October 24, 2024 • 7 mins
The Houston Cougars were unable to return home with a win after losing 42-12 to the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. After starter Zeon Chriss left the game with a quad/hamstring injury, Donovan Smith came in and went 15 of 24 for 173 passing yards, with two touchdowns and three picks. Jalon Daniels had three passing touchdowns to help Kansas snap their five-game losing streak. "When you don't win [the turnover battle], you're going to have a tough time winning the ball game," head coach Willie Fritz said. Fritz joins "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" ahead of the Cougars' Homecoming matchup against the Utah Utes. "They're a strong run team," and their defense "doesn't read and react... they're trying to make something happen," Fritz said. The Cougars will look to earn their third win of the season and second against a Big 12 opponent.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The time for us, it has been a few quality
(00:01):
minutes with the head football coach. If you're Houston Cougar's
Cougars against the Utah Utes this Saturday night ESPN plus
the TV, sibe IT radio over on nine fifty KPRC,
and I'll have the pregame show. And right now we
are joined by head coach Willie Fritz. Willy, Good afternoon,
How are things good?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
How are you doing, Matt?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
I got no complaints, coach, Thanks for taking some time
with us. Look, there was times where penalties got to you,
and then unfortunately the turnover bug got to you Saturday
in Kansas City. As you look back at the film, Look,
obviously you want to correct all those types of things.
But was it intense pressure or some some mental mistakes
by your squad that turned into the high turnover camp?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, you know both. You know it's hard to you know,
like I've said a few times, you know, we got
to play really well this season to be able to
win in DIG twelve. And you know, the week before
that we played DCU more plus four turnover takeaway win,
and then last week we're minus four and I didn't win.
So we just got to clean it up and do
(01:01):
a better job coaching and playing and understand how important
you know, possession of the ball is. And I've given
them a free series of downs without anything happening. Good
for you. So that's big for us. We talk about
the plan to win every week and the first component
of it is winning the turnover takeaway battle. And you know,
(01:22):
when you don't win it, you're gonna have a tough
time winning the ball game. So we've got to do
much better job in that area.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
How do you in game go to the well if
if a ball gets deflected or intercepted, are fumbling. Look,
these kids are a human. They don't want to be
making these have of mistakes. But how do you try
to as a coach reinforce the let's not get into
this here we go again mode when you're in the
middle of coaching a football game, Well.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
You really do it. Throughout the course of the week.
We try to, you know, we you know, it's the
number one thing that's printed up all over our buildings,
all that kind of stuff, and that's good. But we
spend a lot of time with driddle work, you know,
individual team, you know, working with proper ball security. And
then you know, you got to make sure that on
(02:07):
pass routes and you're you know, throwing balls that you
got a great chance to complete. I know that sounds simple,
but you know, when you're you know, putting together a
game plan, you know, you got to make sure you
got the correct Jimmy against the correct Joe and hopefully
there's some separation and you're guys able to compete and
catch the football and you know, so all those things,
(02:30):
just making sure every day in practice, you know, carrying
the ball the right way. You know, it's we tell
him over and over again, it's not the guy you
can see who's going to create the turnover. It's the
guy you can't see, the guys in your blind spot,
the guy coming to the side. You got to always
be protecting the ball and basically got our program in
your hands when you're carrying the ball. So some way
(02:50):
emphasized in great detail, but we got to go out
and execute it, and we've got to coach it better
because you know it's not it's not sticking right now.
We gotta do a better job with it.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
You lost the Chris early in the game to injury
on Saturday. How's he been for you? This week of practice.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Well, you know better, we're hoping he's going to be
able to play on Saturday, you know, but if he's
not able to, you know, we've got to Donovan and Huie,
you've got to do a good job coming in and
playing force and you know, so we're going to find
that out. You know. Unfortunately, he's banged up a little
(03:26):
bit this season and and uh, you know, we're hoping
he's going to be able to finish home stretch where
he's healthy and be able to get out there and
participate and play, because he does some great things when
he's when he is able to play.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
So how do you if we were to partake in
watching some of your practices, are you splitting quarterback time up?
Thirty three? Thirty three thirty three? I mean, is there
a percentage you can put on the three guys you've
had take steps for you so far this year?
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Well, you know, there was a couple of days there
where Zeon wasn't able to take any stamps at all,
so you just split it with the other two guys.
You know, it's hard to split evenly two guys, much
less three, So you've got to really, you know, figure
out each day. You know who's healthy, who's able to go,
and then you try to try to split it up
(04:13):
amongst two guys at the very most.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Wellie, you've been a great motivator no matter where you
have been. I've watched you from the distance motivate your
guys just before we leave the hotel to go to
the stadium. And I don't you call that something in particular,
right or is that just something you just walk in
and talk to the guys for your gun and the bus.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Oh, we do. We call it the hype session, you know.
I don't know. I got so many years and years ago.
