Issue 07, Volume 84 by The Cougar

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Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Issue 7, Volume 84

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Out with the Old Chartwells plans to unveil multiple new oncampus dining establishments over the next few years in an attempt to match increased student enrollment. | PG. 4

OPINION

Letter from the Editor: We’re rebuilding

Despite being named a finalist for one of the highest honors in collegiate journalism, The Cougar knows it has a ways to go. We want your help getting there. | PG. 11

Running backs rev up offense

SPORTS

While UH’s passing offense routinely steals the show, three players control The Cougars’ running game with more than 500 yards of combined offense.. | PG. 8

2 | Wednesday, September 26, 2018

NEWS

MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR

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CAMPUS

Student political organizations prepare for upcoming debate Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Beto O'Rourke face off in the Student Center Theatre Sunday GREG FAILS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER @GREGFAILS

When it was announced that the University of Houston would be hosting a town hall style debate between Rep. Beto O’Rourke and Sen. Ted Cruz, student political organizations began to buzz with anticipation. Taking place Sept. 30 in the Student Center South’s theater, the event is offering a chance for UH students to ask questions—submitted and moderated online through ABC13’s website and other platforms—of the politicians, one of whom will soon be serving as their Senator. Even for those who know where their candidate stands, there’s no telling what will happen at the debate. “It’ll be interesting to see how Ted Cruz answers on some of these issues,” said Jonah Baumgarten, a political science junior and Students for Beto ambassador. “They don’t share many of the same policies.” While he expects Cruz’s answers on topics such as free tuition for community colleges won’t receive a warm response from the audience—much of whom he expects will be college age—Baumgarten said stumping Cruz hasn’t been a high priority of Students for Beto when submitting questions for the debate. “As much as we would like to see Ted Cruz flounder and upset people with his answers I think we’re more focused on supporting our candidate and showing people how intelligent and focused (O’Rourke) is on helping the people of Texas,” Baumgarten said. Though Students for Beto may not be interested in attacking Cruz, should anyone want to go after either candidate with their questions, communications assistant

Who can go?

Though the debate is happening 6 p.m. Sunday in the Student Center Theater, the University is not offering tickets the general public. Student participation has not been announced.

Watch party Students can gather with others starting at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Houston Room. Light

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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Cougar is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters and online everyday at thedailycougar. com. The Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. The first copy is free. Additional copies cost 25 cents.

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ISSUE STAFF CLOSING EDITORS

Jasmine Davis Cristobella Durrette COPY EDITING

Morgan Horst COVER

Fiona Legesse

Politically minded student groups across campus are gearing up for the debate between Senate candidates Rep. Beto O’Rourke and Sen. Ted Cruz that is scheduled to take place on campus Sept. 30. | Courtesy of Wikimedia

professor Joe Cutbirth said the key to a cutting query is using familiarity with their past statements on the campaign trail to pull them to a very specific place.

Candidates and Questions Candidates, however, have a loophole to get out of even the most critical questions: They don’t actually have to answer them. “A skilled candidate knows how to pivot in a debate,” Cutbirth said. “Cruz is an experienced attorney whose been through presidential debates, he knows how to change the subject.” According to Cutbirth, who served as the communications director for the Texas Democratic Party during Texas Governor Ann Richards’ campaign in 1994 as well as the Clinton-Gore presidential campaign in 1996, the weeks leading up to any debate—including the upcoming one at UH—are a nonstop rush of venue and audience size negotiation, opposition research and careful strategizing and rehearsal by each candidate. “The real secret to winning a debate is using the forum to reach voters that you need to reach,” Cutbirth said. “An experienced debater will know how to reach past the audience and say things that will get into the media in soundbites and clips.”

