Houston, Texas – The Texas State football team opens its 2010 season when the Bobcats travel to Houston and play the Houston Cougars in a non-conference game at Robertson Stadium on the UH campus. Kickoff for the game is scheduled for 7:06 p.m.
Game Notes
Texas State at Houston Game Facts
Date and Time: September 4 at 7:05 p.m.
Site: Robertson Stadium in Houston
Live Stats: www.uhcougars.com
Live Webstreaming: www.uhcougars.com
Scouting Texas State
Texas State enters the 2010 season looking for its third straight winning season after finishing the 2009 campaign with a 7-4 record and posting an 8-5 mark in 2008 under fourth-year head coach Brad Wright.
Texas State's offense will be under the direction of assistant head coach Ben Norton and Slade Nagle. Norton is in his fourth season as a co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, while Nagle is in his first season as a co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
The Cougars return a pair of preseason FCS All-Americans in senior wide receiver Da'Marcus Griggs and junior offensive guard D.J. Hall. Another preseason All-Southland Conference selection, Daren Dillard, also returns as a wide receiver. Senior running back Karrington Bush returns at running back after sitting out most of last season with a knee injury. Bush rushed for over 1,000 yards as a freshman and sophomore before being limited to just four games in 2009.
In addition to Griggs and Dillard, the Bobcats also have juniors Darius Bolden and Alvaro Garcia at the wide receiver position.
Joining Hall on the offensive line is junior center Steven Kenney, a native of Pearland, Texas, who started 11 games at center in 2009. In addition, part-time starters Jason Hannan and Winston Ruelas also return, and Michael Chambers takes over at left tackle after redshirting last season.
The Bobcats will have a new quarterback running the offense in 2010 as sophomore Tim Hawkins replaces Bradley George, a four-year starter who ended his career holding all of Texas State's career passing records.
The Bobcats look to be vastly improved on defense under third-year defensive coordinator Fred Bleil. Texas State returns six players on defense who started eight or more games last season. They are junior defensive end Ron Jackson, senior linebacker Marcus Clark, junior linebacker Bryan Iwuji, senior safeties T.P. Miller and Kenneth Hampton along with sophomore cornerback Darryl Morris. In addition, part-time starter Derek Lopez who played in all 11 games last season also returns, along with senior cornerback Drenard Williams, who sat out last season with a shoulder injury after starting 13 games in 2008.
On special teams, Texas State returns junior punter Ben Folllis and sophomore place-kicker Justin Garelick.
Scouting Houston
Houston opens its 2010 season after winning the Western Division of Conference USA in 2009 last season under third-year head coach Kevin Sumlin.
The Cougars return 42 lettermen and 16 starters off of last year's 10-4 team that led NCAA FBS schools in passing, scoring and total offense. Headlining the list of returning players is senior quarterback Case Keenum, a Heisman Trophy candidate who led the nation in passing and total offense. Keenum threw for 5,671 yards and 44 touchdowns last season.
Houston also returns kick returner Tyson Carrier, who is the 2010 preseason C-USA Special Teams Player of the Year. Carrier also joins James Cleveland and Patrick Edwards as 1,000-yard receivers last season.
What's Next
Following the Houston game, Texas State returns to San Marcos for three straight home games against Southern Arkansas, Cal Poly and Southern Utah. Kickoff for all three games is 6:00 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium.
