Another Houston Cougars Quarterback is Set to Enter the Transfer Portal
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While the Houston Cougars' roster was not heavily impacted heading into the final game of the season in the Kinder's Texas Bowl, which allowed the Cougars to field the majority of their key players, leading to a bowl game victory over the LSU Tigers.
However, with the 2025 season now in the books and roster construction for the looming 2026 season on the table, the Cougars are starting to see the roster attrition that's been impacting every program in the country, with several of their players deciding to enter the NFL Draft or head off for the transfer portal.
And for the Cougars, another one of their offensive players recently made his decision relating to his future, deciding to move on from the Coogs program.
Quarterback Austin Carlisle Enters Transfer Portal
On Thursday morning, On3's Pete Nakos reported that freshman quarterback Austin Carlisle has decided to enter the transfer portal after just one season with the program. The quarterback enters the portal with four years of eligibility remaining.
As a freshman, Carlisle saw action in three games, receiving a few snaps lined up at wide receiver to show off his speed. In those three games, Carlisle recorded just six rushing attempts, gaining 44 yards.
Carlisle was a three-star prospect coming out of high school, a part of the Coogs' 2025 recruiting class. The Missouri City, Texas native was ranked as the No. 38 quarterback in the entire cycle per 247Sports and was listed as the No. 75-ranked player from the Lone Star State in that 2025 class.
The quarterback addressed his departure from the Cougars program on his X, announcing his decision to enter the transfer portal and took the time to thank both Willie Fritz and the fanbase.
"I want to sincerely thank coach Fritz, the entire UH coaching staff, and the strength and training staff for pushing me every day and helping me grow both on and off the field," Carlisle wrote. "To Cougar nation, thank you for the passion and support you showed throughout my time in Houston. My family and I are grateful for the memories and the opportunity to represent this University."
Thank you Houston❤️ pic.twitter.com/liRTSFuD6r
— 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐞 (@AustinCarlisle_) January 1, 2026
Houston's Quarterback Position Moving Forward
With the move by Carlisle, this tallies up to a pair of Cougars quarterbacks deciding to enter the transfer portal in a matter of days, with back-up quarterback Zeon Chriss-Gremillion also deciding to move on from the program and enter the transfer portal.
Heading into next year, however, the Cougars already have a great foundation set in place with Conner Weigman set to return for another season with the Coogs. In his first year as Houston's starting quarterback, Weigman tossed for 2,711 yards, 25 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. And on the ground, Weigman was electric, ending the season with 700 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns.
Additionally, the Coogs have an exciting freshman coming in next season with the arrival of five-star quarterback Keisean Henderson. The incoming freshman was one of the most highly sought-after prospects in the 2026 recruiting class, as the quarterback ranks as the No. 1 overall player in the entire country per 247Sports.
