After throwing three interceptions in a loss agasint BYU, freshman quarterback John O’ Korn responded against Rutgers by thrwoing for career highs in both yards (364) and touchdowns (5). | Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar

Following the Cougars’ first loss last weekend against BYU, offensive coordinator Doug Meacham said the next time freshman quarterback John O’Korn — who threw three interceptions in that game — steps on the field, he’ll be more relaxed and “concentrate on making routine plays.”

O’Korn got the message. He went through his progressions and saw an opportunity for his receivers to make plays against Rutgers. It resulted in touchdowns — many touchdowns.

O’Korn shredded Rutgers’ secondary with a combination of short, medium and long passes, resulting in career highs of passing yards (364) and touchdowns (5) in a 49-14 blowout victory on Oct. 26 in Piscataway, N.J.

“It feels great to go out there and beat a team like them and put the hammer on them,” said junior receiver Daniel Spencer, who had six catches for 117 yards.

O’Korn was instrumental all afternoon as he made throws that Rutgers defenders just couldn’t stop. On the first touchdown, he found sophomore receiver Deontay Greenberry from 10 yards out on a fade toward the left side of the end zone. The defender didn’t have a chance to make a play on the ball as Greenberry simply out-jumped him.

“He looked at me and liked what he saw with me in the corner, so he took advantage of the mismatch, and we made the play,” Greenberry said.

“We knew that going into the week, that they were going to play two freshmen (defensive backs). It was in our game plan to go in and attack them.”

Greenberry has caught a touchdown in five of UH’s seven games this season. His 168 yards receiving and three touchdown catches were both career highs.

After he and Greenberry hooked up for an 83-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the second quarter to break the tie and go up 21-14, the Cougars never looked back. But O’Korn was just getting started.

Less than a minute later, he found freshman receiver Demarcus Ayers on a perfectly thrown 26-yard touchdown to go up 28-14.

O’Korn played his worst game as a Cougar last week against BYU, but on Saturday, he arguably played his best.

O’Korn shredded Rutgers’ secondary all afternoon in front of a crowd of more than 52,000. Rutgers had won four of its last five games, was coming off a bye week and was the 10-point favorite against UH, according to Vegasinsider.com.

“That’s a pretty impressive thing for a guy that just turned 18. We kind of heard a little all week of reasons why we should not have won this football game. I think it brought a little bit of fuel to the fire in terms of the heartbreaking loss we suffered last week,” head coach Tony Levine said of O’Korn.

“Our kids are young, and they thrive on that. I’m proud of them. It was a hostile environment and an outstanding football team — an established program that Rutgers certainly has.”

It was a statement game, to say the least. With the Cougars’ fast-paced style, it was crucial for the quarterback to play at a high level. And O’Korn showed it on Saturday. To top off his career day, it was only right for O’Korn to finish the game the way he started it — a fade to Greenberry toward the left side of the end zone for his fifth touchdown to settle the final score.

“(O’Korn) gets more and more comfortable every week. Whenever he’s comfortable and we get to rolling, that’s pretty much it,” Greenberry said.

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“O’Korn rebounds in high fashion against Rutgers” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar