Note: This story is featured in the 2026 edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football's Summer Magazine, which you can order here.

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DCTF’S TAKE  

Houston is the only Power Four program in Texas to return its head coach, all three coordinators, and starting quarterback from 2025.  That continuity extends to the rest of the roster with the Cougars returning eight starters on defense and key offensive pieces such as WR Amare Thomas. The next step in Houston’s evolution as a Power Four contender is to compete against the Big 12’s elite and inch closer to the conference title game.  

QB Conner Weigman was the state’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2025 and the talent around him is improved. The offensive line was buoyed by transfers Shadre Hurst and Anthony Boswell. Five Big 12 road trips, including visits to Texas Tech, Kansas State, and Utah, pose massive challenges.  

 

THE OFFENSE  

Houston’s offense scored 29.1 points per game in 2025, a 15-point increase from the 14 points per game the Cougars managed in 2024. QB Conner Weigman stayed healthy and prospered after a transfer home from Texas A&M, throwing for 2,705 yards and 25 touchdowns while adding 700 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns on the ground. Weigman’s resurgence, especially on the ground, even shocked his offensive coordinator.  

“Personally, I didn’t know he was as good of a runner as he is,” Slade Nagle admitted in the spring. “After the Colorado game where he had pulled one and had a big play, we just started to build and grow from there. And thank goodness we did because it was a big part of our offense.”  

Nagle and head coach Willie Fritz don’t plan on running Weigman as much in 2026. His 171 attempts in 2025 were more than double the number the 67 combined carries he accounted for during three years at Texas A&M. Weigman, a former five-star prospect, will be joined in the QB room by true freshman sensation Keisean Henderson. Nagle says Weigman has “earned the right” to be the unquestioned starter and the plan is for Henderson to be QB2 and work toward becoming the face of the program for the 2027 season.  

One reason that Weigman shouldn’t have to shoulder as much of the rushing attack is a revamped running back room in Third Ward, starting with Oregon transfer Makhi Hughes. Hughes ran for 1,378 yards in 2023 and 1,401 yards in 2024 at Tulane before transferring to Oregon and struggling to find playing time with the Ducks. He’s reunited with Nagle, the former OC at Tulane, and that should lead to a bounce back season. Re’Shaun Sanford II, who was lost for the year in preseason camp last season, returns to bolster the backfield along with DJ Butler.  

“Makhi is a really, really good runner between the tackles,” Nagle said. “He’s a guy who can carry the ball a lot and he gets stronger as the game goes.”  

Amare Thomas (67 catches, 966 yards, 12 TDs) returns to lead a deep and experienced wide receiver room that also includes returners such as Koby Young and Harvey Broussard III. Nagle called Young, “the most improved player on offense from this time last year,” during our stop in Houston this spring. The Cougars also added Oregon State transfer Trent Walker to the room and his 6-foot-2 frame gives the offense some size on the outside.  

The loss of tight end Tanner Koziol, who led Houston with 74 receptions last year, stings, but UTSA transfer Patrick Overmyer should replace much of that production. Kaleb Thomas and Traville Frederick Jr. are also in the mix at tight end while Luke McGary works his way back from injury.  

The offensive line is the most improved position on the roster since Fritz arrived in 2024. The starting five seems set with Alvin Ebosele (LT), Shadre Hurst (LG), Anthony Boswell (C), McKenzie Agnello (RG) and Sean Terrell (RT), penciled in heading out of spring practices. Nagle said the group might be smaller than last year’s offensive line, but that the starting five is more athletic and functionally stronger than the 2025 starters. Boswell and Hurst were major additions through the portal.   

BY THE NUMBERS  

11 – Number of rushing touchdowns by quarterback Conner Weigman during his first season at Houston. He accounted for two in three years at Texas A&M.  

1.46 – Average number of sacks allowed by the Coogs, which was second-best in the state of Texas and 29th nationally. They allowed 19 sacks across 13 games. 

31.8 – Average number of points scored by the Houston offense in the 10 wins. The Cougars averaged 20 points per game in the three losses.  

