All Willie Fritz does is win, and often in a way the programs he’s at never have before.

He won two junior college national championships. He led Central Missouri to its first Division II playoff appearance in 2002. He took Sam Houston State to the FCS championship game in 2011 and 2012. He won Georgia Southern’s first bowl game as an FBS program. By the end of his tenure at Tulane, the Green Wave had won the Cotton Bowl, the program’s first New Year’s Six bowl victory.

Entering year three at Houston, can he win a Big 12 title? It certainly feels on the table for the Cougars after a 10-3 season and a roster that returns 65% of its production, tied with Texas Tech for the most in the conference.

Factor in a schedule that ranks in the middle of the Big 12 in terms of difficulty and Houston firmly belongs in the second tier in the conference, right behind the likes of BYU and Texas Tech with a chance to compete for a spot in the Big 12 title game and potentially the College Football Playoff, if things break right.

Let’s take a deeper look at the Cougars, who visit Deion Sanders and Colorado on Friday, Nov. 13:

Offseason storylines

Houston is never a team to dominate winter headlines, especially under an old-school coach like Fritz, but the Cougars did plenty to capitalize on the momentum of a second 10-win season this decade, which ended on a high note with a Texas Bowl win over LSU.

High school recruiting remains strong as five-star quarterback Keisean Henderson joins the program, but isn’t expected to play right away with returning starter Conner Weigman back following a successful first season in the program. 

Fritz continued to focus on having strong play on both the offensive and defensive line by bringing in multiple Group of Six standouts, most notably interior offensive lineman Shadre Hurst from Tulane, who was named a preseason All-Big 12 honoree this week.

Another former Tulane standout, running back Makhi Hughes, also comes in after one year at Oregon where he wasn’t able to find consistent playing time but still has over 2,800 career rushing yards to his name. 

The roster assembled probably has a floor that will put Houston in the top half of the Big 12.

On offense

Fritz made a pair of big coordinator hires after a 4-8 first season with the Cougars and both have worked out well, but as has always been the case in the Big 12, it’s essential to have an elite offense first and foremost and that’s what Slade Nagle brought in his first season as the offensive coordinator.

Nagle was the tight ends coach at Tulane from 2016-22 before being elevated to offensive coordinator in 2023, Fritz’s final season before coming to Houston. He spent 2024 as the special teams coordinator at LSU before reuniting with Fritz last season.

Houston’s offense didn’t have overwhelming numbers, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t effective. Led by Weigman, a former five-star recruit who began his career at Texas A&M and his dual-threat abilities, as well as veteran running back Dean Connors, the Cougars had a top five rushing offense in the conference and that fueled the overall success.

It’s easy to see Hughes immediately filling that role, especially given his history of success with both Fritz and Nagle.

Wide receiver Amare Thomas, who is back and a preseason All-Big 12 honoree, had a breakout season (966 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns), while tight end Tanner Koziol capped his college career with over 700 yards and six scores.

The offensive line can’t be ignored, either and even though there will be multiple new starters among the five this season, that unit should expect to be productive thanks to the likes of Hurst and two All-MAC players in Miami (Ohio)’s Drew Terrill and Toledo’s Anthony Boswell.

On defense

For how improved Houston’s offense was, those 10 wins don’t come without a defense, led by coordinator Austin Armstrong, that ranked sixth in the Big 12 in points per game allowed and fifth in yards per game allowed, which was boosted by a top-four run defense in the conference.

There is some production to replace up front, particularly at defensive tackle where Carlos Allen Jr. is off to the NFL, but outside linebacker Brandon Mack II had five sacks last season and three starters from an elite secondary are back, led by preseason All-Big 12 cornerback Will James.

Linebacker Sione Fotu returns after a solid season and he should be joined in the starting lineup by Ole Miss transfer Jaden Yates, who had a quiet 2025 but is just two years removed from a 115-tackle season at Marshall.

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The Houston Cougars file

2025 record: 10-3 (6-3 Big 12)

Head coach: Willie Fritz (3rd season, 14-11 record)

Offensive coordinator: Slade Nagle (2nd season)

Defensive coordinator: Austin Armstrong (2nd season)

Key returners: QB Conner Weigman, WR Amare Thomas, OLB Brandon Mack II, LB Sione Fotu, CB Will James, S Jordan Allen, S Kentrell Webb 

Key newcomers: RB Makhi Hughes, WR Trent Walker, TE Patrick Overmyer, OL Shadre Hurst, OT Drew Terrill, LB Jaden Yates