Currently, polls have O’Rourke and Cruz sitting neck and neck with several prominent political forecasters calling this race a “toss up.”

that generally focuses on libertarian ideals of free speech and economics—can’t endorse a candidate, several of its conservative leaning members

“The real secret to winning a debate is using the forum to reach voters that you need to reach. An experienced debater will know how to reach past the audience and say things that will get into the media in soundbites and clips" Joe Cutbirth, assistant communications professor here Like past elections, the winner will likely be determined by the voters sitting outside of Texas’ 10 most populated counties, who in the 2016 presidential election beat out Democrats almost three to one. These voters generally come out in support of Republican candidates, according to analysis by the Texas Tribune. However, O’Rourke’s campaign efforts in these counties, as well as some Republicans displeasure with the GOP, may see them casting their ballot for a Democrat this election—or many may not vote at all, according to a study commissioned by the RNC.

YAL, YEA anticipate event Though the Houston chapter of Young Americans for Liberty—a nonpartisan student political organization

are considering voting for O’Rourke in the midterms, at the very least to send a message to the GOP. “Some of us are unhappy with the current state of the GOP and want to see it reform and become more conservative,” said UHYAL president and political science junior Joshua Patterson. “If Beto wins, it would mean the GOP losing one of its biggest candidates and would force them to really rework their message.” According to Patterson, members of YAL are interested in hearing answers to and will likely be submitting questions about the national debt, healthcare and whether or not candidates see value in

SENATE DEBATE

Continues on page 7

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Wednesday, September 26, 2018 | 3

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Weekly Weather

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Road closures

UH Dining’s farmers market Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Butler Plaza Senate debate watch party Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Houston Room, Student Center South 10-11546 Cougar News September 2-print.pdf

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11:17 AM

I-45 Northbound Entrance Ramp from Scott Street. Total closure from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the morning of Oct. 3. I-45 Northbound from Cullen Boulevard to Hwy. 59 Interchange. Two lanes closed nightly from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the morning of Oct. 3. I-45 Northbound Entrance Ramp from Cullen Boulevard. Total closure from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the morning of Oct. 3. I-45 Northbound Frontage Road from Scott Street to Emancipation Avenue. Total closure from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the morning of Oct. 3. I-45 Northbound Frontage Road at Bastrop Street. Total closure until 5 a.m. on Oct. 3.

4 | Wednesday, September 26, 2018

NEWS

MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR

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CAMPUS

Dining hopes to match increased enrollment with food options Chartwells intends to provide on-campus dining establishments proportional to UH's ever-growing student body MCKENZIE MISIASZEK

STAFF WRITER @MISIASZEKUH

The size of the University’s student body, compounded by limited food options due to the closure of the Student Center Satellite, has led to longer lines for on-campus dining options still available. Chartwells, the company responsible for the majority of dining options on campus, acknowledges that the options currently available aren’t enough to accommodate the growing campus population and has completed a vision plan for how it will strive to transform campus dining over the next five years. “I don’t come (to the Student Center) too often just because of the lines,” said business senior Jennylee Quach, “It’s a once in a lifetime type of thing.” The most significant change Chartwells hopes to bring to campus dining is a new retail dining center located where the Technology Annex currently sits, according to Chartwells’ vision plan. In the meantime, a food truck park similar to those in Austin will open where the Chinese Star Restaurant was previously located, and two new restaurants will open in the Student Center South. Chartwells decided on this

Chartwells' concept for a new Moody Towers Dining Hall. They hope to re-do many restaurants in a five-year vision revamp. | Courtesy of David Riddle and Chartwells

direction after surveying students online and through in-person focus groups for the past year, Chartwells District Manager David Riddle said. The survey revealed that the biggest complaints students had were a lack of options and a lack of flavors present in the current dining options. Riddle, along with other affiliates at Chartwells, designed the path the University will take in regards to dining over the next few years.

Central District The majority of renovations will be happening to the central district of campus, which reaches from the Welcome Center to the Science and Engineering Classroom on Cullen Boulevard. Plans for the Fall 2018 semester are already underway. Construction on Mondo Subs, which is being switched out for Cougar Byte, began last week, while renovations have also begun at the Satellite.