 

KEEP AN EYE ON  

Five-star true freshman quarterback Keisean Henderson is the future face of Houston football and represents a monster recruiting victory for head coach Willie Fritz and the entire Houston staff. But don’t expect Henderson to unseat Conner Weigman as QB1 in 2026 despite the narratives from some national media members.  

Henderson played non-UIL football in the Houston area against overmatched opponents and will need some time to adjust to the college game. He will be Weigman’s primary backup and we wouldn’t be shocked if he had a package of plays or was used in the QB run game to take some of the wear and tear off Weigman.  

 

BREAKOUT CANDIDATES  

WR Trent Walker – The senior transfer from Oregon State caught 154 passes for 1,790 yards and four touchdowns during his five years with the Beavers. He broke out in 2025 with 68 receptions for 823 yards and two touchdowns. His 6-foot-2 frame provides the Cougars with some size on the outside after losing Stephon Johnson.   

 

TE Patrick Overmyer – One of two UTSA tight end transfers to find homes at the Power Four level in 2026, Overmyer is a 6-foot-5, 230-pound junior from Kingwood who should help ease the loss of Tanner Koziol, who led the Cougars with 74 receptions last season. Overmyer caught 58 passes for 627 yards and eight touchdowns as a Roadrunner.  

 

PROJECTED STARTERS  

QB 1 Conner Weigman 6-3, 210, Sr. Cypress Bridgeland 

RB 21 Makhi Hughes 6-0, 210, Sr. Birmingham, Ala.   

WR  0 Amare Thomas 6-0, 205, Sr. Birmingham, Ala.  

WR  3 Harvey Broussard III 6-3, 185, Sr. St Martinville, La.  

WR 18 Koby Young 6-0, 180, Soph. New Orleans, La.   

TE 9 Patrick Overmyer 6-5, 230, Jr. Kingwood Park 

LT 79 Alvin Ebosele 6-6, 312, Sr. Coppell   

LG 56 Shadre Hurst 6-2, 295, Sr. Cartersville, Ga.  

C 52 Anthony Boswell 6-2, 301, Soph. Indianapolis, Ind.  

RG 66 McKenzie Agnello 6-4, 314, Sr.  Copperas Cove 

RT 68 Sean Terrell 6-5, 295, Rs-Fr. Klein Oak  

K 49 Jonathan Dimas 5-10, 185, Soph. Spring Westfield  

THE DEFENSE  

Houston returns eight starters at seven different positions from a defense that ranked sixth in the Big 12 in points allowed during Austin Armstrong’s first season as defensive coordinator in Third Ward. The Cougars were aggressive in the transfer portal to plug the open spots in the starting lineup, adding three players who started at least one game for a team that reached the College Football Playoff in 2025.  

“We’ve improved the size and girth up front and replaced the few starters we did lose with experienced players who’ve been on big stages,” Armstrong said. “We also kept most of the staff together, so that continuity with the roster and the coaching staff has made this a lot of fun and we think we can be even better this year on defense.”  

Two of the four projected new starters will be on the defensive line. Houston lost defensive tackle Carlos Allen, who led the Cougars with 80 stops and was second-team All-Big 12, to graduation. De’Marion Thomas, an Oklahoma State transfer who started 13 games at Vanderbilt in 2024, is expected to replace Allen on the inside. Oregon transfer Ashton Porter should start at the field end position.  

Khalil Laufau returns along the defensive line after a strong 2025 campaign with Houston. Brandon Mack II and Latreveon McCutchin are back at the JACK position, which is a hybrid of defensive end and outside linebacker in Armstrong’s system. That duo combined for nine tackles for loss and six sacks last season. Mack missed the spring with a pectoral injury but should be fine for the season.  

Players such as Chance Bryant, Myles Parker, DK Mays, and Quindario Lee provide depth along the defensive line. Yale transfer defensive tackle Ejiro Egodogbare was injured in the spring but could be a wildcard for the Cougars.  

