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Issue 24, Volume 82

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NEWS

It's party time

Frontier Fiesta will kick off this weekend with performances from students and nationally renowned artists. | PG. 3

Finally, a fountain Newer students can for the first time enjoy the fixture, which had become a contentious topic for students during two years without operation due to renovations.

PG. 8

Seeing the future

An engineering senior created an augmented reality program in order to transform the ways we communicate. | PG. 5

OPINION

Moving backward

One columnist writes that the president's proposed healthcare package is the wrong move for affordable medical care. | PG. 6

Breeding hate

The anger directed at President Donald Trump and his policies will only help to re-elect him, writes an assistant editor. | PG. 7

SPORTS

'They started it'

As the current head coach's third basketball season ends, he reflects on the graduating class and their legacy. | PG. 10

On the offensive

The football team's dynamic shifts as a new coordinator and quarterback gear up to lead the offense next year. | PG. 12

2 | Wednesday, March 22, 2017

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Marialuisa Rincon, EDITOR

i

The Cougar

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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Cougar is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters and online at thedailycougar. com. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees.

COPYRIGHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the consent of the director of Student Publications.

ISSUE STAFF WEB EDITING

Emily Burleson CLOSING EDITORS

Mechanical engineering senior Evan James can use HoloLens to manipulate the size and position of a hologram, in this case, a three-dimensional map. | Courtesy of Evan James

Trey Strange Alex Meyer Leah Nash

TECHNOLOGY

Hologram goggles offer vision of the future i ISABEL PEN

STAFF WRITER @ISABELISAPEN

Wearing a bulky version of La Forge’s visor from "Star Trek," a man pinches and pulls the air in front of him; behind the lens of his futuristic goggles, reality is altered.

University of Houston mechanical engineering senior Evan James is developing software for a device that creates an immersive augmented reality experience. The Microsoft HoloLens can be used to aid engineers in visualizing and interacting with their ideas in three-dimensional space.

"HoloLens is the true and most superior first-generation mixed-reality device that projects for a user a layer of relevant information on top of the physical objects or environment," said computer science research assistant professor Chang H. Yun.

The technology enables the wearer to see holographic versions of objects or people and view them from all angles as if they were in the same room.

"As a mechanical engineer, it’s all about developing technology that can help our work process," James said. "So, what I’ve built is a holographic topographical map of the Gulf of Mexico to visualize where the oil pockets are."

James is no stranger to getting creative with technology; his creative insights were recognized after making it to the finals in the U.S. Microsoft Imagine Cup 2015. Windows Insiders, a select group of developers given the first opportunity to experiment with new Microsoft technology, invited James to be a member.

Once approved, James received a developer edition of the Microsoft HoloLens in order to begin designing applications

The technology can be voice controlled, James said. | Isabel Pen/The Cougar

to see the technological world in a whole new dimension.

Though James uses the wearable computer to generate three-dimensional models of the ocean floor, he says the applications of this technology are limitless.

"Right now, the field is taking off," said second-year doctorate student Daniel Biediger, who researches augmented reality for visualization, education, simulation and training. "There are many projects that involve construction, planning, medicine, data visualization and even games. It's much more natural to interact with higher-dimensional data in higher dimensions."

James said the HoloLens could prove to be useful in providing a three-dimensional full-size blueprint, which contractors could build on top of to ensure precision construction.

Holograms could help medical students understand how the human body works by zooming in on specific organs to observe their function.

The technology could even host a game that scans the room and layers virtual walls and objects on top of the real world to create an immersive augmented-reality video game.

Virtual holograms could also revolutionize the way people live their daily lives.

"Unlike watching TV, which requires you to sit or stand in front of the device, or talking on the phone, which requires you to hold the device to your ear, this

technology requires no specific posture," said James. "Your hands are completely free and you’re not required to sit down; you can look at the data while you’re working on something else."

James imagines a world where someone wearing a HoloLens, which is controlled either by in-air hand motions or voice commands, can pull up the user manual while they’re fixing their car, or have a recipe from a cookbook in their field of vision while they’re trying to prepare a new meal.

With his military background, James envisions a future in which he can communicate with his loved ones while overseas via ‘holoportation.' By fitting a room with special cameras, he would be able to see the holographic form of his mother and children using the HoloLens as a viewing device.

While they haven’t had any takers in the big oil world, they have piqued the interest of a drill bit company. In the meantime, James develops other apps that utilize this holographic capability. In the not-so-distant future, mixed reality could become a part of the everyday experience for the American household, Yun said.

"You can make a lot of stuff with this technology," James said. "It’s the imagination that comes first. Everybody who created something started with a great imagination." news@thedailycougar.com

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FIESTA

'The greatest college show on Earth' returns to campus MARIALUISA RINCON

NEWS EDITOR

@LUCYRINCONB

Frontier Fiesta — one of the school's oldest traditions — and it's unique brand of carnival fun and school spirit, returns to campus Thursday with headliner D.R.A.M. performing Saturday night.