The Technology Annex near Agnes Arnold Hall is slated for demolition. Chartwells wants to build a new retail dining center in that location. The Satellite will no longer serve food afterward. | Courtesy of David Riddle and Chartwells

Upon the reopening of the Satellite, students will notice that Starbucks has received a visual refresh while Kim Son and Tandoori Nite have switched locations. However, students will not be able to enjoy these improvements for long. In Fall 2022, the Satellite will close to food service. It is too much of a risk to have so much dining susceptible to flooding, Riddle said. It will be up to the Student Centers to decide what to do with the locations. The dining options lost with the eventual removal of food service from the Satellite will be replaced with the opening of a new retail center, set to open where the Technology Annex is currently located. This space was chosen because the Technology Annex is scheduled for demolition and because of the scenic views of trees and public art there, Riddle said. The plans for the new retail location include bringing more Houston-based eateries to campus. The location also intends to have a brew pub, a coffee shop and a Shake Smart, in addition to an art gallery and a conference space. However, history junior Damon Vandrey wonders, “How is it, in the great state of Texas, we do not have a Whataburger on this campus?” The food options for the retail center are not yet finalized.

Other locations on campus will also experience a change in dining option availability over the next few years. Depending on the renovations to the building, there will be a new 24/7 Starbucks location in the library in Fall 2020. Freshii will be closing this semester and will be replaced by Chartwells’ own brand called Create in its same place. Create like Freshii will serve salads and burritos. Riddle said they want Create to be faster and cheaper than Freshii.

Professional District In Summer 2019, the Melcher Hall Starbucks will be updated to have a newer, modern look, according to Chartwells’ vision plan. Expected to open in Fall 2019, a food truck park is coming to Lot 21A in the space where Chinese Star was previously located. The lot is expected to hold two to three food trucks, a stage and a seating area. The hours for this location have not yet been finalized.

Arts District Parking Garage 5, which will be located near the College of Architecture, is slated for completion by Fall 2020. With the garage will come 3,000 square feet of space for dining

DINING'S VISION

Continued on next page

Wednesday, September 26, 2018 | 5

MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR

DINING'S VISION

Continued from previous page locations. When choosing the restaurants for this location, Riddle said he wanted to keep the architecture students in mind and have options that span breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dunkin’ Donuts, along with a build-your-own pizza concept, fit that bill.

Athletics District Currently scheduled to open in Fall 2022, a new Chick-Fil-A location will take the place of the Taco Cabana on Cullen. If all goes to plan, its opening will coincide with the Satellite’s closing and the reopening of the new retail center. This ChickFil-A would be the second on-campus location, in addition to the one in the Student Center South, according to Chartwells’ vision plan. The campus is too big for one Chick-fil-A, but not big enough for three, Riddle said. The closure of Taco Cabana does not mean the end of having Mexican food on

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campus. The retail center that will replace the Technology Annex includes plans for a taqueria-like restaurant, according to Chartwells’ vision plan.

Residential District Both Cougar Woods and Moody Towers dining halls will undergo major changes over the next few years. The biggest change students can expect to see in the dining halls is the demolition of the Moody Towers dining hall within the nextthree to five years. The space will be replaced with another dining hall, to be completed by Fall 2022, that Chartwells hopes will bring more natural light, a fresher look and additional seating to the dining experience. Moody Towers dining commons will remain operational until the new dining hall is built. Next summer, Cougar Woods will receive a new interior to bring more warmth into the space, Riddle said. Cougar Woods will also add a

Above: Chartwells' plan for the old Chinese Star location is to build a food truck part inspired by ones in Austin. | Courtesy of David Riddle and Chartwells Below: Cougar Woods will get a refreshed look next summer to move away from colder to warmer tones inside. | Courtesy of David Riddle and Chartwells

The major changes to dining over the next five years are a new Moody Towers Dining Hall, a retail center where the Technology Annex currently is and some dining space at Parking Garage 5. | Courtesy of David Riddle and Chartwells

Freight Farm, where food will be grown in a shipping container and served in the dining hall. Students can expect to see these modified greenhouses the same time that the interior renovations are completed.

