Texas Tech, Houston Share More Than Offensive Flair

HOUSTON -- Reclined way back with his feet kicked up on a table in the Houston Cougars' film room Tuesday and answering questions in a philosophical yet aloof way, Dana Holgorsen was channeling his inner Mike Leach without even realizing it.

The voice, the demeanor and delivery were all Leach -- albeit a younger, less clean-shaven Leach.

"I sat in the same room as him for many, many years," Holgorsen, the Cougars second-year offensive coordinator said when reminded of the similarity. "All of that stuff rubbed off, I guess."

Apparently much more than some not-so-subtle mannerisms rubbed off on Holgorsen throughout their time together -- including eight years on Leach's Texas Tech staff -- first as his receivers coach, and later as his co-offensive coordinator before heading to UH. Off and on during the last 20 years, Holgorsen has had a chance to learn firsthand the unorthodox way Leach approaches offensive football, spreading the field and using a quick-strike passing game to move the ball downfield much the way traditional offenses use the running game.

Holgorsen was like sponge until breaking out on his own last year.

Much of what Holgorsen has picked up from Leach will be heavily debated Saturday night when the 17th-ranked Cougars host the Texas Tech Red Raiders in what is expected to be a display of explosive offenses that very much mirror one another.

"At times there are going to be a lot of the same plays that are run that look incredibly the same," Holgorsen told FanHouse. "I think probably the biggest thing is what's called in certain situations is going to be probably the biggest difference.

"Part of it is he has five offensive linemen who are as big as that door. So he can just sit back and maul people. He's got a big tall quarterback, so [Taylor Potts] being able to throw it 60 or 65 times is a little more realistic than us at this point."

But that isn't to suggest the Cougars see themselves taking a backseat to Leach and his Raiders in this meeting of old Southwest Conference teams. UH has shown in two games this season that it's as explosive as Tech -- and in some cases perhaps more.

Led by an experienced quarterback in junior Case Keenum, the Cougars' 50.0 points per game in their first two contests lead the nation. Texas Tech ranks 19th in the country after averaging 39.0 points per game in its first three games this season.

Both offenses enter Saturday's game as two of the more prolific passing units in the country. The Raiders lead the nation in passing offense with 443.33 yards per game, while UH ranks fourth with 406.50 yards per game. Each offense will spread the field with four and five receiver sets and try to create mismatches in space with quicker receivers on slower defenders at a fast-break pace.

But interestingly, both sides seem to see as many differences as they do similarities.

"They are into motion more than we are," said Leach, who still remains close to Holgorsen. "They motion players around some, that would be the main thing. But there are a lot of similar plays, similar philosophy and stuff like that."

Motioning players is a wrinkle Holgorsen put into his version of the spread attack and quite possibly is something he suggested during his tenure at Tech that Leach elected to pass on.

"We're not scared to change some things up, not that he's scared," said Holgorsen, whose ties to Leach go back to the early 1990s when he played wide receiver for Leach's offense at Iowa Wesleyan. "He's not scared to change things, he's just reluctant to change things based on the fact it has worked for many, many, many years."

Second-year UH coach Kevin Sumlin admits to similarities in the two offenses but also insists there are major differences beginning with the ground attack. Leach has long used the rush as a means to keep defenses honest and as a change of pace.

The Cougars are much more committed to the run as evidenced by the production of running back Bryce Beall last season when he ran for 1,247 yards and 13 touchdowns on 198 carries as a freshman.

And that difference is already apparent this season with UH averaging 118.5 yards per game on the ground compared to just 28.7 yards per game for the Raiders.

"I think what we've been able to do is be a fairly balanced attack last year by creating a running game," Sumlin said. "It created a 1,300-yard rusher last year and he would have had more yards had I had sense enough to start him before the fourth game."

But Keenum also is capable of putting the ball in the air with speed guys like Tyron Carrier capable of getting open for big catches. It was Keenum's play two weeks ago that helped pave the way for the 45-35 upset of then-No. 5 Oklahoma State in Stillwater.



The Raiders, meanwhile, are coming off a 34-24 loss to No. 2 Texas in Austin during the Big 12 opener last week that may have done more to bolster the reputation of Potts. Facing his first real test as a first-year starter, the 6-foot-5 signal-caller won the respect of many as he stood in and made key throw after key throw under enormous pressure from the Longhorns.

Potts completed 46 of 62 pass attempts for 414 yards in the losing effort. Potts, who leads the nation in most major passing categories, has passed for 1,281 yards and 12 touchdowns in three games and is averaging 427 yards per game through the air.

The numbers seem to suggest when Keenum and Potts trot their respective offenses onto the field Saturday night that it will be bombs away.

"People thought that when we went to Stillwater," Sumlin said. "Somehow when we play, people bring that up. You would be crazy if you didn't think that way just based on statistics, but that's all I heard about that game – could we outscore them? We played decent defense against Oklahoma State and won the game.

"We are set up and built for whatever happens."