You kind of show a highlight tape things during the
course of the week. You know, sometimes show that hype
video the night before the game. Yeah, didn't really help
you out. If it's a good video and you get taught,
they have a hard time sleeping, you know, want that.
So we try to do it right before we get
(04:50):
on the bus and head to the game, and hopefully
it generates some some genuine enthusiasm.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Well, I'm I'm always fired up to have a better
broadcast when you're doing that. So I tell you it's great,
great motivation. Who motivated you in your life. You have
been around a lot of great college coaches. You played
obviously and worked from the ground up to where you
are now. Who is, in your mind has been the
greatest motivator when it comes to getting You're talking about
ninety young men basically on a week to week basis,
(05:16):
ready to play a football game.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Oh, you know, I've motivated myself, you know, basically that's
kind of how I was raised with my mom and dad.
But the coach that motivated me and mostly guy named
Ron Raydelman. I was my college coach, a small school
called Pittsburgh State up in Kansas, and they took the
reins at Sam Houston State University, and really he was
the first guy that went on a consistent level there
(05:41):
Sam Houston and he and I talk every week. You'll
beat the game this weekend, and he's my number one motivator.
All right.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
As far as Utah is concerned, you're gonna be going
against a new offensive coordinator, as Kyle Winningham is. They've
decided to move on from Andy Ludwig. A thought or
two about that football team. They're also going through quarterback
issues of the and they've got a young freshman that's
getting snaps, and they really struggled offensively against TCU last Saturday.
When you turned the tape on what did you see.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Well, exactly what you said. They You know, they had
a very veteran quarterback, I think he was in his
seventh season here, Cam Rising, and unfortunately for the young man,
he got injured. And you know, they're just trying to
find their way. You know, when you have a quarterback
and whatever position, what does he do well? Get him
to do that, what does he do not so well?
Stay away from that, you know, and you can't really
(06:30):
find those things out until you play a few ballgames.
And that's kind of what's happened to us right now.
You go through spring ball and preseason camp and you
know the quarterback's not live and you really get a
you know, diagnose where they're at during the season. So
they're a strong run team, you know, they've always done that.
And then they're really really good on defense. Poor man
(06:52):
in front, they're penetrating type front. They're jumping off the ball.
They're not a reading react They're trying to make something
happen with penetration. And they play a ton of man
coverage and one of the here and you're either one
of the better defenses in the country, so we got
to make sure we get bodies on bodies and not
allow them to get back there quick and disrupt the
quarterback and uh, you know, turn the ball over. And
(07:15):
we've been working on all their different bliss combinations this week,
so we want that to you know, really play out
on Saturday night six oh two.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
All right, very good coach. Always great to have you
on my show. We appreciate it, and best of luck
this Saturday against the Utes. Thank you, you got it.
That's Willie Fritz with us here on Sports Talk seven.
Hunting and Willie's visits every week are brought to you
by the Joint Chiropractic, the official chiropractor of University of
Houston Athletics.
The time for us, it has been a few quality
(00:01):
minutes with the head football coach. If you're Houston Cougar's
Cougars against the Utah Utes this Saturday night ESPN plus
the TV, sibe IT radio over on nine fifty KPRC,
and I'll have the pregame show. And right now we
are joined by head coach Willie Fritz. Willy, Good afternoon,
How are things good?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
How are you doing, Matt?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
I got no complaints, coach, Thanks for taking some time
with us. Look, there was times where penalties got to you,
and then unfortunately the turnover bug got to you Saturday
in Kansas City. As you look back at the film, Look,
obviously you want to correct all those types of things.
But was it intense pressure or some some mental mistakes
by your squad that turned into the high turnover camp?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, you know both. You know it's hard to you know,
like I've said a few times, you know, we got
to play really well this season to be able to
win in DIG twelve. And you know, the week before
that we played DCU more plus four turnover takeaway win,
and then last week we're minus four and I didn't win.
So we just got to clean it up and do
(01:01):
a better job coaching and playing and understand how important
you know, possession of the ball is. And I've given
them a free series of downs without anything happening. Good
for you. So that's big for us. We talk about
the plan to win every week and the first component
of it is winning the turnover takeaway battle. And you know,
(01:22):
when you don't win it, you're gonna have a tough
time winning the ball game. So we've got to do
much better job in that area.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
How do you in game go to the well if
if a ball gets deflected or intercepted, are fumbling. Look,
these kids are a human. They don't want to be
making these have of mistakes. But how do you try
to as a coach reinforce the let's not get into
this here we go again mode when you're in the
middle of coaching a football game, Well.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
You really do it. Throughout the course of the week.