The specific dates and solutions Chartwells has proposed are not set in stone, but are meant to give students and staff an idea of how UH dining has the potential to change over the next five years.

“There are still lots of logistics to work out around every one of these things,” said Riddle. news@thedailycougar.com

6 | Wednesday, September 26, 2018

NEWS

MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR

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ACADEMICS

UH plans to boost enrollment in online classes MICHAEL SLATEN

CAMPUS EDITOR @MICHAELSLATEN

Kevin Dooms, a computer science sophomore, wanted to take some online classes last summer while he was back home in Oregon. He wanted to stay ahead in his degree plan after finishing most of his core curriculum his first year. “It’s better than taking physical classes,” Dooms said. “I can just do more at my own pace than work at the teachers’ pace they set for us.” However, Dooms didn’t find the classes he wanted. Most of the choices were for the core curriculum. The University not only wants to offer more online courses for students like Dooms, but to enroll more online-only students overall. UH is planning a large advance in the amount of online courses offered and how it

markets those to expand its reach. An official within the University Academic Affairs office said 95 percent of online credit hours come from traditional students. The University currently offers 28 online degrees, 24 of which are graduate programs. The first program that would receive a marketing push would be two nursing degrees, a RN and BSN. Those degrees are already offered online. However, the University would partner with an outside organization to market those degrees, so they would be with someone better at marketing than doing it in-house. Expansion to other programs would be done based on the academic department’s choice and if it will generate revenue for the University, said Associate Provost of the Academic Affairs Office Jeff Morgan.

The University hopes to grow the amount of online programs it offers to grow enrollment. | Fiona Legesse/The Cougar

No students are enrolled currently in the online nursing

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degrees, Morgan said. Marketing the new online programs will be important, Morgan said. To help with this, the University may partner with a vendor to market the online programs. Marketing the degrees entails creating advertisements and targeting individuals who are likely to enroll. One vendor Morgan wants the University to work with is Academic Partnerships. Many universities have partnered with a vendor to market their online degrees, leading to some successes, Morgan said. Academic partnerships would receive half of the net tuition and fee revenues from online students enrolled in a program they help market, he said. Students who take one online course on average take 1.5 more credit hours than students who don’t, he said. Texas A&M University offers 48 online degree programs, 47 of which are graduate degrees. The University of Texas at Austin does not offer online degrees, according to College Atlas. They do offer online credit, however. President Renu Khator said at an August University of Houston System Board of Regents meeting that if UH would partner with a vendor to help market its online programs, they would want to take as little risk as possible if

the push does not work. There could possibly be a buyout clause in the contract. “One of the best kept secrets in the Houston area is we have 120 online degrees across the University of Houston System,” Morgan said. To Morgan, there is still untapped potential for the University to expand, even with so many online degrees. But the University would have to commit millions of dollars and would be locked into a contract. The degree won’t appear any different from someone who took all their classes faceto-face, Morgan said. There would be no difference in standards, academic rigor or admissions. The University would approach different academic departments and ask if they would want to increase their online presence, Morgan said. After that, they would create and revamp their own courses and curriculum according to the new program. Dooms, however, hopes for an expansion in major specific classes than the core curriculum online courses he sees offered. “I can see the merit in having more online courses,” Dooms said, but he does not have plans to become an online-only student anytime soon. news@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, September 26, 2018 | 7

