Greg Ward, Jr. added to roster by San Antonio Commanders

Photo by
Darla Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2016 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (January 12, 2019)  The San Antonio Commanders have announced they have added former Houston Cougars standout Greg Ward, Jr. to their 2019 roster as a wide receiver. Ward, Jr. played in 49 career games at Houston as a wide receiver and quarterback. He amassed 11,080 yards and 93 total touchdowns at Houston and was the 2015 Earl Campbell Award winner. In addition, he was a member of the Super Bowl LII champion Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad in 2017.

Four fourth quarter TDs leads No. 6 Houston Cougars to 40-16 win over Cincinnati Bearcats

Greg Ward, Jr. rushed for 109 yards and two touchdown to
lead the Houston Cougars to their third win of the 2016 season.
Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2016 All Rights Reserved.

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2016 TexSport Publications

CINCINNATI, OHIO (September 15, 2016) The No. 6 Houston Cougars scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to come from behind and down the Cincinnati Bearcats by the score of 40-16 in front of 40,015 fans at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio on Thursday, September 15, 2016. The win was the third for the Cougars in 2013 and began their conference record at 1-0. Quarterback Greg Ward Jr. rushed for two of the fourth quarter touchdowns while Steven Taylor and Howard Wilson both intercepted passes late in the game for touchdowns.

The Cougars and Bearcats traded TDs in the first quarter to tie the game at seven after 15 minutes of play. Ty Cummings booted a 32-yard field goal to give the Cougars a 10-7 lead with 2:58 remaining in the first half. Bearcat kicker Andrew Gantz countered with a 37-yard boot of his own to tie the score at 10 at the half. Houston came back and scored a safety after 3:30 of play in the third quarter to give the Cougars slight 12-10 lead. The safety was the second time in two years that the Cougar defense picked up two points on the Bearcats. Cincinnati responded three seconds into the fourth quarter on a pass from Hayden Moore to Nate Cole to cap a 78-yard, five play drive to a go-ahead touchdown. At that point the Cougars score four touchdowns in 8:05 to secure the win.

Houston head coach Tom Herman have the Cougars 3-0 in 2016.
Photo by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2016, All Rights Reserved

With the victory, Houston improved to 15-10 in the all-time series against the Bearcats, and was the second straight win against their AAC rival. In their most recent meeting, the Cougars claimed a 33-30 win at TDECU Stadium on November 7, 2015. That victory broke a five-game losing streak against Cincinnati dating back to October 9, 1999. Prior to Thursday’s win, Houston had not recorded consecutive wins against Cincinnati since 1972-1974. The Cougars moved to 5-6 on the road at Cincinnati, snapping a four-game losing streak. With 506 yards of total offense, Houston now has back-to-back games of over 500 yards of offense after collecting 511 yards against Lamar in their previous game.

Houston’s defense held the Bearcats to 30 yards rushing in the contest, marking the fifth straight opponent that the Cougars have held under 100 yards on the ground. Houston held Lamar to 15 yards last week and Oklahoma to 70 yards in their opener. To close out the 2015-16 season the Cougars held Temple to 98 yards in the American Championship Game while keeping No. 9/8 Florida State at 16 in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Houston returns to action at 6 p.m., Saturday, September 24, 2016 when they travel to San Marcos, Texas, to face Texas State.

Houston Cougars climb in both AP and Coaches Polls

Houston jumps three spots to No. 21 in AP poll while entering coaches poll at No. 22.

Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved.

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 18, 2015) The Houston Football program climbed in both the Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls released Sunday, coming in at No. 21 in the AP poll and No. 22 in the coaches poll.

Houston’s climb comes after a 42-7 win over Tulane Friday night in New Orleans. The No. 21 ranking in the AP poll is Houston’s highest ranking since coming in at No. 18 in the final poll of the 2011 season when the Cougars finished the year 13-1.

Houston is one of 14 teams still undefeated including three teams in The American (UH, Memphis, Temple).  Twelve of the 14 are in action this weekend including Memphis (at Tulsa) and Temple (at East Carolina).

Houston is the only team in The American to defeat four different opponents by 21 points or more. The Cougars are one of three undefeated teams nationally with at least four wins of 21 points or more (Baylor, Ohio State).

This season is the fifth in Houston history for the Cougars to start 6-0 and the first since 2011. Houston has started 7-0 three times in program history (1979, 1990, 2011).

The Cougars rank 11th nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 98.5 yards per game, while ranking 10th in rushing offense with an average of 279.2 yards per game. Houston and LSU are the only teams in the nation to rank in the top 11 in both categories.

Junior quarterback Greg Ward Jr. (shown above right) is tied with LSU’s Leonard Fournette for the nation’s lead the nation with 14 rushing touchdowns, despite 57 less rushing attempts than Fournette.

Ward is second nationally in scoring with 84 points while ranking fourth in points responsible for per game with 23.0 per game.

Ward leads The American and is seventh nationally with an average of 359.2 yards of total offense per game. Ward is the only player nationally to average over 200 passing yards per game (260.4) and over 100 rushing yards per game (110.8). He ranks in the top 10 nationally in seven different stat categories.

UH, Baylor and TCU are the only three teams nationally to rank in the top 28 in rushing offense and passing offense. Houston ranks 10th in rushing offense (279.2) and 28th nationally in passing offense (275.5).

Houston returns to action this Saturday when it travels to Orlando to face UCF. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. CT and the game will air on ESPNews and KPRC 950 AM.