We try to, you know, we you know, it's the
number one thing that's printed up all over our buildings,
all that kind of stuff, and that's good. But we
spend a lot of time with driddle work, you know,
individual team, you know, working with proper ball security. And
then you know, you got to make sure that on
(02:07):
pass routes and you're you know, throwing balls that you
got a great chance to complete. I know that sounds simple,
but you know, when you're you know, putting together a
game plan, you know, you got to make sure you
got the correct Jimmy against the correct Joe and hopefully
there's some separation and you're guys able to compete and
catch the football and you know, so all those things,
(02:30):
just making sure every day in practice, you know, carrying
the ball the right way. You know, it's we tell
him over and over again, it's not the guy you
can see who's going to create the turnover. It's the
guy you can't see, the guys in your blind spot,
the guy coming to the side. You got to always
be protecting the ball and basically got our program in
your hands when you're carrying the ball. So some way
(02:50):
emphasized in great detail, but we got to go out
and execute it, and we've got to coach it better
because you know it's not it's not sticking right now.
We gotta do a better job with it.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
You lost the Chris early in the game to injury
on Saturday. How's he been for you? This week of practice.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Well, you know better, we're hoping he's going to be
able to play on Saturday, you know, but if he's
not able to, you know, we've got to Donovan and Huie,
you've got to do a good job coming in and
playing force and you know, so we're going to find
that out. You know. Unfortunately, he's banged up a little
(03:26):
bit this season and and uh, you know, we're hoping
he's going to be able to finish home stretch where
he's healthy and be able to get out there and
participate and play, because he does some great things when
he's when he is able to play.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
So how do you if we were to partake in
watching some of your practices, are you splitting quarterback time up?
Thirty three? Thirty three thirty three? I mean, is there
a percentage you can put on the three guys you've
had take steps for you so far this year?
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Well, you know, there was a couple of days there
where Zeon wasn't able to take any stamps at all,
so you just split it with the other two guys.
You know, it's hard to split evenly two guys, much
less three, So you've got to really, you know, figure
out each day. You know who's healthy, who's able to go,
and then you try to try to split it up
(04:13):
amongst two guys at the very most.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Wellie, you've been a great motivator no matter where you
have been. I've watched you from the distance motivate your
guys just before we leave the hotel to go to
the stadium. And I don't you call that something in particular,
right or is that just something you just walk in
and talk to the guys for your gun and the bus.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Oh, we do. We call it the hype session, you know.
I don't know. I got so many years and years ago.
You kind of show a highlight tape things during the
course of the week. You know, sometimes show that hype
video the night before the game. Yeah, didn't really help
you out. If it's a good video and you get taught,
they have a hard time sleeping, you know, want that.
So we try to do it right before we get
(04:50):
on the bus and head to the game, and hopefully
it generates some some genuine enthusiasm.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Well, I'm I'm always fired up to have a better
broadcast when you're doing that. So I tell you it's great,
great motivation. Who motivated you in your life. You have
been around a lot of great college coaches. You played
obviously and worked from the ground up to where you
are now. Who is, in your mind has been the
greatest motivator when it comes to getting You're talking about
ninety young men basically on a week to week basis,
(05:16):
ready to play a football game.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Oh, you know, I've motivated myself, you know, basically that's
kind of how I was raised with my mom and dad.
But the coach that motivated me and mostly guy named
Ron Raydelman. I was my college coach, a small school
called Pittsburgh State up in Kansas, and they took the
reins at Sam Houston State University, and really he was
the first guy that went on a consistent level there
(05:41):
Sam Houston and he and I talk every week. You'll
beat the game this weekend, and he's my number one motivator.
All right.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
As far as Utah is concerned, you're gonna be going
against a new offensive coordinator, as Kyle Winningham is. They've
decided to move on from Andy Ludwig. A thought or
two about that football team. They're also going through quarterback
issues of the and they've got a young freshman that's
getting snaps, and they really struggled offensively against TCU last Saturday.
When you turned the tape on what did you see.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Well, exactly what you said. They You know, they had
a very veteran quarterback, I think he was in his
seventh season here, Cam Rising, and unfortunately for the young man,
he got injured. And you know, they're just trying to
find their way. You know, when you have a quarterback
and whatever position, what does he do well? Get him
to do that, what does he do not so well?
Stay away from that, you know, and you can't really
(06:30):
find those things out until you play a few ballgames.
And that's kind of what's happened to us right now.
You go through spring ball and preseason camp and you
know the quarterback's not live and you really get a
you know, diagnose where they're at during the season. So
they're a strong run team, you know, they've always done that.
And then they're really really good on defense. Poor man
(06:52):
in front, they're penetrating type front. They're jumping off the ball.
They're not a reading react They're trying to make something
happen with penetration. And they play a ton of man
coverage and one of the here and you're either one
of the better defenses in the country, so we got
to make sure we get bodies on bodies and not
allow them to get back there quick and disrupt the
quarterback and uh, you know, turn the ball over. And
(07:15):
we've been working on all their different bliss combinations this week,
so we want that to you know, really play out
on Saturday night six oh two.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
All right, very good coach. Always great to have you
on my show. We appreciate it, and best of luck
this Saturday against the Utes. Thank you, you got it.
That's Willie Fritz with us here on Sports Talk seven.
Hunting and Willie's visits every week are brought to you
by the Joint Chiropractic, the official chiropractor of University of
Houston Athletics.
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