(Photo Credit: Houston Chronicle)
Key Players Returning:
QB Zeon Chriss, RB Re’Shaun Sanford II, RB Stacy Sneed, WR Stephon Johnson, WR/RS Mekhi Mews, OC Demetrius Hunter, OT David Ndukwe, DE Carlos Allen, DE Brandon Mack II, CB Latrell McCutchin Sr., CB Jeremiah Wilson, FS AJ Haulcy, FS Kentrell Webb, and PT Liam Dougherty.
Key Players Departing:
QB Donovan Smith, WR Joseph Manjack IV, OG Peyton Dunn, OG Tank Jenkins, OT Jake Wiley, DE Keith Cooper Jr., DT Anthony Holmes, LB Michael Batton, LB Hershey McLaurin, LB Jamal Morris, KR Bryan Massey, and PK Jack Martin.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: DE Travis Buhake (Arlington, Texas), QB Conner Weigman (Texas A&M transfer), TE Tanner Koziol (Wisconsin transfer), and OT Demetris Dean (Jasper, Texas).
3 Star Recruits: CB Zelmar Vedder (Sacramento State transfer), TE Luke McGary (Tulsa transfer), DS Zaylen Cormier (Houston, Texas), ATH Kenzy West (Flowood, Mississippi), EDGE Eddie Walls III (FIU transfer), and TE Jacory Thurman (Houston, Texas).
2024 Results:
G01 UNLV L 7-27
G02 @ #15 Oklahoma L 12-16
G03 RICE W 33-7
G04 @ Cincinnati L 0-34
G05 #18 IOWA STATE L 0-20
G06 @ TCU W 30-19
G07 @ Kansas L 14-42
G08 UTAH W 17-14
G09 #17 KANSAS STATE W 24-19
G10 @ Arizona L 3-27
G11 BAYLOR L 10-20
G12 @ #19 BYU L 18-30
Misc. Team Information:
2024 Record: 4-8 (12th in Big XII)
Home: 3-3
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 3-6
Non-AAC: 1-2
Head Coach: Willie Fritz
Houston: 4-8
Bowls: 4-1
Career: 204-124
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Returning Statistical Leaders
Passing: Zeon Chriss (83-130, 824 yards, 63.8%., 6.3 avg., 4 TD, 8 INT)
Rushing: Re’Shaun Sanford II (94 car., 444 yards, 4.7 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Stephon Johnson Jr. (32 rec., 402 yards, 12.6 avg., 2 TD)
TDs Scored: Zeon Chriss (4)
Sacks: Brandon Mack II (3)
Tackles: AJ Haulcy (74)
Tackles For Loss: Brandon Mack (5)
Interceptions: AJ Haulcy (5)
Pass Deflections: AJ Haulcy (8)
Forced Fumbles: Brandon Mack II (2)
Kick Returns: Mekhi Mews (8 ret., 207 yards, 25.9 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Mekhi Mews (19 ret., 132 ret., 6.9 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Laim Dougherty (57 punts, 2389 yards, 41.9 avg., 18 in20)
Projected Offense Starters:
QB: 1 Conner Weigman (RS JR/TR)
RB: 44 Dean Connors (SR/TR)
WR: 3 Harvey Broussard III (JR/TR)
WR: 0 Amare Thomas (JR/TR)
WR: 5 Stephon Johnson (SR/TR)
TE: 87 Luke McGary (JR/TR)
LT: 77 David Ndukwe (RS SR/TR)
LG: 73 Jason Brooks Jr. (RS SR/TR)
OC: 66 McKenzie Agnello (RS SR/TR)
RG: 74 Matthew Wykoff (RS SR/TR)
RT: 75 Dalton Merryman (RS SR/TR)
KR: 4 Mekhi Mews (RS SR/TR)
PK: 92 Ethan Sanchez (SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 92 Carlos Allen JR. (RS SR/TR)
NT: 95 Joshua Donald (SR/TR)
DT: 18 Khalil Laufau (JR/TR)
DE: 4 Brandon Mack II (RS SR/TR)
LB: 36 Jalen Garner (RS SR)
LB: 25 Carmycah Glass (RS JR/TR)
NB: 22 Marc Stampley II (SR/TR)
CB: 20 Jeremiah Wilson (SR/TR)
CB: 0 Keionte Scott (SR/TR)
FS: 2 Adari Haulcy (SR/TR)
SS: 13 CJ Douglas (JR/TR)
PR: 4 Mekhi Mews (RS SR/TR)
PT: 91 Liam Dougherty (SO)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: B
Punting: C
Schedule:
08/28 STEPHEN F. AUSTIN LUMBERJACKS | Houston trails the series 1-2. The Cougars lost (13-21) the last meeting in 1948, and they lost (14-25) the prior meeting in 1947.
09/06 @ Rice Owls | Houston leads the series 34-12. The Cougars are 5-1 since restarting the series in 2017, and their last series loss (41-43) was in 2023.
09/12 COLORADO BUFFALOES | Houston lost (17-29) the only prior meeting in 1971.
09/26 @ Oregon State Beavers | Houston leads the series 2-1. The Cougars won (19-16) the last meeting in 1970, and they won (23-12) the prior meeting in 1961.
10/04 TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS | Houston leads the series 18-16-1. The Cougars are 0-5 since restarting the series in 2017, and they lost (28-49) the last meeting in 2023.
10/11 @ Oklahoma State Cowboys | The series is tied 10-10-1. The Cougars lost (30-43) the last meeting in 2023, and they won (45-35) the prior meeting in 2009.
10/18 ARIZONA WILDCATS | Houston leads the series 3-2. The Cougars lost (3-27) last season’s meeting, and they won (45-18) the prior meeting in 2018.
10/25 @ Arizona State Sun Devils | Houston trails the series 4-5. The Cougars won (62-45) the last meeting in 1990, and they won (36-7) the prior meeting in 1989.
11/01 WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS | Houston won (41-39) the only prior meeting in 2023.
11/07 @ UCF Knights | Houston trails the series 3-8. The Cougars lost (13-27) the last meeting in 2023, and they lost (21-44) the prior meeting in 2020.
11/22 TCU HORNED FROGS | Houston leads the series 14-13. The Cougars won (30-19) last season’s meeting, and they lost (13-36) the prior meeting in 2023.
11/29 @ Baylor Bears | Houston trails the series 14-15-1. The Cougars lost (10-20) last season’s meeting, and they won (25-24) the prior meeting in 2023.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Road: 4-2
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 5-4
Non-B12: 3-0
Overall: 8-4 (8th in Big XII – Bowl Eligible)
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