Houston Cougars quarterback Zeon Chriss (2) warming up during spring practice on Saturday, April 12, 2025 in Houston, Texas. | Joshua Braggs/The Cougar
Houston football is set to compete in its annual red-white game on Saturday, April 19, at the Carl Lewis International Complex.
Junior defensive back Kentrell Webb is in his second year at UH and is a leader that coach Willie Fritz brought with him from Tulane.
“In the spring game, I just want to have fun,” Webb said. “It is a celebration for all the work we did in the spring, and for some of the new guys, this will be their first time in uniform, so it will be a fun experience.”
Houston’s defense set for continued success
The defense was a strong component of last year’s team, and is now working to improve under the direction of a new defensive coordinator.
In 2024, Webb recorded 35 solo tackles, 19 assists, three passes deflected, and a fumble recovery. The Katy, Texas product is now adjusting to Houston’s new defensive coordinator, Austin Armstrong, and has clear goals for the upcoming season.
“Coach Armstrong is a good defensive coordinator and wants to win, so we are all pulling in the same direction,” Webb said. “We are trying to be the best in the Big 12 and best in the nation defensively. Our goal is to be Big 12 champions.”
Houston ranked fourth in overall defense in the Big 12 last season, and they’ve added nine transfers to an already talented defense.
Senior defensive back Latrell McCutchin Jr. is a key leader for the defense and a big reason for last season’s success.
“This week has been full of excitement, and this team is in a great place,” McCutchin Jr. said. “We’re the only ones who believe in us right now, which motivates us to keep pushing.”
Offense adds new coordinator and several key transfers
On the other side of the ball, the Cougars’ offense is also adjusting to their new coordinator, Slade Nagel.
Nagel has good familiarity with Fritz as they coached together at Tulane for eight seasons, and in the 2022-2023 season, the two coaches led the Green Waves to a 12-2 overall record and defeated No. 10 USC 46-45 in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
“Coach Fritz does such a good job of building team culture and getting the best out of players, and that’s what made that team special,” Nagel said. “Now our goal is to replicate that success with this program and the talent we have here.”
One of Houston’s most talented position groups is the quarterback room. Junior Connor Weigman, Zeon Chriss, Ui Ale, Jake Sock, sophomore Indiana Wijay and freshman Austin Carlisle are all a part of the loaded quarterback room.
“Weigman has done a really good job adjusting to the program, and he is a good teammate who has plenty of experience,” Fritz said. “I also thought Zeon has looked great. He does so many things, such as his movement, running ability and throwing it on the move that you can’t coach.”
To complement the quarterbacks, Houston also added to their running back room, led by senior Stacy Sneed, with senior Rice transfer Dean Connors.
Connors rushed for 1,679 yards and 16 touchdowns at Rice, adding 113 receptions for 912 yards and six touchdowns.
“He is very smart, has great movement and speed and has great catching ability,” Fritz said. “Dean is going to play a lot for us.”
UH also added two wide receivers, junior Louisiana transfer Harvey Broussard and junior UAB transfer Amare Thomas.
The two receivers combined for 93 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in the 2024 season and bring plenty of explosiveness to this Cougar offense.
Houston added another pass catcher in sophomore Tulsa transfer Luke McGary. He is known for his run blocking but still managed 17 catches for 231 yards and a touchdown while averaging 13.6 yards per catch in his 2024 campaign.
Cougars add five offensive linemen from transfer portal
Houston ranked dead last in the Big 12 last year in offensive efficiency and a big reason why was the offensive line.
The Cougars ranked 122nd in the country in pass protection and averaged almost five penalties per game.
UH addressed this problem immediately in the first portal window by adding five offensive linemen which include: senior New Mexico transfer McKenzie Agnello, senior Oklahoma State transfer Jason Brooks Jr., junior Baylor transfer Alvin Ebosele, senior Texas Tech transfer Dalton Merryman and senior California transfer Mathew Wykoff.
“One of the things we focus on with the offensive line in Spring ball is giving them a starting position,” Fritz said. “As we progress into the third week, we’ll move them around because we want to play our best five guys.”
Fritz and his crew wanted offensive linemen with size and experience. They brought in four seniors and one junior, with an average weight of 311 pounds.
Houston’s staff used the portal and high school recruiting to their advantage this offseason. Now, fans will get a first look at the new look Houston Cougars at the red-white game on Saturday.
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“Houston’s annual red-white football preview” was originally posted on The Cougar