Three of Houston’s top four linebackers return, including Sione Fotu and Carmycah Glass at Mike linebacker. Armstrong views those guys as 1A and 1B at Mike and both started games last season. Ole Miss transfer Jaden Yates, who started multiple games for the Rebels last year during a CFP run, will man the Will linebacker spot. Richmond Ugochukwu and Christian Brathwaite are also in the mix at the Will linebacker spot.  

Three of the five starters return in the secondary and Armstrong believes the back end will be a strength for the Cougars in 2026. Cornerback Will James, an All-Big 12 Second Team selection in 2025, is back after leading Houston in interceptions (3), turnovers gained (4) and forced fumbles (2). SFA transfer Jalen Mayo was added to replace the departing Latrell McCutchin, who is now in the NFL. Mayo was a 2025 All-Southland First Team selection and Armstrong believes he’s a future pro.  

Tulane transfer Javion White is the projected starter at the Star position, which is the nickel corner in Armstrong’s defense. White was an All-American Conference Third-Team selection after breaking up 13 passes and recording five tackles for loss for the Green Wave last year. Alvin Williamson and Paris Melvin Jr. are expected to be the primary backups.  

The deep safety spots are in good hands thanks to the return of Kentrell Webb and Jordan Allen. Webb is the leading returning tackler for Houston after posting 71 tackles last season. Allen registered 48 tackles broke up two passes. Players such as Johnsley Barbas and CJ Douglas are also in the mix at safety.  

 

BY THE NUMBERS  

20 – The average number of points allowed by the Houston defense in the 10 wins. The Coogs allowed 32.3 points per game in the three losses.  

-3 – That was the turnover margin for Houston in the three wins, compared to a +7-turnover margin in the 10 wins.  

48.78 – Redzone touchdown percentage by Houston opponents, which was 13th-best in the country and second-best in the Big 12 behind BYU.  

 

KEEP AN EYE ON  

The Cougars want to create more negative plays in the opponent’s backfield after ranking 12th in the Big 12 with 61 tackles on the season. The 4.69 tackles for loss a game ranked 14th in the league, only ahead of Cincinnati and Baylor. The disparity between wins and losses was telling. Houston averaged 5.2 tackles for loss per game in 10 wins compared to just three a game in three losses. No team in the Big 12 averaged fewer tackles for losses in defeats and DC Austin Armstrong believes a few of the transfer additions will help create more havoc.   

 

BREAKOUT CANDIDATES  

CB Jalen Mayo – Cornerback opposite of Will James is one of the only spots without a returning starter for the Coogs heading into 2026. Mayo was an all-conference player at the FCS level and follows his position coach – Marcus Trice – to Third Ward. Mayo has NFL potential according to the Houston staff.  

 

LB Jaden Yates – Yates started the first nine games of the season for an Ole Miss team that went multiple rounds deep in the College Football Playoff. He’s one of four expected starters from a strong portal class this offseason. Yates has 176 career tackles over three FBS seasons, including his time at Marshall.  

PROJECTED STARTERS  

JACK 4 Brandon Mack II 6-4, 245, Sr. Montgomery, Ala.  

End 18 Khalil Laufau 6-3, 290, Sr. Salt Lake City, Utah 

Nose 90 De’Marion Thomas 6-2, 340, Jr. Tulsa, Okla.   

Field End 9 Ashton Porter 6-3, 280, Jr. Cy Ranch 

LB 12 Sione Fotu 6-0, 230, Sr. Salt Lake City, Utah 

LB 1 Jaden Yates 6-1, 225, Sr. Columbus, Ohio 

CB 5 Will James 6-0, 185, Jr. Grand Bay, Ala.  

CB 2 Jalen Mayo 6-2, 190, Sr. Hampton, Va. 

FS 8 Kentrell Webb 5-11, 190, Sr. Katy Paetow 

WS 6 Jordan Allen 5-11, 185, Jr. Grand Bay, Ala.  

STAR 0 Javion White 5-11, 190, Jr. Winnsboro, La.  

P 91 Liam Dougherty 6-2, 205, Jr. Geelong, Victoria