MANHATTAN, Kan. – Five takeaways from No. 22 Houston’s 35-16 victory over Kansas State on Saturday:
Defense turning the corner?
After the Georgia Southern game, defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong said the Cougars could be close to a breakthrough. Has that moment arrived? The unit has allowed just two touchdowns and 16 points in the last five-plus quarters, a stretch spanning 81 minutes, 6 seconds. UH allowed only three plays of 20 or more yards against Kansas State, and two of them came late in the second half with the Cougars already leading 28-3. It’s understandable to remain skeptical about the defense, but the past two weeks have been a step in the right direction.
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‘W’ stands for Weigman
Conner Weigman is playing lights-out as the Cougars reach the halfway mark of the regular season. He has accounted for 21 total touchdowns – 15 passing and six rushing – while throwing just one interception. Right about now, a certain maroon-and-white school down Highway 6 might be wishing it still had Weigman.
Record-setting day for Overmyer
Patrick Overmyer was a matchup nightmare for K-State, which had no answer for the 6-foot-5, 240-pound tight end. Overmyer matched an FBS record with four touchdown receptions by a tight end. He was a central part of UH’s game plan, finishing with eight catches on 11 targets.
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In the details
Two moments that might have flown under the radar carried significant weight Saturday – a timeout and a key penalty.
On the opening drive, UH appeared to come away empty-handed on four straight plays from the Kansas State 1-yard line. But just as Conner Weigman’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete, the referee signaled Kansas State coach Collin Klein had signaled for a timeout before the snap. Given another chance, Weigman connected with Overmyer for a 1-yard touchdown – a sign of things to come.
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Later in the second quarter, wide receiver Stephon Johnson, making his season debut after being declared eligible for a fifth season, drew a pass interference call in the back corner of the end zone. The call set up Overmyer’s second touchdown of the game.
‘Boxing’ Johnson
The Cougars knew coming in about the dual-threat capabilities of Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson.
“He’s tough to corral,” coach Willie Fritz said. UH made life difficult for Johnson, who was unable to do much outside the pocket and finished with 39 rushing yards. He was also sacked twice, the first sacks allowed by the Wildcats this season.
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This article originally published at What we learned from UH’s Week 6 win over Kansas State.
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