Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

Sports

UH ready for Red & White Game

Antoine and Joseph produce big plays in practice 

by MARK SUAREZ
The Daily Cougar

The sound of helmets clashing could be heard loud and clear Tuesday afternoon as the Cougars scrimmaged for two hours at the UH Athletics Complex.

UH head coach Art Briles was pleased with the workout, despite a few botched snaps, dropped passes by junior wide receiver Jeron Harvey and a missed extra point by sophomore kicker Ben Bell.

"We had a good practice Saturday so I thought we wouldn't be quite as hyped today as we might have been otherwise and that's fine because all we're worried about is staying healthy, which we did," Briles said. "We're going to get our guys in good shape and prepare to win. That's our goal."

Redshirt freshman Randall Antoine made an impact at running back. Antoine, who is listed at 5-10 inches, 190 pounds, broke a pair of 30-yard runs and got the bulk of the carries with starter senior Anthony Alridge seeing limited action. 

"He's (Antoine) got quick feet, he's a tough kid," Briles said. "He's a good player and that's why we recruited him. He's going to be able to step in there and do good things."

A 60-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver L.J. Castile down the right sideline was the highlight of sophomore quarterback Blake Joseph's afternoon.

As the successor to former UH standout Kevin Kolb, Joseph has what some consider a daunting task. However, he's taking everything in stride.

"Kolb was a great asset for the school," Joseph said. "I just want to do my part and play my role to get this team back to another Conference USA championship."

On defense, the Cougars maintained a solid pass rush throughout the day. The pressure may be a result of the new defensive scheme the Cougars plan to implement next season.

"We're switching to a 4-2-5 defense," Briles said. "We're just trying to utilize our personnel and get our best players on the field at the same time."

Send comments to dcsports@mail.uh.edu