FORT WORTH – Willie Fritz was pissed off – his team wasn’t going fast enough in the walk-through. 

Houston was in the midst of a two-game losing streak in which they’d scored a combined zero points, but more frustrating to Fritz was the slouching around in the non-padded practice the day before the TCU game. So he ripped into his players, telling them he’d take the blame for every mistake on Friday night as long as they went 100 percent.

“We needed that,” senior defensive lineman Keith Cooper Jr. said.
There was no music when Fritz walked into the pregame locker room at Amon G. Carter Stadium. There was hardly a sound. The players each had their own headphones on. Silent.

“I could see in everybody’s eyes that we came out here with a purpose,” junior safety AJ Haulcy said.

After a 30-19 upset win, the Cougars saved their season from the brink and answered the question that haunted their lackluster offense. Houston, we have a quarterback.

Zeon Chriss entered Friday night having completed 3-of-9 passes for 20 yards on the season, splitting time with Donovan Smith on an offense that ranked dead last in the nation with 10.4 points per game. But Chriss piloted the Cougars to their second 30-point game of the season on 15-of-18 passing for 141 yards and a touchdown. He also led the team with 97 rushing yards, which included a 71-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

“I really wanted to do it for Coach Fritz, not for myself,” Chriss said. 

But on the offense’s final drive of the game with Houston nursing a 27–19 lead, Chriss exited with calf cramps, and Smith, the quarterback he’d replaced, came on in relief to lead a 14-play, 68-yard field goal drive that iced the game.

“Those guys, I’m proud of both of them,” Fritz said. “They’ve taken a lot of crap. The type of young men they are, they’re able to battle back and be so positive.”

Fritz kept his career undefeated record when winning the turnover margin by three or more. Houston’s defense limited a TCU offense that hadn’t scored less than 34 points in a single game all year to 19 points off four turnovers. Haulcy had his first career multi-interception game, while fellow defensive back Hershey McLaurin forced a critical fumble on TCU wide receiver JP Richardson with TCU attempting to claw back into the game down 24-12. 

Houston left a stunned stadium and rolled into the locker room with new life in front of them.

There was music this time.