The annual community celebration brings students, staff and alumni together for three days in the spring to raise money for undergraduate scholarships.

"It's something that happens every year but being able to experience it yet again has been truly remarkable," said Chairman Christian Kladzyk.

Kladzyk said the Committee has prepared a rousing festival that will include annual staples like variety shows from Greek organizations and the cook-off, including new features the almost 30,000 expected visitors are sure to enjoy.

"I've always been really confi-

dent in my team," Kladzyk said.

"Fiesta is really an event for everyone."

The Frontier Fiesta Association works year-round to secure acts and sponsorship for the annual event in March and has been working on site and preparing the carnival for the past weeks.

"We've had to overcome obstacles in moving locations from where we were last year," Kladzyk said. "Whoever has seen the progression knows its a lot of labor, but a lot of fun."

In a venue change from last year's location in the shadow of TDECU Stadium, Fiesta will be held in the surface parking lot on University Drive and Calhoun Road, between the East Garage and the Baptist Student Ministry.

Headliner D.R.A.M., best known for his collaboration on the 2016 song "Broccoli," performs at the Bud Light stage Sunday night, closing out Fiesta.

With the University's recent triumphs in athletics and aca-

demics, Kladzyk, who was last year's director of performance, said he wanted to find an artist who represents the "grind to the top."

"I always wanna get someone who represents the rise of the University of Houston," Kladzyk said. "He's going to be something big."

New-to-Fiesta features include new carnival rides and works from artists around the city in the form of murals.

Founded in 1939, Frontier Fiesta's list of student leader alumni includes Welcome Wilson Sr., Jack Valenti and country singer Kenny Rogers.

The carnival was profiled in Life Magazine in 1958 and dubbed "The Greatest College Show on Earth."

In its heyday in the 1950s, the event attracted up to 200,000 visitors a year and was so widely participated that the University cancelled classes the week before Fiesta every year to allow the

The annual Frontier Fiesta features shows, a cook-off, a Western general store and this year's headlining rapper, D.R.A.M. | File photo/The Cougar

student body to prepare.

Fiesta was put on hiatus during World War II and due to academic sanctions imposed by then-university president Clanton Williams, it was cancelled from 1959 to 1991.

Then-vice president for advancement, David Keith, spearheaded the effort to bring

back Fiesta in 1991, supplying the food himself and bringing in alumni and community members to provide food and entertainment.

"Everyone I've talked to is really excited," Kladzyk said. "This year's Fiesta is going to be a lot of fun." news@thedailycougar.com

SHOW YOUR COUGAR SPIRIT AT GRADUATION! Pick up your spirit cord this week at:

M.D. ANDERSON LIBRARY March 21st - March 23rd 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

VISIT: UH.EDU/COUGARGRADCHALLENGE

4 | Wednesday, March 22, 2017

NEWS 713-743-5314

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Marialuisa Rincon, EDITOR

CAMPUS

Study considers 24-hour library, expanded services JASMINE DAVIS

the current 24-hour lounge, could be possible.

“It’s something that we had heard students were interested in,” said Dean of Libraries Lisa German. "We want to know how many students are here the last hour that the library’s open currently and how many are waiting to get into the building when the library opens."

Edrick Rougeau, a student member of the Library Advisory Committee and the originator of the initiative, believes many students stand to benefit from an expansion of the library's 24-hour

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @JPDAVS_TDC

The University of Houston is the only Tier One university in Texas that doesn't offer 24-hour library access, but that may soon change.

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The M.D. Anderson library is currently conducting a feasibility study to test the possibility of expanding to 24-hour operation. | File photo/The Cougar

access, he said, could have a dramatic impact on academic performance throughout the University.

There are usually still a lot of students trying to study and work on assignments when the library begins closing, Rougeau said.

Those students would be able to work without interruption and could refrain from cramming in their study time if parts of the library remained open later, he said.

"Why not give them the ability to space out their studying? It doesn't really help to cram," Rougeau said.

"It will help them out with their time management because it's a resource they really need."

If expanded operating hours fall short of feasibility, Rougeau said he will continue to push for an increase in services offered in the 24-hour lounge. Rougeau is currently working to get a printer installed in the space.

In addition to printing, the 24-hour lounge is also missing the sound restrictions found in other areas of the library.

"I feel like it's kind of distracting.

It really is, actually, because people are going in and out and they talk," said nutritional sciences junior Nimra Pasha. "My roommate doesn't like studying here because she came twice and people were being really loud — it's not a quiet area and they can be loud if they want to."

Pasha said she prefers to work in the less noisy areas of the library, like the blue and brown wings, but they aren't open late at night when she's usually available to study. Students with roommates or students who can't study in their rooms could benefit from having a larger, quieter space open to them, she said.

