Former Houston Kicker Could Return to College Football This Season
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The world of college sports continues to rapidly change, and the latest federal court injunction could drastically alter program rosters for this upcoming season.
U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Denver ruled on July 31 that all high school class of 2022 graduates who used up all four seasons of eligibility are now eligible for a fifth season in 2026-27.
While the ruling is expected to be appealed, it currently applies to basically every program in the country, which includes Houston.
A Former Cougar Impacted By This Ruling
Former Houston kicker Ethan Sanchez is now looking into a potential return to the college scene after that ruling gives him another year of eligibility, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
Sanchez was the senior starting kicker for the Cougars in 2025 and ended up having a good season overall. It was his fourth year of college football after he transferred from Old Dominion last offseason.
Sanchez had the best season of his career at Houston last year, and it was by far the most productive. The All-Big 12 honorable mention went 21/26 (80.8 percent) overall, and was a perfect 43/43 on extra points. His longest of the season was 52 yards and he was 11/12 on attempts under 40 yards. Sanchez was also 10/14 on kicks above 40 yards.
That effort earned him three Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week awards. Sanchez ended up being a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, which goes to the best kicker in the country. While he did have one poor game against TCU with two missed field goals, Sanchez still hit three game-winning field goals, which tied a Big 12 record and the national lead with under three minutes in regulation or overtime.
Sanchez was undrafted, but accepted an invite from the San Fransisco 49ers for rookie minicamp. Now, it looks like his focus has shifted back to the college game. While Sanchez could come back to Houston, the starting position would be a true battle for him to win.
Houston had to find a new solution at kicker prior to this ruling, and the Cougars scored a great pickup in the transfer portal with Evan Noel from Florida. The redshirt freshman has the talent to be the long-term answer given he was the consensus No. 1 overall kicker in the class of 2025.
Noel was a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports and was the No. 21 player in Mississippi according to ESPN in high school. He did not play at Florida last season and redshirted, maintaining his four years of eligibility.
Noel also made a 61-yard field goal during his high school career, which broke the Mississippi high school state record. Noel will be competing with redshirt sophomore Jonathan Dimas, who has been with the program since 2024. Dimas is also a Houston native from Westfield High School.
While Sanchez was a good option last year, it won't be easy for him to find an opportunity at Houston in 2026 given Noel likely has a stronger leg and has the reputation of being the top kicker in his class, while the local product in Dimas will also be ready for an opportunity.
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Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.