How did U of Houston just land 2 of the top DT in the country?

[Hoggy Bear]

http://www.si.com/college-football/2015/05/23/houston-football-recruiting-jordan-elliott-commitment

[rolyat_2008]

Both are from Houston and one's HS HC is the new TE coach on Herman's staff at Houston

[ZERO]

I'm kind of perplexed that Houston isn't more of a major player, honestly. They got relegated to a "little guy" when the SWC collapsed, but Houston is a huge city and a big university. I don't understand why they don't run a conference like C-USA or pull recruits like this more often.


They should have been able to find a way to keep Sumlin, that's for sure. He had them ranked #6 as a G5 at one point. He was their ticket to a return to relevance. I'm thankful we have an AD who is willing to do what it takes to put us on top and spend the money necessary, because God knows we don't have the built-in recruited advantages that places like Houston does.

[Exit Pursued by a Boar]

Getting the two commits is impressive. It's a long recruiting season though.  They actually have to sign and show up at Cougar High in the fall of 2016.  Do we consider all of our commits to be absolutely certain hogs?  I doubt our coaching staff does.  Those two young men will be recruited hard by people who can flash a much greater chance of winning something at them then they'll ever see at Houston.  If they stay, more power to them, but, again, time will tell.

EFBAB

[ChicoHog]

Houston should be in the Big 12 but the powers that be don't care because they already have that TV market.  Remember how good they were in the late 70;s and 80's?  Bring in Houston and Boise st, BYU or memphis and there is your 12 teams that they need. 

[rljjr]

Here's a stat that blew my mind. Hogs and Houston have played 18 times. 18. Seemed like more to me having grown up in the SWC days before it dissolved.

[ZERO]

Houston should be in the Big 12 but the powers that be don't care because they already have that TV market.  Remember how good they were in the late 70;s and 80's?  Bring in Houston and Boise st, BYU or memphis and there is your 12 teams that they need.

Memphis would be a good choice. I'm partial to NIU and Cincinnati, myself. I really want NIU to get a shot at a power conference.

[Hawghiggs]

Memphis would be a good choice. I'm partial to NIU and Cincinnati, myself. I really want NIU to get a shot at a power conference.

New Mexico is a perfect fit.

[ZERO]

New Mexico is a perfect fit.

New Mexico has no population and never has a good team. The others are a lot closer to TCU's situation.

[redeye]

Here's a stat that blew my mind. Hogs and Houston have played 18 times. 18. Seemed like more to me having grown up in the SWC days before it dissolved.

Houston didn't join the SWC until 1976.

Personally, I thought their best teams were exciting to watch, but overrated in general.  I was far more worried about Baylor in the SWC.

[ChicoHog]

Houston didn't join the SWC until 1976.

Personally, I thought their best teams were exciting to watch, but overrated in general.  I was far more worried about Baylor in the SWC.

Their best teams were in the late 70s with Bill Yeoman as coach.  In the 80's they went gimmicky and had much lesser competition in the SWC with Texas and SMU down at the time. 

[rljjr]

Houston didn't join the SWC until 1976.

Personally, I thought their best teams were exciting to watch, but overrated in general.  I was far more worried about Baylor in the SWC.

Agreed. I was about 5 when I first remember listening to games on the radio and 8 when Houston joined the league, but never really made a connection we didn't play them before that. Some of my best Hog memories are centered around my parents hosting or attending game-listening parties. It was always noisy and exciting. That feeling has never left.

[ZERO]

We also hold a 12-6 lead over Houston in the series, if anyone is curious.

[ZERO]

I actually looked up all of our old SWC foes.

We have winning records against:

Baylor: 35-33
Houston: 12-6
Oklahoma State: 30-15 (on a five game winning steak)
Rice: 35-29
SMU: 37-31
Texas A&M: 41-27
TCU: 43-23
Texas Tech: 29-7



We have losing records against:

Oklahoma: 4-10
Texas: 22-56

We really owned the SWC for the most part, especially since Oklahoma wasn't in it for the majority of our stay.

[online-with-swine]

Neither Oklahoma nor Oklahoma State where ever in the SWC.

[ricepig]

Neither Oklahoma nor Oklahoma State where ever in the SWC.

Wrong, in the beginning.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Conference

[ZERO]

Neither Oklahoma nor Oklahoma State where ever in the SWC.

Oklahoma State was actually in the conference for a good decade.

[Hogs-n-Roses]

I'm kind of perplexed that Houston isn't more of a major player, honestly. They got relegated to a "little guy" when the SWC collapsed, but Houston is a huge city and a big university. I don't understand why they don't run a conference like C-USA or pull recruits like this more often.