MICHAEL SLATEN, EDITOR

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CRIME

Hazing allegations spell criminal, civil troubles for suspended fraternity

The case — The State of Texas v. The Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity, Inc. — involves the fraternity’s UH chapter members depriving 2016 pledge and former UH student Jared Munoz of food, water and sleep, according to The Cougar’s December coverage. The charge is a Class B misdemeanor

against the Tennessee-based fraternity, which could result in a fine up to $2,000. The fraternity was indicted in December of 2017, but the Harris County District Attorney’s Office did not charge individual chapter members. The charge against the fraternity focuses on the treatment of Jared Munoz between Nov. 17-20 of 2016, according to previous coverage by The Cougar. The Harris District Attorney’s Office said pledges were forced to roll around in vomit, spit and feces during this time. Misdemeanors are small crimes or offenses as opposed to felonies, which are serious crimes. Common misdemeanors include first DWI offenses and disorderly conduct offenses, according to Shouse California Law Group. Felonies include credit card abuse, aggravated assault and capital murder, according to The Texas Politics Project. The court date has been rescheduled five times since Feb. 12 — the original date — according to court records. Judge Larry Standley, presiding over the Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 6, is assigned to the case. Assistant District Attorney George Lindsey’s motion to protect Munoz’s medical records was granted by the court in February, according to court records. In July 2017, the University of Houston suspended the fraternity until October 2023. In addition to the criminal case, Munoz filed a civil lawsuit Sept. 18 seeking $1 million in monetary relief from the fraternity and 29 members, according to court records. The lawsuit details Munoz’s alleged experiences as a fraternity pledge, such as being forced to engage in tackle football without protective gear and a “glow stick game,” during which Munoz suffered an injured spleen after being

Houston, said O’Rourke’s positions on immigration issues such as detention centers, the border wall and ICE have garnered him support from most members of YEA. “I think in the past Cruz hasn’t shown that he’s a leader for immigrant communities, but Beto has actually stood alongside the community,” Melendez said. Melendez applied for a ticket to the debate at UH through

the Beto campaign. However, she said many YEA members that would want to attend likely won’t apply due to their anxieties about being undocumented. “Their entire lives they’ve been forced to hide that fact about themselves and are naturally afraid of speaking to a candidate,” Melendez said, “especially when so many Americans feel like they shouldn’t be allowed to speak on

The Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity is due in court Thursday at the Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 6 downtown. A civil lawsuit was filed by one of its former members last week. | Courtesy of i_am_jim via Wikimedia Commons

OSCAR AGUILAR

STAFF WRITER @OAGU_16

Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity is set to appear in court at 9 a.m. Thursday on a charge of hazing in connection to a 2016 incident involving their now-suspended UH chapter, according to court records.

SENATE DEBATE

Continued from page 2 renewable energy technology. While the Youth Empowerment Alliance—a national student-activism organization focused on issues that affect undocumented immigrants—doesn’t endorse any candidate, Houston Chapter President Daniela Melendez, a junior at the University of

The University suspended the Pi Kappa Alpha UH chapter for five years in 2017. They can organize again in October 2023. | File Photo/The Cougar

hit by Nicholas Augustine — one of the defendants in the civil lawsuit — causing him to spend five days in the Intensive Care Unit. In an interview with ABC 13, Munoz said he’s thankful to be alive after being forced to roll around in human feces and drink scalding-hot beer as part of his hazing, in addition to undergoing physical abuse that hospitalized him. Pi Kappa Alpha released a statement in response to the civil suit, saying the fraternity “doesn’t tolerate hazing, maltreatment of members or any activities that do not treat individuals with dignity and respect.”

The international fraternity suspended the UH chapter after learning of Munoz’s allegations, according to the statement, and they adopted a resolution supporting civil and criminal prosecution of individual members for acts of hazing, adding that the fraternity was disappointed that the District Attorney’s Office did not file criminal charges against the members who allegedly caused harm to Munoz. The statement goes on dispute claims made in the civil lawsuit regarding an alleged bribe. news@thedailycougar.com

One fraternity, two cases There is a criminal charge and civil lawsuit against the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

Hazing A Harris County grand jury indicted the Tennesse-based Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity in December 2017 for Class B misdemeanor charges.