"I was living in CV as an honors student and my roommate woke up early to study, and I stay up all night and study," Pasha said about her first two years at UH. "It was super inconvenient for her. She learned to sleep with the light on

because I was studying in (our room)."

The feasibility study doesn't necessarily guarantee expanded library hours, German said, but it allows administration to assess whether the library's financial resources and structure lend it to the possibility of round-the-clock operation.

The most important metric being used in the study, German said, is how it will impact the safety of students — and whether that safety could be guaranteed with extended hours.

"Safety of students is always a top concern," German said. "We always want to make sure we have a nice, safe space."

Rougeau said there are a lot of questions regarding how students would be prevented from venturing into areas not part of the 24-hour service. He expects the extended hours would initially only be implemented on the library's first floor, leaving the remaining floors off-limits during those times.

"Can we lock the doors?"

Rougeau said. "Can we actually keep students from going to other floors and being able to hide? Can we shut off the elevator?"

German said the size and open floor plan of the library are some of the biggest obstacles in the way of expansion.

"The building wasn't constructed for a large 24-hour facility," German said. "There isn't a way currently to make the 24-hour space any larger."

The feasibility study is set to conclude this summer, German said, but it's too early to tell if and when students might experience later library hours. Even if the study is successful, the expansion could be stalled because funding for the program will need to be secured.

"Depending on what the cost will be, we'll have to do some fundraising," German said. "That's not something that's currently in the library's budget. It will heavily depend on philanthropic support." news@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, March 22, 2017 | 5

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Marialuisa Rincon, EDITOR

GEOLOGY

'Interplanetary' intern exploring Venus volcanoes

Twelve undergraduate students are chosen worldwide to work on specialized projects at the Lunar Planetary Institute ABBY TROUT

STAFF WRITER @ABIGAILTROUT

Twelve undergraduate students worldwide are annually selected to participate in the Lunar and Planetary Institute's summer internship program, and as geology senior Sabrina Martinez stood outside the Science and Engineering Classroom building and checked her email, she was stunned to learn she'd made the cut.

Martinez will begin the 10-week program in Houston this summer, where she will work one-on-one with a scientist at LPI or at NASA Johnson Space Center on a specialized research project.

"I was so excited," Martinez said. "And so shocked."

Martinez's project will focus on the geology and topography of Venus, including its Eistla Regio and Nissaba Corona regions. More specifically, Martinez said she will work to determine if a certain feature in those regions is of volcanic origin or the product of a meteorite impact.

Only one other student from UH has had the opportunity to intern for LPI. PhD candidate and teaching assistant Lily Schaffer went through the program in 2011. She was the only intern to analyze a sample taken by Apollo 16 and work to categorize it.

“I think it’s a really good experience for someone who wants to get into academics like Sabrina,” Schaffer said. “You get to learn all of the things you will need to use in academia. She is smart, a super good student, so I’m not surprised that she got in.”

Born in Houston and raised in Beaumont, Martinez said she naturally gravitated to the University of Houston. As a freshman, she was undecided about her major until she took Dr. Robinson’s intro geology class and fell in love with the subject.

The next year, Martinez began researching with professor of geology, tectonics and petroleum geology, Paul Mann, and decided that she wanted to pursue it as a career.

“It was pretty early when I started doing research,” Martinez said. “I was in way over my head, but I knew that I wanted to go to graduate school, so Dr. Mann helped me with that.”

Martinez has worked on two research projects with Mann,

most of which use satellite data for projects in the Caribbean. One of the reasons she was attracted to LPI’s program was that she is familiar with the type of research it demands.

“She has the right tools,” Mann said. “GIS, research experience and papers at conferences. She’s a little higher, much higher, than most of the undergrads that we have here. That’s probably what stood out about her. Interns develop communication skills and technical skills,” Dr. Mann said. “It could be a major turning point in her academic career.”

Martinez says research is a constant that she wants throughout her career, another reason why she applied to be an LPI intern.

Researching planetary science with top NASA personnel is an opportunity that could shape her future in the field, she said.

Like most college students, though, Martinez is still undecided about what exactly that career will be.

“Focused research is definitely something to look forward to,” Martinez said. “Having all of my time devoted to the project without the distraction of classes and work. Right now, I don’t have time to sit there and only focus on the research. I have to take a break and study for tests then try to refocus, which is hard.”

Researching at NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is a dream job of Martinez’s, but she is also considering a career in academia. First, she says, will come graduate school, where she hopes her tenure as a teacher’s assistant will help her decide if teaching is her true fit.

“Highly competitive research internships like the one Sabrina received will help her stand out in the future in any direction her career goes,” said earth and atmospheric sciences professor Alex Robinson. “Hopefully, this internship will help her develop new contacts within the larger scientific community and help start to establish a name for herself.”