They should have been able to find a way to keep Sumlin, that's for sure. He had them ranked #6 as a G5 at one point. He was their ticket to a return to relevance. I'm thankful we have an AD who is willing to do what it takes to put us on top and spend the money necessary, because God knows we don't have the built-in recruited advantages that places like Houston does.

I lived there for a few years in the late 70's early 80's when it should have been their hayday and my opinion of why they stayed small was fan support. I went to the Ark. VS Houston game there the year Gary Anderson and company went to play and they were goooodddd. I think the game was a tie or we got beat barely. Can't remember but what I do remember is it being in the astrodome, both teams ranked and having bout 10,000 people there and we prolly had half. It looked like a high school game.

[ZERO]

I lived there for a few years in the late 70's early 80's when it should have been their hayday and my opinion of why they stayed small was fan support. I went to the Ark. VS Houston game there the year Gary Anderson and company went to play and they were goooodddd. I think the game was a tie or we got beat barely. Can't remember but what I do remember is it being in the astrodome, both teams ranked and having bout 10,000 people there and we prolly had half. It looked like a high school game.

Do you think a move to a major conference would be a boost to fan support, or do the pro teams just take away too much of the attention? Honestly, in a city with over two million people plus the metropolitan area, they don't even need the bulk of the population in order to have enough fans to create a formidable home advantage.

[online-with-swine]

Wrong, in the beginning.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Conference

Interesting.  That could have been a hell of a conference.

[LAHogfan123]

Interesting.  That could have been a hell of a conference.

It was a hell of a Conference at certain times without either Okie school.  I remember when Rice was good.  Baylor was a team I always dreaded to play.  SMU, cheating bastages, I still carry a healthy hatred for those no good sorry saps, I guess I also should hold the same hate for those SWC refs that called that play that caused that tie game against SMU that gave them the SWC Cotton invite, but if I blamed the SWC refs, it'd have to be for every year we were in that old Conference, can't hardly bring myself to say this, but I think they were worse than the SEC refs.

[Hawghiggs]

New Mexico has no population and never has a good team. The others are a lot closer to TCU's situation.

New Mexico has had some great basketball teams. Plus they would bring a bowl game. Which still isn't much. But it is at least more than what NIU can bring.

[Hogs-n-Roses]

I lived there for a few years in the late 70's early 80's when it should have been their hayday and my opinion of why they stayed small was fan support. I went to the Ark. VS Houston game there the year Gary Anderson and company went to play and they were goooodddd. I think the game was a tie or we got beat barely. Can't remember but what I do remember is it being in the astrodome, both teams ranked and having bout 10,000 people there and we prolly had half. It looked like a high school game.

At the time Harris county/galvaston in general had round 1 million people. I thought it was the pro game and down oilfield at the time but I also went to a pro basketball game there and football also.Unless the opponent was a brand name the attendance was low there. Example; When the Dodgers or cards came to town the baseball venues were much better. Not great but better. I went to a pro football game and saw the same. At one game against the Falcons I believe there was like 25000 there and against the 49ers was like double. I saw them pack the basketball arena for Moses Malones return with the 76ers with Julius Erving and not be able to give tickets away for Milwaukee. I felt like I was in heaven having all these sports but the every day Houstonian seemed not interested.


Srry ZERO I messed up the quote feature on this one.

[ZERO]

New Mexico has had some great basketball teams. Plus they would bring a bowl game. Which still isn't much. But it is at least more than what NIU can bring.

Honestly, I always forget about basketball since the Big 12/SEC are more football conferences and this area of the country is where football rules. But that's a decent point, there. I think NIU, Houston, and Cincinnati would really come into their own in a major conference, though.

[Paul]

Houston, Cincy, Memphis are similar in that they're essentially commuter schools that don't have the fan & alumni loyalty & support that the Power 5 conferences.  Unless they get a major donor like Louisville did with Papa John's they are trying to survive & not be the next UAB.

[Oklahawg]

Houston, Cincy, Memphis are similar in that they're essentially commuter schools that don't have the fan & alumni loyalty & support that the Power 5 conferences.  Unless they get a major donor like Louisville did with Papa John's they are trying to survive & not be the next UAB.

Sounds about right.

A lot can be said about the academics as well. Houston has a reputation of getting players onto campus that couldn't make it into Big 12 or SEC schools. I AM NOT SAYING THAT IS THE SITUATION WITH THESE PLAYERS! I don't know a thing about the two big UH commits.

A lot can also be said about being able to recruit on a tank of gas, the old Bill Blankenship line from Tulsa.

[Inhogswetrust]

Houston should be in the Big 12 but the powers that be don't care because they already have that TV market.  Remember how good they were at cheating in the late 70;s and 80's?  Bring in Houston and Boise st, BYU or memphis and there is your 12  a teams that they need. 

