Sports

Briles hauls in Texas bumper crop

Staff plans on redshirting most of 2003 signees

By Christian Schmidt
The Daily Cougar

Art Briles has been on the job for two months, putting together a coaching staff and hitting the recruiting trail hard. And Wednesday, the Houston football head coach saw some of the first dividends of his hard work.

All of the players signed in this class will likely be redshirted so they have a chance to get used to the college lifestyle and prepare themselves for football at the college level, Briles said.

Briles said he didnit pay attention to what other schools were doing in their recruiting, concentrating instead on doing what he needed to do for his football program.

"All I want to do is win football games for our players, our university and the people at the University of Houston," Briles said.

Briles coached in Texas high schools for nearly two decades, and has extensive ties to high schools across the state. That and the assistant coaches he hired helped immensely in the recruiting process, Briles said. In fact, Briles recruited two players from Stephenville High School (quarterback Kevin Kolb and defensive tackle John Harrell), where he won four consecutive state titles as head coach.

The class includes players at almost every position (no kickers or punters were signed), and itis clear that Briles was looking for his type of player.

"We want some dancers. Weive got some guys who can bang it up in there," Briles said. "What we want to do is get a few dancers that can shake it up and make some people miss."

On the offensive side of the ball, that is just what Briles got. Running backs Anthony Aldridge (from Denton) and Harold Taylor (Houston) are smaller, more elusive running backs who should compliment returning backs Anthony Evans and Jackie Battle.

Wide receivers Bennie Swain (Houston), Donnie Avery (Alief), Jeff Filmore (Brenham) and Perry McDaniel (Lubbock) should help Briles implement the wide-open passing attack he wants to use. All are talented, fast receivers who should work in Brilesi system. Swain was a highly sought-after recruit, ranked highly by a number of publications.

The UH coaches also recruited some players for the offensive and defensive lines, where Houston needed some fresh players after losing several to graduation.

"Weire always going to recruit heavily on the offensive and defensive lines," Briles said. "We did a good job of getting some great players in there."

On the offensive line, Briles signed Jeff Ackeroyd (Lubbock), Byron Alfred (Port Arthur), Dustin Dickinson (Springtown), Beau Tuft (Houston) and Jason Wagner (Keller). On defense, Harrell, Da Vell Lauder (Houston), Marquay Love (Fort Worth) and Eddie McCray (Baytown) all signed with the Cougars.

Four linebackers were signed in the class, as the Cougars will need more players with a switch from playing two-linebacker sets to ones with three. Trent Allen (Longview), Austin Griffith (Huffman), Wade Koehl (Midland) and Jason Price (Sanger) all signed with UH. Defensive backs Gerard Price (League City), Marcus Ross (Houston) and Ricky Wilson (Port Arthur) also signed, as did athlete Roderick Schwartz (Bradenton, Florida), the only signee not from Texas, who will likely play in the defensive secondary.

Not only are all but one player from Texas, but six players are from Houston.

"Weive got the best right here in our own backyard," Briles said. "If youive got a nice backyard with the grass cut neatly and the trees watered, why open the fence and go to somebody elseis?"

Briles and his coaching staff are taking a few days off before getting back to work preparing for spring practice and for the start of the football season this fall.

The Cougars will take to the field for spring practice March 11. The 2003 football season will kick off with the annual Bayou Bucket game against Rice on Aug. 30 at Robertson Stadium.

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