Houston's Amare Thomas and Trent Walker Named to Biletnikoff Award Watch List

Houston has two receiving weapons that defenses need to hone in on, if the Biletnikoff Award watch list is any true indicator. Amare Thomas and Oregon State transfer Trent Walker both represent the Coogs on the annual best receiver award preseason list. The award is eligible to tight ends as well, with two being on the list this year.

Texas's Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, Texas Tech's Terrance Carter Jr. (one of the TEs), Texas A&M's Mario Craver, TCU's Jordan Dwyer, and Texas State's Chris Dawn Jr. are the other names in the Lone Star State nominated for the award.

Thomas is a popular pick to lead UH statistically in most receiving categories, but Walker is no slouch himself. Over two seasons with the Beavers, Walker amassed 149 receptions for 1,724 yards. He only found the end zone four times, but that's hardly his fault. Oregon State didn't have a definitive QB1 either season.

Conner Weigman Should Thrive With Two Biletnikoff Watch List WRs

Conner Weigman is one of 10 quarterbacks who will have not one, but two receivers with Biletnikoff consideration next season. As a recruit from the 2022 high school class, this will be Weigman's last ride. There are absolutely zero excuses not to seize this moment.

Weigman's ceiling dictates how far this team goes. His 2025 season was a strong starting point, but there are questions about whether or not his body can sustain the physical level of play he was at last season. Weigman became a physical dual-threat who invited contact. He had 171 rushing carries, with 700 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns among those carries.

With Thomas and Walker able to carry the load in the receiving game -- Thomas as your more traditional down-field threat out of the slot, Walker as a damage-after-the-catch on short routes -- Weigman should not have to be forced to run the ball as much as he did in 2025.

Houston offensive coordinator Slade Nagle agrees, and it seems as though getting the ball out to his talented receiver dup could be exactly his plan in 2026.

"Conner's a good runner, a really good runner. Ideally, would we like to run him 18 times a game? No," Nagles said recently. "We'd like to be a little more spotty and strategic for what we're doing, but at the end of the day, I think that's a trait and a skill set that he brings to the table that we'll definitely have to lean on at some point."

Coach Willie Fritz has given Weigman as much ammunition as possible in the passing game.

Weigman would be in a great position to deliver as a leader by taking advantage of that this fall.

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