Conner Weigman Set to Raise Houston's Ceiling in 2026
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Houston's quarterback Conner Weigman has spent much of his career fighting through injuries.
However, last year, Weigman was healthy and had the best season of his career. Going into 2026, Weigman remains healthy and comes back to a familiar system.
And a healthy and talented quarterback, paired with his familiar coaches, gives Houston a chance to exceed expectations in 2026.
Healthy Quarterback and Familiar Coaches
On the opening day of fall camp, Houston's head coach Willie Fritz has seen firsthand how Weigman has been improving. He states that Weigman is throwing the ball faster and farther. Additionally, he said that Weigman finally has the same offensive system he had last year, the first time that has happened in his college career.
"I see a little bit more zip on the ball, a little bit more distance when he throws it," Fritz told the media. "I think it is the first time since high school he has been in the same system."
When Weigman was with Texas A&M, he was plagued by injuries. In 2023, he suffered a fractured foot in a game against Auburn that ended his season. In 2024, Weigman suffered an AC joint sprain that cost him three games and eventually the starting job for the Aggies.
In 2025, Weigman transferred to Houston and had his best year, throwing for 2,705 yards and 25 touchdowns. He suffered a concussion against Texas Tech and missed the second half, but missed no games that season.
Weigman has had a fully healthy offseason with the Cougars in 2026 and Fritz already sees a visible difference from last season. This is also the first time in his career that he has had the same head coach and offensive coordinator in back-to-back seasons, with Fritz and Slade Nagle coming back.
That is one of the most important things for a quarterback. Weigman played for multiple coordinators at Texas A&M and never had continuity. Having both coaches come back for another year gives him comfort in the system. Year one was Weigman's chance to learn the offense. Now year two is his chance to play fast within the system.
Additionally, in 2025, Nagle quickly improved the offense for Houston. According to the University of Houston Athletics, Nagle improved almost every single aspect of the offense, turning the 132nd-ranked offense in scoring into the 55th and the 126th-ranked offense in passing into the 81st. That all happened with a quarterback who was still figuring out the system.
The Cougars are entering the 2026 season 24th in the Coaches' poll, with Weigman on the Maxwell Award Watch List and Nagle running it back for a second year with Houston.
If Weigman remains healthy throughout the entire season, the ceiling for the Cougars could rise dramatically.
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Micah Clay is a staff writer for the Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a freshman at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Administration. He also works for The Cougar organization. You can find Clay on his Instagram(@mcjosh_btw_podcast)