1989 Houston Cougars football team

The 1989 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the 44th year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by third-year head coach Jack Pardee. Serving as offensive coordinator was John Jenkins, who would later serve in the capacity of head coach the next season. The team played its games off-campus at the Astrodome, which had recently received upgrades to seat 62,439 spectators. The Cougars finished the season ranked as #14 by the AP Poll. Houston quarterback Andre Ware won the Heisman Trophy and Davey O'Brien Award following the conclusion of the season. Under probation by the NCAA from rules violated in prior seasons, Houston was disallowed from participating in a bowl game, television appearances, and the Coaches' Poll.

Regular season
Andre Ware became the first black quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy in 1989, along with the Davey O'Brien Award, the latter award given to the most outstanding college quarterback of the year. That year, his junior year, he threw for 4,699 yards, 44 touchdowns, and set 26 NCAA records. Many of the records were thanks to the innovative use of the Run & Shoot offense, which his successor, David Klingler, also used to great effect. The Cougars ended the season ranked the #14 team in the nation by the Associated Press. He then declared for the NFL Draft, foregoing his senior year.

Team players in the NFL

 * Note: David Klingler was drafted into the NFL in 1992.

Awards and honors

 * Andre Ware, Heisman Trophy
 * Andre Ware, Davey O`Brien Award