No. 6 Houston rising behind stingy, hard-hitting defense

While dazzling quarterback Greg Ward Jr. has gotten the lion’s share of the attention during Houston’s rise to prominence, the sixthranked Cougars have dominated this season behind one of the nation’s top defenses.

That unit, led by linebacker Steven Taylor and freshman lineman Ed Oliver, has capitalized on turnovers and kept opponents out of the end zone.

Houston (3-0) ranks 11th nationally in total defense (257.7 yards a game), 13th in scoring (13 points a game) and first against the run (38.3 yards). The Cougars returned two interceptions for touchdowns during the fourth quarter of a 40-16 win at Cincinnati last week. Houston limited Oklahoma to 70 rushing yards and Cincinnati to 30.

Second-year coach Tom Herman, an offensive wizard who remains on everyone’s short list for prominent vacancies after the season, credits defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, who left Utah State in 2015 to join the Houston staff.

“I knew what kinds of defenses kept me up at night as an offensive coordinator, so I knew I wanted to run that kind of defense,” said Herman, whose team is heavily favored in a nonconference game at Texas State on Saturday.

First-year Texas State coach Everett Withers noticed something unexpected while watching Houston defeat Oklahoma 33-23.

“I thought they physically beat Oklahoma,” Withers said.