Houston Cougars defensive lineman Ed Oliver sat out the second half of Friday’s pivotal AAC contest against the Memphis Tigers, and it seemed to be quite hard on him.
Oliver had missed four straight games with a knee injury, but returned for the first half Friday in a must-win game for Houston’s AAC title hopes. During the second half, he didn’t play, with no reason disclosed at the time.
TV cameras caught Oliver in tears late in the fourth quarter when it became apparent that Houston was going to lose to Memphis, costing themselves a spot in the AAC Championship.
Ed Oliver full of emotion on the sideline! #Houston pic.twitter.com/uEmZdNc3Ck
— #FreePhillipDorsett (@ftbeard_17) November 23, 2018
After the game, Houston coach Major Applewhite admitted Oliver’s knee was a problem again, and they opted to hold him out of action.
On postgame radio, Major Applewhite says Ed Oliver’s knee began to bother him.
— Joseph Duarte (@Joseph_Duarte) November 23, 2018
Oliver and Applewhite have had their differences, but it looks like the coach was trying to protect his player’s very bright future. The loss means the Cougars will miss out on the AAC title game and have only a bowl game ahead of them. One has to wonder if Oliver will opt to skip it ahead of an entry into the NFL Draft, meaning he’s played his last game for Houston.
