We tied for second place in The SWC that Season. Baylor won it, going 8-0.
It is marvelous to watch DL like Hosea Taylor and Leonard Mitchell in action. Our defense was very,very stout in that game.
The Houston Veer was directed by Terry Elston. Our Running Game was a marvel to watch. It had sputtered in many 1980 games, but not this one.
Enjoyed watching this Bowl Game. Hope the younger fans will appreciate what an Offensive Machine we once had and,of course, many many earlier Cougar teams were offensively superior to the 1980 team.
Should have beaten Texas that year. I remember we fumbled on their one yard line and lost by two points. And then we just didn’t even show up for the Rice game. Street and Smith picked us #2 that year, and we were favored to win the conference. I remember Terry Elston was injured early in the season, and that didn’t help. Baylor was the best team in the conference that year.
Thank you for posting gentlemen. There is no telling how high Mr. Yeoman could have taken us. To be National Champion? It is not so far fetched…What happened shortly after? The uta ncaa put us on probation. This is why it is critical for HCWF to win immediately or at least within the next two seasons. We belong to the top, very top.
After the 1980 season starting Coach Yeoman’s slide. UH was put on probation in 1988, for infractions Yeoman and staff committed between 1979-1984. The probation was triggered by allegations of WRs Lonell Phea and David Roberson alleging improper payments were received. During that time, recruiting had really fallen off and UH never competed for a SWC Championship.
…and as you know all FBS DIV 1 schools were doing the same, every single one of them. uta having implants at the ncaa almost destroyed our program for good.
I would say after the ‘81 season. Had we managed to hold onto a 14 point first half lead against Texas (game ended in a 14-14 tie), we would have gone to the Cotton Bowl since SMU was ineligible, and UH and Texas would have been tied at 6-2 with UH getting the nod due to the head to head win. But then again we won the conference in ‘84, so maybe it’s more accurate to say the true slide began in ‘85, not that we were the national power we had been in the mid to late 70s (4 Top 10 finishes and a #11 ranking in the Coaches Poll) after ‘79.
In addition to Ware and Spoon: Johnny Jackson, Lamar Latham, Veezy, Warren, Olglesby, Kimble Anders, Ed Thomas. Freshmen OL pressed into service in 1986, became road graders: Forsyth, Banes…. The table was set for Pardee and Jenkins.
I don’t have the exact numbers but I have seen it on this board in the past that Yeoman recruited like 10-15 NFL players that Pardee inherited when he took over in 87.
yes…and the uta ncaa probation almost cost us the death penalty. What Coach Jenkins did in 1990 with a limited roster is one of the best coaching I have ever seen. Without that probation we were on track to win the National Championship hence the uta ncaa probation.
CBY was cycling back to championship status with that group. All due respect to Pardee, but Coach Yeoman wins the SWC with that group as they mature. When it was close, he always came through, ‘76, ‘78, ‘79, and ‘84.
As 92010 has clearly stated, the probation was a hit job from Austin. After Hoss Brock mocked our players and fans, the players almost revolted before the ‘84 Cotton Bowl. Coach gave each player $100 to enjoy Dallas. Minor stuff!
The paragon of virtue, Ken Lay, was a UH regent that pushed Coach out after 25 years of remarkable dedication, service and accomplishments.
