Houston Cougars

2023 Finish: 4–8
Off. PPG: 23.7 (90th in FBS)
Def. PPG: 31.5 (108th)
Key Losses: LT Patrick Paul, WR Matthew Golden, DL Nelson Ceasar, DL Jamaree Caldwell, CB Malik Fleming
New Faces: 17 Signees, 18 Transfers
Top Additions: LB Corey Platt Jr. (Tulane), WR Mekhi Mews (Georgia), QB Zeon Chriss (Louisiana), ATH Jayson Ridgle, RB J'Marion Burnette

Offensive Overview

After five consecutive seasons scoring over 30 points per game, Houston's offense never found a rhythm in Big 12 conference play. The Cougars went 2–6 to close the season, ultimately resulting in head coach Dana Holgorsen's dismissal. Now, Willie Fritz is tasked with rejuvenating a once high-flying unit, albeit in a more balanced attack that he deployed at Tulane. Wide receiver Matthew Golden and two-time all-conference left tackle Patrick Paul are huge losses, but there are plenty of pieces to be excited about. Sam Brown emerged as the No.1-option last year with 62 catches for 815 yards, and running mate Joseph Manjack IV returns as well. The backfield is stacked with three returners.

The offensive line is a different story from the experienced skill positions. Fritz is overseeing the complete rehaul of a unit that ranked 81st in the nation in sacks allowed and paved the way for just 3.97 yards per rush. Right guard Tank Jenkins is the sole returning starter. Houston may lean on three transfers to plug the gaps. Dakota White started 30 games at Louisiana Tech and can play at either tackle spot. 6-foot-6 Jake Wiley spent the first four seasons of his career playing tackle at Colorado but transitioned more to guard in one season at UCLA. Cedric Melton did the opposite, transitioning from guard to tackle over four years at Ole Miss. Fritz has said the best five linemen will play regardless of position. 

Projected Starters

Breakout Candidates

WR Mekhi Mews – Fritz prides himself coaching special teams and got an electric return man in Georgia transfer Mekhi Mews. Mews will replace the departing Golden, a second-team all-conference kick and punt returner, in flipping the field for the Cougars. Mews could also make an impact as a slot receiver.

QB Zeon Chriss –  In six games with Louisiana last year before a broken fibula, Chriss threw for 1,222 yards and 11 touchdowns and added 492 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. He's a dynamic athlete who'll push senior Donovan Smith in spring ball. 

TE Maliq Carr – Carr compiled 54 catches for 696 yards and five touchdowns over three seasons at Michigan State. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound tight end looks like a left tackle and can run like a wide receiver, a dangerous combination for defenders to deal with.

Key Unit

Running Back – One of Fritz's core tenets is to be a 50/50 offense with the run and pass. He's done the math: when his teams rush for one more yard than the opponent, they're 202–39. When his teams rush for one yard less, than the opponent, they're 34–80–1. The good news is he'll have three returning backs to shuffle through in 2024. Parker Jenkins led the Cougars in rushing as a freshman, while Stacy Sneed is an explosive athlete who can catch out of the backfield. Don't sleep on sixth-year senior Tony Mathis Jr., a hard runner who started the first two games of 2023.

Biggest Question Mark

Quarterback – Fritz has a quarterback battle on his hands between incumbent starter Donovan Smith and Louisiana transfer Zeon Chriss. Smith (6'5, 235) and Chriss (6'3, 210) are both physically imposing dual-threat quarterbacks with similar play styles, so the offense will not change much based on who's in the game. Smith showed flashes of brilliance in his first year with the program, like the two-game stretch against Texas Tech and West Virginia in which he threw 8 touchdowns and zero interceptions on 75 percent completion rate. But he threw just nine touchdowns to 10 interceptions as Houston skidded to a 1–5 finish.

Defensive Overview

New defensive coordinator Shiel Wood is seeking to overhaul a Houston defense that has finished with a points allowed per game figure in the triple digits nationally in four of the previous six seasons. But Wood describes his unit as a fast defense that prioritizes athleticism, and he's got a bevy of rangy linebackers to deploy. Senior Jamal Morris finished third on the team with 64 tackles, while Treylin Payne and Corey Platt are hyper-athletic outside backers who can run and cover in space. 

The defense line saw the most turnover this offseason after Nelson Ceasar (13.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks) departed for the NFL and interior players Jamaree Caldwell (Oregon) and Chidozie Nwankwo (Colorado) transferred. Incumbents Hakeem Ajijolaiya and Anthony Holmes Jr, are my favorites to start, but Tulsa transfer Everitt Rogers and JUCO product Xavier Stillman will be key contributors. The secondary is headlined by last year's leading tackler A.J. Haulcy, who started six games a piece at the free and strong safety spots.

Projected Starters

Breakout Candidates

DL Brandon Mack – The former Ole Miss edge never got a chance to cement himself in Houston's front seven in 2023, missing all but the first two games of the season with an upper body injury. He tallied a tackle for loss in each contest he appeared in and looks the part of a former SEC player at 6-foot-3, 245 pounds.

DB Latrell McCutchin – The NCAA deemed McCutchin ineligible for 2023 after transferring for a second time (What is this, 1980?). Now, the former Oklahoma and USC defensive back rejoins his brother, linebacker Latreveon, in Texas. McCutchin was a four-star recruit in the class of 2021 out of Austin LBJ.

LB Corey Platt Jr. – Platt was the first player to transfer from Tulane following Willie Fritz's departure and joins him and his former defensive coordiantor at Houston, which shows what the staff thinks of him. The sophomore totaled 15 tackles in three quarters of the 2023 season opener before tearing his achilles.

Key Unit

Edge rusher – Wood's 3-4 base defense thrives when it gets consistent edge pressure. In both seasons as a defensive coordinator at Troy and Tulane, Wood had two players with double-digit tackles for loss. Houston's incumbent edge players are unproven, so Fritz and Co. brought in multiple transfers to compete to replace Nelson Ceasar. Keith Cooper finished fourth on Tulane with 8.5 tackles for loss and figures to have an inside track on the starting role. Keep an eye on Gant as a blitzing linebacker. The Louisiana transfer led the Ragin' Cajuns with 12 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2023.

Biggest Question Mark

Who steps up at corner opposite of Isaiah Hamilton?

Houston's secondary got torched in a pass-happy Big 12 last season, finishing second-to-last in the conference surrendering 255.3 yards per game. Isaiah Hamilton was a bright spot at cornerback, earning an All-Big 12 honorable mention nod after leading the team with four interceptions. Every spot is up for grabs with a new coaching staff, but I'd presume Hamilton gets the nod. Look for Jalen Emery and Jeremiah Wilson to compete for the spot opposite him. Emery made two starts last year while Wilson, a Syracuse transfer, had five pass breakups in nine games last season.