A Tale of Two Seasons: Year 1 vs Year 2 of the Willie Fritz Era in Houston
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Year two of the coach Willie Fritz era in Houston is officially underway, and Cougars fans could not wish for a better start.
Fritz has made a career out of inheriting programs near or at rock bottom and completely flipping the script. He did it at Sam Houston State, he did it at Georgia Southern, he did it at Tulane, and now he is on his way to doing it at Houston.
As Week 4 and the Cougars’ bye week officially comes to a close, here’s a look at Fritz’s first two seasons in the Third Ward.
2024: Year 1 of the Fritz Era
The first game Houston played under Fritz was an ugly one. The Cougars hosted the UNLV Rebels, and lost 27-7. They fell in a hole early and did not find the endzone until the fourth quarter. The trenches proved to be a major source of concern, as Houston gave up 195 rushing yards and six sacks.
Week 2, the Coogs added another tally to the loss column, this time a close one to then-No. 15 Oklahoma Sooners on the road. As Oklahoma’s offense sputtered, the Cougars’ offense slowly chipped away and just came up short after the Sooners’ defense recorded a clutch safety to slam the door.
In the second-to-last edition of the Bayou Bucket Classic, Houston continued its dominance over the Rice Owls. Houston poured on the points early and often and was just too much for the Owls to handle. Although the Coogs came away with the win, the offensive line continued to be an issue with Rice recording three sacks and nine tackles for loss.
After three games, the team tallied 333 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, 611 passing yards and three passing touchdowns, and allowed 716 total yards and five touchdowns.
Year 2: Revenge of the Fritz
The Cougars have looked like a completely different team in year two under coach Fritz. In Week 1, Houston let its transfers shine, showcasing Fritz’s ability to draw top talent. The Coogs shut out the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 27-0 in a game that served as a sign for what was to come. The defense looked elite while the offense showed signs of life, something it did not do in 2024.
The Bayou Bucket Classic went similarly to last season, but the Cougars put it in gear late after a defensive battle to start the game. The Coogs put together a 35-9 victory, building confidence for Big 12 play.
Week 3 may have been Fritz’s first signature win as the head coach of the Cougars. Stealing one against coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes does wonders for confidence and showed that the Coogs can dance with the rest of the Big 12.
The 2024 squad posted a lackluster 4-8 record. The 2025 Houston Cougars have already won three games and look to be on schedule to be near the top of their conference when it all wraps up.
The 2025 Coogs will look to keep their win streak alive when they travel to Corvallis, Oregon to take on Oregon State on Friday night.
