By JERRY BYRD, Journal Sports
With nine minutes left in the 46th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, it looked like the game’s MVP award may go to the University of Louisiana-Lafayette kicker Kenneth Almendares, who hit three field goals, all in the first half as the Ragin’ Cajuns built a 16-6 lead.
He was one shy of the bowl record, and it appeared he might get an opportunity to tie the record and break the game’s 16-16 deadlock.
However, a ULL fumble inside Houston’s 10 with 8:32 to go opened a window of opportunity for UH quarterback Clayton Tune, who ultimately guided the Cougars on a decisive seven-play, 92-yard drive in the final three minutes.
It started with 2:59 remaining, opening on a 33-yard run by Tune and ending on his 12-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds left to Nathaniel “Tank” Dell to give Dana Holgorsen’s team a 23-16 win over the Ragin’ Cajuns.
And it earned Tune the Independence Bowl Offensive MVP award.
“I was telling this guy right here we needed to get the ball in the end zone on this last drive,” Holgorsen said, pointing to Tune as he walked to his chair in the postgame press conference. The Cougars had missed a third-quarter extra point kick in the windy conditions and with the outcome on the line, Holgorsen was all-in with his senior quarterback, not the shaky kicking game.
“I told ya’ll a couple of days ago that he (Tune) was going to call a lot of the plays based on his familiarity with what they do defensively,” Holgorsen said. “He changed that (touchdown) play. That’s what makes this relationship so special. He saw leverage and they got these goofy looks and signals and stuff that makes it work.”
Holgorsen’s call on the touchdown play was a corner route, but Tune saw the ULL defensive back playing off, therefore getting leverage on Dell if he went with his coach’s initial plan.
“We had a corner route called,” Tune said. “We want that versus a specific leverage, but they actually showed something different. The corner was playing off so he could’ve gotten under that corner route, so I changed it to a quick out. I knew that he would beat the guy — he had outside leverage on the safety guarding him. I knew he would just run up, pat his feet, break out, and it would be an easy touchdown.”
It was, making voters’ choice for the offensive award easy, too.
“As far as winning the MVP, it’s really special,” Tune said. “Happy to do it. Happy to be here, and play with the guys. I couldn’t do it without them. I couldn’t do it without the offensive line, receivers, running backs, tight ends, and coaches just calling plays so, it’s really special, but I really owe it all to them to put me in that position.”
Tune, whose next game will be the Senior Bowl in Mobile, finished with 19 completions on 28 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns.
The game-winner was Tune’s second touchdown pass to Dell, also Senior Bowl-bound. The first came on a 2-yard pass to cap the Cougars’ opening drive of the second half that got them within 16-13.
While the last drive won the game for the Cougars and sealed the MVP deal for Tune, it also gave Dell the title of national leader in touchdown receptions for 2022 with 17. He came into the game needing one. Tune dialed his number twice.
After Tune wrote the final chapter for his time at the University of Houston, he reflected on what it has meant to him and what he will take away.
“It’s been awesome,” Tune said. “I’ve grown so much and learned so much and been around so many great people. Just the experiences I have had, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. So, I’ve learned a lot. I think the biggest thing is how to deal with adversity, just keep pushing forward, keep moving forward. I’d say that’s the main thing. We have had some adverse times this year. The best way to handle it is to keep your head down and keep moving forward.”
ULL finished 6-7, Houston 8-5.
“Coming off a 12-win season and you got Tune and ‘Tank’ coming back, the expectations are going to get shot through the roof,” Holgorsen said. “College football is competitive. It’s hard. There are a lot of good teams. For us to get our eighth win, for these seniors to get their 20th win in the last two years, I’m very proud of them.”
Houston has given up lots of points this season — but not Friday; the Cougars held ULL to 12 points below its season average.
Much of the credit goes to the Defensive Player of the Game, senior cornerback Art Green, who tied a season-high in tackles with nine, eight solo, and a pass break up. Green, 6-2, 200, is a native of Chesterfield, Mo., and played at Hutchinson (Ks.) Community College before arriving at Houston, where’s he’s played in all but one game in the past three seasons.
Contact Jerry at sbjjerrybyrd@gmail.com