The Houston football program possesses as much momentum as it has held since the Southwest Conference heading into 2022. The return of quarterback Clayton Tune, running back Alton McCaskill, wide receiver Nathaniel Dell, and one of the nation’s best pass rushes put the Cougars in the driver’s seat to win the AAC. 

Last year’s conference winner – Cincinnati – ran the table into the College Football Playoff. Houston could pull the same trick in 2022 thanks to an out-of-conference schedule that includes Texas Tech, UTSA, and Kansas.

1. Who emerges as wide receiver No. 2? 

Tune to Dell is the best connection returning in the AAC. Dell caught 90 passes for 1,329 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021. No other Cougar caught more than 37 passes or 500 yards or five touchdowns. Dell was responsible for 37.5 percent of Tune’s yards, 40 percent of his touchdown passes, and 31 percent of his completions. Dell is excellent, but Tune requires more than one option. 

The Cougars can count on tight end Christian Trahan, who was second on the team in 2021 with 37 receptions. Houston loses Jake Herslow, who caught 36 passes. Jeremy Singleton is also gone after registering 29 catches for 493 yards, which was second-most on the team. His 17 yards per catch average led the program. That leaves the 5-11 KeSean Carter and his 26 receptions as the most next to Dell amongst those still on campus. 

Houston added multiple potential contributors to the roster in the offseason. Klein Cain’s Matthew Golden was the long four-star prospect to sign with the Cougars in the 2022 recruiting cycle. North Richland Hills C.J. Nelson was the fourth-highest rated signee in the class. The transfer portal was also kind to the Cougars. Houston added a trio of receivers in Sam Brown (West Virginia), Joseph Manjack (USC), and Brice Johnson (Ole Miss). 

2. Can the defensive line repeat its success? 

Doug Belk’s Third Ward Defense was led by a group referred to as Sack Ave. Dana Holgorsen coached teams tend to revolve around the offense, but that wasn’t necessarily true in 2021. The Houston defense was as responsible for the 11-game winning streak and 12-win season as the Tune led offense. Belk’s unit accounted for 45 sacks, held opponents to 3.4 yards a rush, and only allowed 13 total rushing touchdowns in 14 games. 

Seventeen different Cougars recorded sacks last year and most of those contributors return for the new campaign. D’Anthony Jones, a senior from California, led the way with seven sacks. He’ll be flanked by Derek Parish and his 12.5 tackles for loss in 2021. The Cougars must replace edge rushers such as Logan Hall and David Anenih, but young talent litters the roster. 

3. Who steps up for Marcus Jones? 

Maybe the biggest loss for the Cougars was at cornerback and in the return game with Jones off to the NFL. He was the team’s best cover man, ending the year with five interceptions. And he was also the best return man in the country, accounting for multiple punt and kickoff returns for touchdowns over the last few seasons. Jones’ 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against SMU last year propelled the Cougars to the AAC title game. His big-play ability on defense and special teams won’t be easy to replace. 

Belk is comfortable with his safety unit led by Gervarrius Owens and Hasaan Hypolite. Owens was a first-team All-AAC selection in 2021. Hypolite tallied 44 tackles and an interception. Houston native Alex Hogan could slide into the No. 1 cornerback role covering an opponent’s best target. The Cougars added Moses Alexander from Kilgore Junior College, who ranked as the third-best cornerback from the JUCO ranks in the latest recruiting cycle.