A WORK OF ART: Briles and Cougars cash in on recruiting trail

CUSA Fans Houston Correspondent Patrick Mahoney takes a look at the Houston Cougars 2007 recruiting class.

The Houston Cougar football team finds itself in an awkward and uncertain spot after a 10-win season and a conference championship. That team will lose some of its key leaders by the time next season rolls around, among them star quarterback Kevin Kolb and speedster wideout Vincent Marshall. Defensive linemen Marquay Love and L.C. Kirkpatrick will also be big losses and the offensive line was not that strong to begin with. Cougar recruiters were left with a tall order to fill if this year’s class is to be the foundation of a CUSA dynasty.

Cougar fans have reason to be hopeful, as Art Briles and company capitalized on the first 10-win season in well over a decade and signed a number of exciting prospects. Letters of intent were signed by 23 young men while three others signed statements of financial aid. Among the 26 is Texas high school Class 2A Offensive Player of the Year Terrance Ganaway, who ran for 2,646 yards and 33 touchdowns in his senior campaign. Ganaway is expected to contribute as a general athlete, as is 6’-1” three-star Rivals.com prospect Justin Johnson, who runs a 4.5 in the 40. The team picked up some notable wide receivers as well, such as Chris Tate who is ranked by Rivals.com #81 in the state. Three members of the Houston Chronicle’s Area Top 100 list signed with the Coogs as wideouts as well.

The offensive position players were not the weak links for the Coogs this year and, aside from maintenance signings, were not a very high priority in recruiting. The team is already stocked up on quarterbacks to replace Kolb but needs O-linemen to protect whomever wins the job and Briles stocked up at that position. Six Scout.com two-star players came aboard along with NJCAA First Team All-American, Scout.com four-star tackle Rodney Brisbon. The Cougars added a few on the other side of the line, where the need is even greater. Two three-star and two two-star signees on the line will complement two new linebackers, one of whom is University of Arkansas transfer and former Texas First Team All-State high school player Tyrell Graham. A bevy of two- and three-star recruits to the secondary round out the defensive haul.

The coaching staff has impressively addressed several of the real problem areas on the Cougar roster. Only time will tell how good of a class it is, but Coach Briles has said he expects Ganaway and Johnson to make, “an immediate impact”. This promising and well-tailored recruiting class is sure to cement the Cougars atop the CUSA elite for years to come.