Throughout the program, students from around the world work with scientists either at the Lunar and Planetary Institute or at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

"All of the resources I need are here in the labs," Martinez said.

"Satellite data and software about the Caribbean that I can access at any time. That’s directly applicable

Besides Martinez, only one other UH student has been chosen to participate in the program, in 2011. | Abby Trout/The Cougar

to how you research planetary science because you can’t go to another planet."

As for her future, Martinez said she can see herself pursuing one of two career paths.

"I would love to work at NASA,” Martinez said. “If they have any interest in my projects as a fulltime job, then I would definitely take the opportunity, but I would also love to be a professor. I met

a Professor at Tulane who gets to travel to Italy and the Amazon for her work. I think that would be amazing too." news@thedailycougar.com

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6 | Wednesday, March 22, 2017

OPINION 713-743-5304

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opinion@thedailycougar.com

Thomas Dwyer, EDITOR

POLITICS

Trump's American Health Care Act is a step backward

E

arlier this month, House republicans introduced a bill to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The new bill is entitled the American Health Care Act (AHCA).

This new plan, although FARIHA similar in JAWED COLUMNIST some ways to the ACA, is still very different — and not in a good way.

The AHCA still requires insurers to cover pre-existing conditions. This was a good component of the ACA, and its continuation increases access to health care for some of the most disadvantaged people.

However, the AHCA does not include the mandate to purchase health care.

The ACA included a tax

penalty for people who did not have coverage during the year.

The new GOP health care plan removes this and replaces it with a different type of penalty.

Now, people who don’t have insurance for more than two months will have to pay a 30percent premium surcharge if they try to buy a plan.

The 30-percent surcharge doesn’t go to the federal government, the insurers keep the money. If the surcharge were paid to the federal government, there would be a positive budgetary effect because that money would increase federal funds.

The penalty change will make a huge impact on access to health care. Under the ACA, there is currently a penalty for not having insurance; with the AHCA there is simply a threat for future penalties.

The ACA penalty will keep more insured because the consequences are more imme-

diate. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office — a nonpartisan agency that provides budget analysis for proposed bills — found that "in 2018, the number of uninsured would be 14 million larger under the Republican bill than under Obamacare. In 2026, it would be 24 million more."

Without the tax, premiums will go up as fewer healthy people purchase insurance.

The AHCA has passed through two House committees as well as the CBO. The CBO's analysis of the AHCA indicates that there will be a decrease in the deficit, but a modest shift at best.

Any health care plan should be judged on access, cost and quality. So far, the new GOP plan may be cost-efficient, but at the expense of eliminating access for the people who actually need health care. The AHCA changes subsidies and reduces Medicaid.

The new act would be disadvantageous to the elderly, to low income people and people who live in high premium areas. The AHCA ties subsidies to a person’s age instead of their income, which means that low-income individuals will not get the assistance they need.

The ACHA will also give each state a fixed amount of money for Medicaid instead of receiving federal assistance based on medical care given.

As of now, it seems uncertain as to whether or not the AHCA will make it through the House.

There are many Republicans and Democrats who think this bill is not what should replace the ACA. Paul Ryan is pushing hard to get the AHCA passed because the timing is right, instead of focusing on actually making the bill better. By no means is the ACA perfect; it does have flaws.

However, if the new GOP health care plan is adopted, it

would be a step backwards, not a step toward improving health care in America.

Fariha Jawed is an accounting and political science junior and can be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

CARE ACTS BREAKDOWN ACA

Affordable Care Act » Signed into law in 2010 under the Obama administration » Challenged in court » Protected those with pre-existing conditions » Created individual mandate

AHCA

American Health Care Act » 2017 plan proposed under Trump administration » House expected to vote Thursday » Not expected to pass Senate » Kept protections for pre-existing conditions

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OPINION

opinion@thedailycougar.com

Thomas Dwyer, EDITOR

PRESIDENT

Damning Trump will only re-elect him

T

hese days, it seems like everyone is trying to figure out a way to unseat President Donald Trump.

There have been protests around the country since his election.

People have JORDEN been scrutinizSMITH ASSISTANT ing every detail OPINION EDITOR in his past and present to find that silver bullet — the one scandal that is actually bad enough to force an impeachment of Trump — that will finally bring him down.

Last week, Rachel Maddow obtained Trump's 2005 tax returns from a journalist who obtained the returns from his mailbox. Maddow took to Twitter to hype up her show that night, where she intended to reveal his tax returns to the national public.

As public attention goes, there was a lot of anticipation to see what was actually in these tax returns. There was a giddiness about the possibility of something uber scandalous coming out. Since Maddow was releasing them to the public on her national show, there had to be something scandalous hidden in the details beneath the mountain of numbers.

