Houston's Cleveland making most of second chance

Houston needed a sure-handed receiver to fill the shoes of graduated leading pass-catcher Mark Hafner.

James Cleveland needed a second chance.

School and player both have gotten what they desired during the 2009 season.

Cleveland, who wondered if he’d play Division I football again after being dismissed from Iowa after the 2007 season, caught 101 passes for 1,182 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Cougars this season – all team highs – and was named the Conference-USA Newcomer of the Year. A 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior transfer, he’s complemented Houston speed receivers Tyron Carrier and Patrick Edwards, provided quarterback Case Keenum with a reliable target who catches balls in traffic and helped the Cougars’ passing attack become the nation’s best.

“When we recruited James, we sat down and told him that we’ve got a bunch of guys here that can run; we don’t have a lot of size on the perimeter at wide receiver,” said Houston coach Kevin Sumlin, whose Cougars will face Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl today.

“James was a guy that we really wanted to come here and give us some added size and maturity. … (He) added some real experience and toughness on our perimeter.”

James’ experience includes some tough times early in his collegiate career. Not long after the 2007 season, during which he caught 36 passes for Iowa (second-most on the team) and was named to the all-Big Ten freshman team, Cleveland was arrested after campus police found 21 units of oxycodone, a prescription pain reliever, and 24 doses of carisoprodol, a muscle relaxer, in his dorm room. Though Cleveland eventually was given probation, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz kicked him off the team. He figured his football career might be over.

“I didn’t think anybody would ever pick me up because that’s just how the process goes sometimes,” he said.

“Schools were telling me no, and I was just worried that I wouldn’t be able to play again.”

But Cleveland’s high school coach, Dick Olin, is a longtime friend of Sumlin, who had recruited Cleveland out of high school when he was an assistant at Oklahoma. And after Cleveland spent a year at Trinity Valley Community College, Sumlin brought him to Houston. And the pairing has helped both parties.

“He already knew who I was, just seeing I was trying to change up everything that I’ve been going through, just take another path down to where I wanted to be,” Cleveland said. “He gave me that second chance, and I’m very grateful, very grateful. Won’t take it for granted.”