Five Things Houston Cougars Need to Fix Before the Season Opener

The Houston Cougars have now wrapped up spring practice, but some things still need answers before hitting the field in the Fall.

Houston Cougars head coach Willie Fritz reacts against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The first real look at the Houston Cougars squad before the 2026 season has come to an end.

Over the weekend, the Cougars ended their offseason work with the culmination of spring practice with their spring game. Many of Houston's offseason additions are now in full swing with their new program, and the returners have continued to build on their work.

With the spring now coming to an end, there are still a few things that the Coogs will have to figure out before they hit the field in the Fall. Here's a look at five questions that will have to be settled ahead of Houston heading out for the 2026 season.

Who Will Emerge Behind Amare Thomas?

Houston Cougars wide receiver Amare Thomas during warmups before the game against the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The Cougars have a bona fide weapon on the outside in wide receiver Amare Thomas. The wide receiver heads into his second season in Houston after being one of the top options in 2025. Thomas recorded 67 receptions, ended the team as the leader in receiver yards, and totaled 966 yards and 12 touchdowns.

However, behind Thomas, the Cougars' offense still has a question mark. Houston does have several options of wide receivers who can step up, whether it be returning Coogs in Harvey Broussard III or Koby Young finding a role. Or some of the new faces in transfers, Trent Walker and Muizz Tounkara.

How's the Running Back Room Shaping Up

Houston Cougars running back Re'Shaun Sanford II runs the ball in the second half against the Rice Owls at TDECU Stadium. | Sean Thomas-Imagn Images

The Cougars are losing a big piece of their offense with running back Dean Connors exhausting his eligibility and heading off to the NFL. The running back was Houston's leading rusher, tallying 977 yards and six touchdowns.

And now, in life after Connors, the Coogs will have to find their next true bell cow runner. One of the top options in the backfield will be incoming transfer Makhi Hughes. While the running back didn't find much protection while at Oregon, in his first two seasons at Tulane, Hughes totaled over 2,000 yards rushing and should be the top option to lead the Cougars' running back room.

However, the Coogs will have more options than one, with Re’Shaun Sanford II also being a viable option. The running back underwent season-ending surgery early in 2025, though he rushed for a team-high 444 rushing yards on 94 carries while scoring a lone touchdown back in 2024.

Find Paris Melvin Jr. a Role

Outside of incoming five-star freshman Keisean Henderson, one of the other exciting freshmen that the Coogs have on the roster is four-star athlete Paris Melvin Jr., who on the Coogs roster is listed as a running back and defensive back.

And Melvin Jr. is already making a good impression on the coaching staff, with the freshmen looking to play on all three sides of the ball.

“We’re going to start working on him again in the summer on offense. A big part of it is to see how much he can handle. You don’t want to overtax him,” Fritz said. “Eventually, he’ll play all three sides, but the college game is so much more complex than the high school game, and playing three sides of the ball makes it that much more complex.”

Whether it be on offense, defense, or special teams, Melvin Jr. is trending to make an immediate impact in year one. And if the Coogs look to build on their successful season from a year ago, having a dynamic player like Melvin Jr. on all three phases will only help.

Who Will Generate the Pass Rush?

Colorado Buffaloes running back Micah Welch runs with the ball as Houston Cougars linebacker Brandon Mack II attempts to make a tackle. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Houston will be losing its biggest component off the edge with edge rusher Eddie Walls III headed off to the NFL. The defensive edge led the Cougars in sacks in 2025, with seven sacks under his belt.

Needing to bring down some of the top quarterbacks in the Big 12 will be huge if the Cougars are looking to become serious contenders in the conference. Houston will have to find its answer off the edge before hitting the field.

The Cougars may have a few answers to the glaring pass-rushing hole, with transfer edge Ashton Porter being a likely candidate to pick up the slack, or linebacker Brandon Mack II, who finished last season second in sacks with five.

How Will the New Look Offensive Line Gel

Tulane Green Wave offensive linemen Shadre Hurst blocks during the first quarter against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Over the offseason, the Cougars saw plenty of turnover on their offensive line. Through the transfer portal, Houston brought in a total of four new faces to help produce a new starting five upfront to protect quarterback Conner Weigman.

Tulane Shadre Hurst is a good anchor for the Coogs to start with, as the All-American will be able to man the Houston offensive line from the interior. Everything is not necessarily a question mark, but Houston needs to see how the newcomers are able to blend with the returning core of left tackle Alvin Ebosole and center McKenzie Agnello.

The Cougars have three out of the five starters of the offensive line likely locked up, but obviously, two other positions are in immediate need of someone to step up to start. And the depth of the offensive line is always tested and will need to see itself take shape before hitting the field in the Fall.