Injured pledge In a news release from the Harris County District Attorney's Office, prosecutors said a pledge was hospitalized after being tackled in a game he was forced to play during initiation.

Civil suit That pledge was former student Jared Munoz, who filed a lawsuit seeking $1 million last week against the fraternity and dozens of its members. "I'm surprised no one has died yet," he said regarding the hazing. Damages, Munoz is seeking $1 million in his civil suit and filed a police report Tuesday evening with UHPD for retalition against him after he interviewed with ABC13 discussing his lawsuit.

Follow the story @TheDailyCougar

political issues.” While none of the persons interviewed have received confirmation on whether or not they have a ticket for the debate, all pointed to their respective organizations’ communications as being a flurry of question brainstorming, debate speculation and watch party planning—proof of their eagerness to engage with the candidates and this election.

“It’s really important that we’re having this debate on campus since we are the future, and now for the first time college age students and millennials are the largest voting block,” Baumgarten said. College Republicans at the University of Houston declined to comment for this article. news@thedailycougar.com

8 | Wednesday, September 26, 2018

SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

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FOOTBALL

Running backs are revving up Cougars' high tempo offense

Juniors Mulbah Car (center) and Patrick Carr have carried the load since senior Terence Williams' injury, and have combined for 330 yards on 52 carries. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar

TRENTON WHITING

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @TRENTONWHITING

The offense drives the Cougars’ success. The scores come in bunches off flashy passing plays and quick, entertaining drives. The air attack is the main threat, as the passing offense and quarterback D’Eriq King have taken the nation by storm. But if the passing game is the model and paint job, the game on the ground is the engine that keeps the offense running. A committee of three main players control the ground game: Patrick Carr, Mulbah Car and Terence Williams. Together, they have combined for more than 500 yards of offense. To the runners, the committee approach has only improved their production. “It helps us stay conditioned and stay ready,” said junior Patrick Carr. “It helps us be more explosive.” Carr is the catalyst for the offense’s explosiveness. He is the main weapon to the running

backs’ three-headed attack. Carr has started every game and has more carries than any other running back on the team. He also has more running yards and averages more than six yards per attempt. The running game front man has confidence in his play, and he compares his running style to some NFL legends. “I would try to compare myself to LaDainian Tomlinson, but then I add my own style to it,” Carr said. “And Maurice Jones-Drew as far as his blocking. I try to take his cues on how he blocks.” Watching these legends must have helped Carr’s game, as he is the leading runner on a team with three productive running backs. The second runner on the team, senior Baylor transfer Terence Williams, injured his knee in a game versus Texas Tech, and he will miss somewhere from three to six weeks of action. Before his injury, he had the second-most rushing attempts

and yards on the team. The running back room will miss Williams in the next couple games, but the other runners are prepared to make up for the missing yards. “We just got to hold it down,” Carr said. “Just be ready when your name is called.” The next leading running back on the team, junior Mulbah Car, will have to be the next man up in this situation. “You get an opportunity and just take it,” Car said. “You get a chance, and if you get that chance you just got to go off and do what they brought you here for.” Car’s number of rushing attempts will likely get a huge boost until Williams returns. After the game versus Texas Tech, he had 13 fewer runs than the leading runner and averaged nearly 30 yards less per game. The disparity might be because of his skill set, as he is a runner built to attack defenses head on. “I’m a power back,” Car said. "I’m explosive. When I see a

hole, I burst through it.” Though he will be getting more touches because of Williams’ injury, the camaraderie between the running backs is still intact. They all want to see each other succeed and win games. This culture in the rusher room might be what helps the runners reach their potential. “Most of the guys like Pat (Carr) and Tdub (Williams), they help me out and help me become a better runner,” Car

Fiona Legesse/The Cougar

said. With the passing game still torching scoreboards and a potential Heisman on the other side of the ball, the running backs have a great chance to do some damage. Though the UH passing offense stole the show to begin the season, the runners on the ground will be fighting in the trenches, chugging away and refusing to be overlooked. sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, September 26, 2018 | 9

ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

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SWIMMING

Swimming eyes conference title three-peat ANDRES CHIO

SPORTS EDITOR

@ CHIOANDRES

The women's swimming team starts its long season Saturday with its eyes on a third-straight American Athletic Conference Championship. On top of a three-peat, the Cougars want to qualify more people for the NCAA Championships after it sent three swimmers last season, two of whom returned to the team. "To be top 25 at the NCAA Championships is the milestone that we’re shooting for. We gotta get more kids there. The big goal is to get points on the board," said head coach Ryan Wochomurka. Swimmers qualify individually for the NCAA tournament and earn points for their school by placing high in events. The two swimmers returning with the experience from the NCAA tournament are juniors Zarena Brown and Peyton Kondis, a team co-captain. Brown won three individual events at the AAC Championships while Kondis won the 100 Breaststroke for the second time in a row, which helped them qualify for the NCAA Championships. When the Cougars took to the NCAA Championships in Ohio, they welcomed the 281-swimmer competition and were welcomed right back. "It was awesome because when we were out on the pool deck other coaches came up to us and said how nice it was to see UH represented at the NCAAs again,"

Brown said. While Brown and Kondis were unable to place in any events, they said competing against Olympians like gold medalist Katie Ledecky and other national team members was an eye-opening experience. "I learned just how that every small little detail counts," Brown said. "I was watching the video tapes of these elite swimmers passing me (because of the little things)."

Looking back It was always easy to learn from mistakes though, Brown said. Learning to control her emotions was one of the biggest things she learned when she first arrived on campus. "I had big expectations, and when I wouldn’t reach them I would get really upset," Brown said. "I learned that everything, whether it is bad or good, is a learning experience." Brown said her sophomore year was about getting better at balancing school and swimming, especially with the AAC Championships positioned close to midterms and the NCAA tournament close to finals. But for Kondis, her second year at UH was her first as one of the co-captains of the team. "I learned a lot about understanding my teammates and what motivates them. Learning how to go out of myself when I am having a bad day to take care of others," Kondis said. "It was a really great year of learning how to be a better me." In the offseason, Brown said

Junior Zarena Brown won the 100m, 200m and 500m Freestyle races at the 2018 American Athletic Conference Championships. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

she worked on her flip turns and getting tighter and quicker in general to cut out wasted movements. Meanwhile, Kondis recovered from a wrist surgery to fix a minor tendon injury she had during last season. With the injury fixed, Kondis' personal goal is to stay healthy and return to the NCAA Championship. "I want to swim with fearlessness. I don’t want to be afraid of events," Kondis said.

Endgame There is still a long road to get to the NCAA tournament in February, and it is one of the most grueling parts of the sport. "It's very hard mentally because you get into December and it's Christmas time and you’re missing home and just want the season to be over," Brown said. "But about three weeks before conference championships, we get really excited." The long season also provides many opportunities to notice, and most importantly fix, mistakes which could make or break the team at the championship meets. Before the team gets to the championship, it must start its season off right. The first meet of the season is against Incarnate Word on Saturday at the Natatorium in the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center. It will be the first test of the season for these Cougars as a unit but not for most of the swimmers' college careers. Every team is a little bit different as seniors graduate and newcomers add a new dynamic to the team. Some teams can be very confident while others are afraid of the unknown. "The dynamic of this year is that this is a hungry team," Wochomurka said. "We’ve been a very young team for the past couple years, and now we have juniors and seniors that have great experience and sophomores that established themselves as freshmen." The Cougars have four seniors, 10 juniors, 11 sophomores and eight freshmen on the roster, which has given the team its identity. All the upperclassmen except for one junior transfer were on the two championship teams, and the sophomores have only known the taste of the championship. It has raised the bar high, but has raised the teams' conviction even higher.