But when show time came, Maddow used her platform to give a long-winded monologue that ultimately ended in a dud: All the tax returns show is that Trump made $150 million and then paid $38 million in taxes. If anything, it was a big win for Trump, since he paid about 28 percent in taxes of what he made.

There is nothing wrong with the returns; nothing illegal was uncovered.

This seems to be happening around the country — people are actively trying to find and a reason to remove Trump from office. And there is an active anticipation of this; people want the president removed, even though he’s done nothing, as of now, illegal.

Reminder: The Russia ties are still under investigation. Using that as grounds for removal doesn’t make any sense; there’s no definitive or clear idea of what actually transpired. If something comes out, then sure, use that.

But until then, stop.

This persistence on a way to

destroy Trump ultimately just hurts the same people who are trying to remove him. Silver bullets are always difficult to find, so as the continuous false flags and just flat-out-lies pile up, people begin to shut off and stop listening. It only serves to hurt the people who are searching.

There’s a reason there aren’t as many high-profile protests happening. There’s a reason why the media stopped covering every protest. People became numb to all the protests. If something keeps happening over and over again with no actual payoff, people will ultimately stop paying attention.

In December, I wrote a column addressing those who felt like they had lost the election; basically, the left of the aisle. In that column, I addressed how the left had contributed to Trump winning after about 20 years of increase in social authoritarianism. There had been a growing trend where a lot of labeling of opposition was occurring, and this was one of the main factors to Trump’s ascension. People grew numb to all the claims of racism, sexism, etc.

People grew really annoyed and then voted for Trump.

The exact same principle applies to bringing down Trump.

Don’t unnecessarily yell about everything little thing Trump has done, is doing and will do.

People are going to get really annoyed for the next four years.

Here’s a hint to everyone who is trying to find a way to bring down Trump: stop it now, or you will get a Trump victory in 2020.

If all you do is yell for the next four years, the same people who were tired of you last year will be even more tired of you in 2020 and will make it a point to vote for Trump.

Now, if he actually does something illegal, call him out on it.

This doesn’t mean he should get a free pass on everything — just don’t go crazy. The cards are ultimately in the hands of the people yelling; they get to choose their own destiny.

But it doesn’t seem like people have toned down on the rhetoric, and I highly doubt they’ll tone down for this.

Assistant opinion editor Jorden Smith is a political science and creative writing junior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

If all you do is yell and complain for four years, people on the right will become even more resentful and make it a priority to re-elect President Donald Trump. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

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STAFF EDITORIAL

Now that the Cullen Family Plaza Fountain and Reflecting Pool is back, a crucial part of campus culture has been restored to the University. Students who enrolled at UH after the fountains were turned off for maintenance in December 2014 can now experience it for themselves. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar

Filled fountain makes a splash with students, campus culture

T

he fountain is back at the University for the first time in several years. and the journey to filling it as been a long and arduous one.

The Cullen Family Plaza fountain has been central to University of Houston culture since it was built THOMAS in 1972. Ever DWYER since the OPINION EDITOR fountain was drained in December 2014, it had rarely ever been filled.

However, in the middle of spring break, the fountain was returned to its former glory and filled back up.

Back when the fountain was drained, it would only be filled for events like graduations or the GOP primary debate, and only temporarily. As soon as those events would come to an end, the fountain would get drained once again.

It was frustrating to see that practice: fixing up the campus to appear a certain way when there were high amounts of visitors or important people, but not for students' sake.

It must have been even worse for juniors or seniors who had gone to school with

the fountain being perpetually empty.

As a freshman, I didn’t really understand why so many people were raising such a big stink about the fountain. It was just a fountain; it held water.

In fact, that topic was one of the very first articles I published for The Cougar in the spring of 2016 — a blistering piece telling students they needed to chill and worry about other things besides a bowl that was supposed to hold and shoot water up in the air.

I couldn’t understand why so many were up in arms about a body of water that, at the time, was not holding water.

After hanging out in the plaza on a rare day when it was filled, I suddenly understood the importance of it. Students were lounging around it doing a myriad of things.

Some sat in the sun, tanning.

Others sat on benches reading books. A few even sat on the edge of the fountain with their toes in the water.

I realized that the fountain was one of the most important things on campus solely because of the way it drew students to it. Students went to the fountain to relax or get work done in a unique environment.

The sound of the fountains

was loud enough to drown out the sounds of people in the vicinity holding conversations, but also redundant and gentle enough to tune out while studying.

It was then that I realized how neat of an experience it was to witness an important part of campus that my parents, who had gone to school here in the 80s, were also able to enjoy.

The fountain is something you can derive happiness from just by being around it, and it’s finally back and even better than before. LED lights have been installed under the jets of water so they're illuminated during the night and even bounce light off of the adjacent Farish Hall. Now the fountain is a spectacle during the day as

well as night.

It took the University a while to get it squared away, and the webpage dedicated to the fountain forecasted that repairs and maintenance would not be done until December 2017.

