Good morning. I’m introducing a new series intended to take a look at each team in the new Big 12. I’m not sure how many I’ll get done each week, but the only way for me to really know about these teams is to actually do the research so I can be relatively informed when the season hits. So I spent time doing the research this weekend. There are links to everything below so if there isn’t a link, then I didn’t write it, but I always link back to the originator of the content. I wanted to take a quick look at the team: get a feel for the best players; look into their portal class consisted and how they ranked overall; a look at the 2024 recruiting class; and ending on the graphic from Sharp College Football.
Previous Snapshots: Arizona | Arizona State | Baylor | BYU | Cincinnati | Colorado
Snapshot: When Houston and Tilman Fertitta hired Dana Holgorsen they hired a name and not a coach who actually turns programs around and wins. I am afraid now that they have hired a coach and not a name. Willie Fritz from Tulane turns programs around. It takes time, but Houston would likely be rewarded if they stick with Fritz and you wonder if Fertitta will be patient. It took 2 years for Tulane to have a winning record and went through some down periods before winning 12 and 11 games in 2022 and 2023 games. Donovan Smith returns and will likely be better than his 2,800 yards passing, 7.1 yards per attempt, 22 touchdowns and 13 picks (which is too many) from last year. Only 1 starter on OL returns, so Smith may be running for his life. Holgorsen was a disaster recruiting and it will take Fritz time. Weird thing about Fritz is that he won 12 and 11 games and the year before that he won like 2, so it’s amazing that Tulane stuck with him.
Do the Cougars play Texas Tech? Nope.
Returning Starters: Offensive returning starters – 5 (59% of offensive production); Defensive returning starters – 3 (63% of defensive production).
Transfer Portal Arrivals: 28. This feels like a recruiting class that attempts to get help at every position and wasn’t focused on just one spot. That’s probably smart from a depth perspective as there was likely a lot of transfers after Holgo left. Fritz tries to get help at every spot.
QB Zeon Chriss (from Louisiana)
WR Mekhi Mews (from Georgia)
WR Marquis Shoulders (from Tulsa)
WR Devan Williams (from Tulsa)
TE Maliq Carr (from Michigan State)
TE Jayden York (from Texas Tech)
OL Dakota White (from Louisiana Tech)
OL Cedric Melton (from Ole Miss)
OL Jake Wiley (from UCLA)
OL Sam Secrest (from Louisville)
DL Everitt Rogers (from Tulsa)
DL Carlos Allen (from Kennesaw State)
DL Quindario Lee (from Central Michigan)
DL Keith Cooper Jr. (from Tulane)
DL Gabe Peterson (from New Mexico State)
LB Corey Platt (from Tulane)
LB Christian Brathwaite (from LSU)
LB Kendre Gant (from Louisiana)
LB Michael Batton (from ULM)
DB Jeremiah Wilson (from Syracuse)
DB Kentrell Webb (from Tulane)
DB Bryan Massey (from SMU)
DB Kris Davis (from Southern)
DB Hershey McLaurin (from West Virginia)
DB Teagan Wilk (from East Carolina)
DB Devin Pringle (from Grand Valley State)
DB Latrell McCutchin, USC to Houston (waiver was denied for ’23)
K Jack Raney, (from Cal Poly)
On3 Transfer Index Score: -30 (Big 12 high is +68 with Colorado and low is -30 with Houston)
Key additions: Christian Brathwaite, LB (LSU); Gabe Peterson, LB (New Mexico State); Bryan Massey, S (SMU);
Key subtractions: Sam Brown, WR (Miami); Isaiah Hamilton, CB (Ole Miss), Hakeem Ajijolaiya, DT (TCU); Mikal Harrison-Pilot (Uncommitted)
Outlook: It hasn’t been a pretty spring for Willie Fritz and company. Houston saw 21 players enter the portal in the recent window and has so far only reeled in seven new additions.
The Cougars lost their leading receiver in Brown as well as their top cornerback in Hamilton. Four-star receiver Harrison-Pilot is also a notable departure. Brathwaite and Peterson provide a nice boost the linebacking unit, but the Cougars need more than that to make up for their spring losses.
Pac 12 2024 Recruiting & Big 12 2024 Recruiting: There’s been a coaching change, and it was the right move to fire Dana Holgorsen and bring in former Tulane coach Willie Fritz, who went 23-4 with the Green Wave over the last two seasons. It’s feast or famine in this Cougars’ recruiting class as four-stars WR Koby Young and DB Maurice Williams were tremendous wins but seven two-stars were too many.
Grade: C-
Sharp College Football Beta Rank Deep Dive: I don’t know how much this will be relevant. Houston was not a good football team last year. A terrible rushing team and a mediocre passing team. The offense wasn’t explosive or particularly good in any metric. The defense was even worse, terrible at every spot. The funny thing about Fritz’s first staff is that his coordinators are no-names to us, which doesn’t mean much of anything, but the OC is Kevin Barbay and the DC is Shiel Wood, both come over from Tulane and had the 90th best offense and 32nd best defense last year according to Sharp College Football.
