6,000 career yards at Tyler John Tyler, hooked up with Jeremy Singleton for a 50-yard touchdown.
“We plan to utilize him in a bunch of ways,” Holgorsen said of Smith.
Do not expect that to include playing quarterback. Back in the
spring, Holgorsen said Smith’s future is at receiver.
“Actually playing quarterback and going through reads is not something we are going to do,” Holgorsen said.
When the Cougars went to the wildcat or had a running back take a direct snap, Logan Holgorsen was split outside at receiver to help relay calls from the sideline.
“I would never put Bryson or any of those running backs in that situation to have to do that because that’s not what they do,” Holgorsen said. “Logan’s had eight months of practice and listening to me for 19 years now (Holgorsen is his father), so he kind of understands how to communicate.”
Holgorsen said once Tune is healthy the remaining six regularseason games will be important to his development.
“He’s still relatively young and inexperienced,” Holgorsen said.