3 Things We Learned About the Houston Cougars Defense This Spring

Now that spring camp is over, what are five things the Houston Cougars showed during spring camp?

Houston Cougars head coach Willie Fritz celebrates with wide receiver Amare Thomas (0) after Thomas scores a touchdown during the second quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at TDECU Stadium | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

When Willie Fritz was hired to take over the Houston Cougars football program, everyone knew success would follow him, as it has at nearly every stop of his long and illustrious career as a head coach.

No one expected it to come so early, including some love in the rankings this past season. Now is the time to build on that, though, and finding a way to sustain success in a Power Four conference isn't easy either.

The Cougars seem primed to be successful on offense, especially with a veteran group, but the defense has question marks. So what three things did we learn about the Cougars during spring camp?

3 Things We Learned

Houston Cougars defensive end Brandon Mack (4) celebrates his sack in the first quarter against the Arizona Wildcats at TDECU Stadium. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

• The Trenches Are Deeper: College football is often decided in the trenches, especially at the power four level, where players are bigger and faster than anywhere else in the sport. For the Cougars, their defensive line looks extremely deep, which will be important in the Big 12, where many offenses run at a fast pace and need more guys fresh during extended drives. Ashton Porter will be a big piece of their success, and that was the reason the Cougars brought him on campus, but behind him, the depth gives a definite vote of confidence.

• Kentrell Webb Could Be the Next Breakout Star: The Cougars needed someone to step up in the secondary and take over the leadership aspect of the team, and through the spring, it appears that Webb has become that player. Entering his third season in the program and fifth year overall in college football, he has nearly seen it all, making him easy to rely on for the rest of the group. That experience, combined with his talent, makes him an intriguing name that could break out this season and be among the conference's top secondary players.

• The Cornerback Room is Deep and Talented: Needing to revamp the cornerbacks room, Fritz went into the portal and came away with two players they feel confident in: Jalen Mayo and Javion White. Both of those guys look to play huge roles, including Mayo, who could play the corner role opposite the reestablished Will James. The luxury of potentially using White gives the Cougars talent and, more importantly, a veteran at key positions in the secondary, which should make them one of the strongest groups on the field.

There is still a bit of time before the 2026 season is underway. Still, the Cougars tasted success after the 2025 season and now look reloaded on defense, ready to find their way back into Big 12 championship conversations.