Many students are thankful that is not the case.

I, along with the rest of the student body, am looking forward to future days at the fountain that will be spent under the sun — whether it's socializing with friends, reading a good book or enjoying the weather while studying for a test.

Opinion editor Thomas Dwyer is a broadcast journalism sophomore and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author.

Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.

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Since the fountain was finally filled over Spring Break, students have been hanging out around it to relax and study. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar

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FOOTBALL

Upcoming schedule leaves more to be desired LEONARD D. GIBSON III

SPORTS EDITOR

@ LEONARDDGIBSON

The University of Houston and Texas Southern University are in talks of a football game in the 2018 season, according to the Houston Chronicle.

While this game would primarily serve as a way for Houston to pay off debts from the basketball teams using TSU’s facilities for a year, it presents problems for Cougar football’s strength of schedule. TSU would be the easiest out-of-conference game for the Cougars in 2018, but the other contests aren’t that impressive either.

The two Power 5 teams Houston will be playing in the next two years are Arizona and Texas Tech. Arizona most recently had a 10-4 season to end at No. 19 in the AP poll in 2014, but before that, they hadn’t begun or ended a season ranked since 1998. The last time Texas Tech began or ended a season ranked in the AP poll

The hardest out-of-conference opponent in 2017 will be Texas Tech, who went 5-7 last season. | Navid Parsa/The Cougar

was back in 2009. Both teams had losing seasons in 2016.

When compared to the Cougars' 2016’s out-of-conference schedule, their 2017 and 2018 schedules pale in comparison.

The 2016 season was the perfect out-of-conference schedule for

Houston. The Cougars played blue blood Oklahoma in the season opener, and later played a Louisville team with the Heisman Trophy winner, Lamar Jackson. In between these heavy-hitting teams, the Cougars played Lamar, where they were able to rest quarterback

Greg Ward Jr., and against Texas State, whom they beat 64-3.

It was the best possible combination of difficult and easy games.

The Cougars had their chance to prove themselves against top-tier opponents without being overwhelmed.

Texas Tech and Arizona can’t be underestimated, both being Power 5 schools, but their programs will be going into the next season with a lot of doubt. Texas Tech’s star quarterback Patrick Mahomes declared for the draft, and Arizona’s 3-9 record last year is worrisome.

Cougar fans shouldn’t expect a season as epic in scale as 2016 for quite some time. It’s rare for any team in the nation to go up against two top 5 teams in the regular season, let alone beat them. Houston does play against Oklahoma again in the season opener of 2019, so another season that draws attention nationwide may be in the works.

For the next two years, however, the big games of the season won’t happen out-of-conference. They’ll happen against familiar foes in Cincinnati, Navy, USF or some other American Athletic Conference team. sports@thedailycougar.com

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Leonard D. Gibson III, EDITOR

In the latest two of head coach Kelvin Sampson's first three years, the Cougars have had 20-wins in the season. This is thanks in most in part to the graduating class of forward Danrad "Chicken" Knowles, guard Damyean Dotson, forward Xavier Dupree, center Bertrand Nkali and center Kyle Meyer. The team will look incredibly different next year but retains high aspirations. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

BASKETBALL

Seniors boost 'uncool' program to success LEONARD D. GIBSON III

SPORTS EDITOR @LEONARDDGIBSON

The Cougars’ 2016-17 basketball season didn’t end as they would’ve liked.

Since they fell to UConn in the American Athletic Conference Championship, the Cougars moved to the National Invitation Tournament. There, they faced off against the No.7 seed, Akron.

After a back and forth game where the lead changed 16 times, the Cougars found themselves behind 3 with 6.7 seconds left. Sophomore guard Galen Robinson Jr. started with the ball, driving it up the court. He turned and passed the ball to redshirt senior guard Damyean Dotson. With Akron’s 6-foot-10 center, Isiaiah Johnson, standing in the way, Dotson had to take a step back and shoot from a couple feet from the 3-point line.

The ball bounced off the rim, and the buzzer sounded.

“It’s a tough miss. That one play does not define the whole game.” Dotson said. “All the stuff before that sums up the game, not that shot.”

With the loss against Akron, the Cougars end their season at 21-11 overall. Five seniors are leaving the program in Dotson, center Kyler Meyer, forward

Danrad “Chicken” Knowles, forward Xavier Dupree and center Bertrand Nkali.

Redshirt junior Rob Gray led in points with 24 with Dotson right behind him at 19.

The Cougars found themselves in foul trouble throughout the game. Redshirt junior Devin Davis picked up his fourth personal foul with 4:10 left in

a time when Cougar basketball was struggling. Sampson said there was no “rebuilding” process when he first came to Houston because there was nothing to build off of.

Two years ago in the 2014-15 season, the first under Sampson, the Cougars went 13-19 and weren’t even invited to a postseason tournament. Since

“As we continue to build this program, get to NCAA tournaments and advance in the tournament, we'll always look back at this group of seniors and say they started it."