"One of our mottos is to elevate, and that is what we are trying to do every day on a personal level and on a NCAA level," head coach Ryan Wochomurka said. The Cougars have not scored points at the NCAA Championships since 2014, when alumna Taylor Olanski placed 14th in platform diving to give the University three points and 49th place. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

"It ups the expectation, but it also gives us confidence knowing that we were able to do it twice and as long as we continue to

work hard, we’ll be there again," Kondis said. sports@thedailycougar.com

AMERICAN PHARMACIST MONTH EXTRAVAGANZA

THURSDAY, 10/4/18 12:30 - 2:30 PM STUDENT CENTER PLAZA

Come join the students of the College of Pharmacy to learn about a variety of important healthcare topics such as... Medication Safety Antibiotic Awareness Smoking Cessation Mental Health Diabetes Cardiovascular Disease HIV/AIDS Chronic Kidney Disease Free blood pressure, blood glucose, & BMI screenings will be provided so come stop by! *Flu shots will also be available*

10 | Wednesday, September 26, 2018

SPORTS ANDRES CHIO, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS

SPORTS@THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

713-743-5303

FOOTBALL

Roundtable: Football's most valuable players so far THE COUGAR STAFF @THECOUGARSPORTS

Houston has finished the outof-conference schedule and have a bye week to rest before facing Tulsa on Oct. 4 in Houston. With that in mind, it is the perfect time to reflect on the season so far and who the team's MVP is.

Assistant Sports Editor Trenton Whiting Last year, D’Eriq King was listed on the roster as a wide receiver to start the season. He got the start at quarterback in the South Florida game, and he has evolved into one of the best passers in the nation and the most valuable player on his team. He has thrown for 15 touchdowns, completed more than 60 percent of his passes, averaged almost 300 yards a game and thrown more than four touchdowns twice. While stats are not everything, King wins the eye test as well. He is the leader on one of the country’s best offenses and has excelled in the spotlight. King has dropped dimes deep and squeezed tosses through tight windows of opportunity while still keeping his head on a swivel to look for chances to outrun pressure and gain extra yards. If King is able to keep up his production, the offense will continue to excel. He is clearly the MVP at this point of the season, and it is realistic to believe he will still be the MVP at the end of the year.

Senior Staff Writer Jackson Gatlin For a high-octane offense like Houston’s to function, it takes both a strong passing game and a strong rushing game: enter junior running back Patrick Carr. While Carr’s numbers may not be quite as flashy as King's, he

D'Eriq King has thrown for 15 touchdowns just a third of the way through the season. King had 23 career passing touchdowns and has a career accuracy percentage of 63.7 percent with just three interceptions. On top of the passing statistics, King has ran for another 13 touchdowns. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar

is a pivotal piece of the lethal Houston offense, which is No. 2 in the nation. Carr leads the team with over 200 rushing yards and has become the team's first option at running back after he had just 26 rushing yards last season. At Rice, Carr had his best game of the season, rushing for 74 yards and scoring a 37-yard touchdown run late in the win against the Cougars’ cross-city rivals. The home opener against Arizona saw Carr achieve similar rushing numbers to the season opener, though game three against Texas Tech was more of a challenge. Against TSU, Carr only had two rushes as the team decided to test out the depth chart and give time to players that had not seen the field much. Even though Carr has only scored one touchdown so far on the season, his presence on the field and the Cougars' ability to run the ball through him is what ultimately unlocks Houston’s devastating passing game.

they've had is because of the offensive line. The Cougars have tried to throw the ball over 180 times, and the line has allowed just 21 quarterback hurries and a single sack. Without the line opening holes for the running backs, they

would not get far. Without the line keeping defenders out of the pocket, King would not have the time to make his reads and the receivers would not have the time to break away from defensive backs. On top of that, the new

worship

offense's high tempo means the line has to run far and quickly to get set, which no 300 lb. lineman wants to do. A good line is what makes a team great, and the Cougars have just that. sports@thedailycougar.com