FIFY

[Inhogswetrust]

Do you think a move to a major conference would be a boost to fan support, or do the pro teams just take away too much of the attention? Honestly, in a city with over two million people plus the metropolitan area, they don't even need the bulk of the population in order to have enough fans to create a formidable home advantage.

Just like Memphis, Cincinnati and Houston are very divided cities when it comes to college teams loyalty. Houston is primarily a typical urban commuter school. A lot of those where other teams have a ton of support do not typically draw well. Especially those that have not been in a P5 conference historically. Heck even Rice used to outdraw them a long time ago when they were in the SWC and Houston wasn't. By the time Houston joined the SWC the small private schools across the country with a few exceptions were already way down in public support of their athletics. 

[Inhogswetrust]

Houston, Cincy, Memphis are similar in that they're essentially commuter schools that don't have the fan & alumni loyalty & support that the Power 5 conferences.  Unless they get a major donor like Louisville did with Papa John's they are trying to survive & not be the next UAB.

I actually just got back from a vacation in Kentucky for some Bourbon tours and tastings over the holiday. Stayed in Lexington Friday night. Stayed in Louisville for the weekend. Has a really great time there. I saw Louisville's facilities. Nice for a typical commuter school. Interestingly enough I didn't see a Papa John's on every street corner as I thought there would be. Once you get outside the Louisville area then there is a predominance of UK signs, bumper stickers and wearables.

P.S. Saw and spoke with several people with Hog caps and shirts as we wear ours everywhere. One guy at Woodford Reserve was from Fayetteville and lived in Louisville. He gave us some great ideas of where to go there and eat. 

[Inhogswetrust]

New Mexico has had some great basketball teams. Plus they would bring a bowl game. Which still isn't much. But it is at least more than what NIU can bring.

My wife's niece was a professor at NM and now is at old misses. I never could understand that move other than it got her closer to her family which is a good reason for a lot of people. New Mexico has a glorified high school football stadium. However the Pit, their basketball arena as it's known, is very nice especially since the upgrades. They do put emphasis in basketball there.

[Paul]

I actually just got back from a vacation in Kentucky for some Bourbon tours and tastings over the holiday. Stayed in Lexington Friday night. Stayed in Louisville for the weekend. Has a really great time there. I saw Louisville's facilities. Nice for a typical commuter school. Interestingly enough I didn't see a Papa John's on every street corner as I thought there would be. Once you get outside the Louisville area then there is a predominance of UK signs

P.S. Saw and spoke with several people with Hog caps and shirts as we wear ours

for many years, U of Memphis has tried to get FedEx & the city to fund a on campus small stadium seating around 30-35K(smaller than the Liberty Bowl), thinking that it would improve support & recruiting.  No luck.  Now that Fuentes has improved the program, Memphis fans are resigned to the fact that he will be hired away by a P5 member after this year.  Much like Sumlin leaving Houston, Memphis can't begin to compete in coaching salary, recruiting budget & facilities when P5 fb programs come calling.   

[Inhogswetrust]

  for many years, U of Memphis has tried to get FedEx & the city to fund a on campus small stadium seating around 30-35K(smaller than the Liberty Bowl), thinking that it would improve support & recruiting.  No luck.  Now that Fuentes has improved the program, Memphis fans are resigned to the fact that he will be hired away by a P5 member after this year.  Much like Sumlin leaving Houston, Memphis can't begin to compete in coaching salary, recruiting budget & facilities when P5 fb programs come calling.   

The stadium issue has been discussed and rehashed in Memphis for years. The one's wanting it are primarily the Highland Hundred fund raiser group pushed by the Byrd family, and a few others. However the cost of trying to build an on campus is cost prohibitive at this time due to funding, lack of space, parking issues and vocal opposition from those living close by as well as city officials that doesn't want to have to maintain a stadium for only one gamer a year. Hmmmm. The Liberty Bowl is not in the best area and the city has spent a lot of money on a few upgrades. However it is a serviceable stadium for a less than P5 school.   

[Cinco de Hogo]

The difference between Louisville and the other commuter schools mentioned and I would include Miami, Louisville is most definitely a sports town and it doesn't  have pro sports.  Take Louisville out of Kentucky and the sports interest outside KY basketball and horse racing would be about the same as those schools recieve. 

[Paul]

The stadium issue has been discussed and rehashed in Memphis for years. The one's wanting it are primarily the Highland Hundred fund raiser group pushed by the Byrd family, and a few others. However the cost of trying to build an on campus is cost prohibitive at this time due to funding, lack of space, parking issues and vocal opposition from those living close by as well as city officials that doesn't want to have to maintain a stadium for only one gamer a year. Hmmmm. The Liberty Bowl is not in the best area and the city has spent a lot of money on a few upgrades. However it is a serviceable stadium for a less than P5 school.

all true plus no one will fund  the stadium.  I know the Byrds well.