Kelvin Sampson, Head coach the game and later fouled out at 1:22. Meyer picked up his fourth and fifth fouls in the last minute of the game, the fifth intentional to send Akron to the free throw line.

End of the road “There was a lot of tears back there for different reasons,” said head coach Kelvin Sampson.

“Some because we lost, some because there’s no tomorrow.”

To Sampson, this graduating class has special meaning, as they signed with UH during

then, however, the Cougars have improved dramatically. The next season, they went 22-10, and they finished their current season at 21-11. “(The seniors) chose to come to Houston when maybe it wasn’t cool. People would probably ask ‘why are you going there?’” Sampson said. “As we continue to build this program, get to NCAA tournaments and advance in the tournament, we’ll always look back at this group of seniors and say they started it.”

Losing a leader For Sampson, the senior who was arguably the best player and leader was Dotson. Dotson played at Oregon his first two years, and didn’t even compete in the 2014-15, as he was attending Houston Community College.

The biggest reason Dotson was such a good player was because he was coachable, Sampson said.

“He will not be forgotten," Sampson said. "He’s heard me use Hollis Price and guys from other schools that I’ve coached, but now I have another name to use: Damyean Dotson."

Although he missed his final shot as a senior, Dotson became the 47th Cougar to make 1,000 points during his career at UH. He joins redshirt junior guard Rob Gray, who surpassed 1,000 career points earlier this season.

This season as well, Dotson was on the court for more minutes than any other Cougar.

He made the most 3-pointers (108) with the second highest 3-point shooting percentage (44.3 percent).

“If anything you do, just look back and always remember to work hard, listen to coach, do what he asks and never stop working,” Dotson said.

Redshirt senior guard Damyean Dotson has been a key player all season by showing his dominance from 3-point territory. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar

“Everybody remembers me as an example. I try to do my best, make it to the tournament next year.

"That was my finishing statement: Make it to the tournament next year for me.” sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, March 22, 2017 | 11

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TRACK & FIELD

Outdoor season brings championship goals for Cougars PETER SCAMARDO

SENIOR STAFF WRITER @ PLSCAMARDO2

Both the men and women of the Cougar track & field team enter the outdoor season with their own forms of momentum.

The men are hot off a thirdstraight indoor conference title, but fell short of their goals at the national championships in College Station. The women, behind the strength of a stacked freshmen class, are coming off a third place finish at conference and are still on the hunt for a championship of their own.

This season, the Cougars will face top competition at the Texas Relays, the Mt. SAC Relays and the Penn Relays. The two teams will once again be put against some of the best in the country in preparation for conference, and then nationals.

The two teams hosted the Cougar Spring Break Invitational last Thursday. On the day the Cougars won 13 events, three individuals set personal records.

The meet faced fairly easy competition — Rice was the strongest opponent — but it got the Cougars back into the competitive mindset.

Continuing the dominance Last season in the American Outdoor Championships, the men coasted to a conference title behind the power of their sprinting unit. The men scored 203 points at the conference meet, 55 points more than the second place Connecticut. Assistant coach Carl Lewis has been vocal that the men will improve on that mark, setting it as high as 250 points.

Last season, the men came in tenth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with 17 points.

The Cougars had three athletes qualify: senior Cameron Burrell in the 100m, sophomore Brian Bell in the 800m and sophomore Amere Lattin in the 110m hurdles. But the majority of their points came in their 38.44s second place time in the 4x100m.

Burrell opened his junior outdoor season with a victory in the 100m. His 10.26s run is currently third best in the nation. In an attempt to avoid a similar disappointment like that at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Burrell aims to be one of the top sprinters and long jumpers this year. He has publicly said he will not be satisfied until he is a champion in both the sprints and the jumps.

Championship Material This year, the Cougars will be hurt by Bell's absence, who left the team earlier in the year. In all other areas, however, they have reloaded. Transfer sprinter Eli Hall-Thompson has helped fill the gap left by LeShon Collins.

When healthy, Hall-Thompson was one of the top indoor sprinters and will find similar success once he recovers from an injury he suffered in February.

Alongside Burrell and sophomore Mario Burke, the Cougars have one of the best sprinting trios in the country.

Lattin came into his own during the outdoor season last year, sweeping the conference hurdling titles and finishing fifth at the NCAA’s. The graduation of Issac Williams and the transfer of Marcus McWilliams leaves Lattin as the top hurdler; his indoor performances proved that. But he has also taken new roles in the sprinting unit, currently holding the nation’s third best time in the 200m (20.82, a personal record).

But a large goal for the Cougars as a team is to win the 4x100 this year. Last season, the team of Burrell, Collins, Burke and sophomore Jacarias Martin broke the school record. They still lost, however, by two one hundredths of a second. With all the sprinters performing at such a high level — the relay team’s time of 39.47 is currently No. 3 in the country — it is likely they will end up competing for a title in June.

The Cougar track & field teams have a long season ahead but have sights on a title come May. | Courtesy of Hal Yeager

4x100m relay team currently has the third best time in the country. Williams and freshmen Brianne Bethel, Sierra Smith and Samiyah Samuels ran 44.23 to

win the season’s opening race.

The three freshmen also hold top marks in either the 100m or 200m respectively.

All things considered, the

women finally have a full roster capable of competing for a title in May. sports@thedailycougar.com

worship DIRECTORY

New pack on the rise Last season, the women only scored 66 points at the American Conference Championships to finish eighth. But given their improved performance at the Indoor championships, it is clear they are on the rise. Assistant coach Carl Lewis has boasted that this squad is talented enough to win the conference this year.

Senior sprinter Tori Williams and junior jumper Tonye’cia Burks continued their team-leading performances.

Both opened their outdoor season with victories. Williams won the 200m with a 23.45 PR, while Burks won the triple jump with a high of 12.81m. The two’s marks are the top in the conference at the moment and sit in the Top 5 nationally: No. 3 for Williams and No. 5 for Burks.

In addition, the women’s

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FOOTBALL

New coordinator, QB aim to lead Cougar offense J. D. SMITH

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @ JDSMITH_08

With 10 practices left before the Red and White game on April 15, the Cougars returned to action on Tuesday following a week off for spring break. In part two of the series leading up to the game, the Cougars break down an offense that saw changes at both their on-field and off-field leaders.

With the promotion of Major Applewhite to head coach and graduation of quarterback Greg Ward Jr, the Cougars have major holes to fill on offense.

Major replacement Replacing Applewhite as offensive coordinator and play caller is newcomer Brian Johnson. A Baytown native, Johnson returns home to Houston after spending the past three seasons as the quarterbacks coach at Mississippi State.

“The transition has been pretty seamless,” Johnson said. “It's very similar to the program I was at previously, in terms of the culture and the expectations from the staff and the players and the alignment of the coaching staff.”

During his time with the Bulldogs, Johnson became known for mentoring current Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Under Johnson, the Bulldogs had the No. 2 ranked offense in the SEC, averaging 6,129 total yards, 3,492 in the air.

Prior to joining Mississippi State, Johnson spent four seasons as an assistant at Utah, the last as offensive coordinator. At just 24, Johnson had become the youngest offensive coordinator in the nation.

After graduating from Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, Johnson was a sought after QB recruit, eventually choosing Utah and coach Urban Meyer. He led the Utes to a 27-6 record as a starter, including an upset over Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl, becoming the winningest QB in Utah history.

Johnson takes over a unit that ranked No. 41 in the NCAA in 2016 with 443.4 yards per game, but will have to decide who to lead the offense on the field.

Life after Ward Over the past two seasons, Cougar fans have been in awe of the performance by Ward Jr. A magician with both his arm and legs, Ward finished his career with 8,705 passing yards and 2,375 rushing yards while scoring 93 total touchdowns.

With Ward graduating and moving on to the NFL, the Cougars have a question of who will be the next signal caller. The early favorite is former Texas A&M starter, redshirt junior Kyle Allen.

“Greg (Ward) was an unbelievable player when the play broke down,” Allen said. “Obviously I’m not near the athlete Greg is but I think that I bring a lot to the table from the mental side and from

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Redshirt junior Kyle Allen is the frontrunner to replace Greg Ward Jr. as starting quarterback. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

the pocket presence side and I’ve learned a lot from Greg in that.”

In two seasons at A&M, Allen, the No. 1 quarterback prospect of the 2014 recruiting class, started 14 games while competing with others for the starting job — first with Kenny Hill, then with Kyler Murray.

On the field, Allen totaled 3,532 passing yards with 33 touchdowns against 14 interceptions, compiling a 9-5 record as a starter. After the 2015 season, he announced he was transferring to Houston.

Due to transferring, Allen sat out all of the 2016 season, leading the

scout team against one of the top defenses in the country.

“I think last year gave me time to reflect and really grow as a person and as a player and become the man I am right now,” he said. “It was tough, but at the end of it I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Easily the most experienced of the QB group at Houston, Allen will compete for the starting job with senior Kyle Postma and sophomore D’Eriq King. Postma is missing all of spring recovering from last season’s injury, while King is limited after tearing his meniscus prior to

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the Las Vegas Bowl.

Allen knows if he is to win the job in the fall, he has to prove it this spring.

"I think when you have in-game experience, when you get in that game the next time it’s so much different than watching on film," Allen said. "If you throw a pick in game experience you don’t get that back, it’s not like practice. I think all my games played in college station have helped and shaped me into the QB I am today." sports@thedailycougar.com

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