Houston Coach Willie Fritz Reveals Eligibility on Myles Rowser, Stephon Johnson
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Houston Cougars football has been waiting to get an official word and clearance for their two fifth-year players part of the class of 2022 that has been involved in plenty of uncertainty over the past few months.
With the unpredictability of how the fifth-year eligibility rulings are going to go with consistent changes in the situation, Houston has had to hold off on its two respective players until it all gets sorted out.
It looks like Houston has finally gotten the clarity needed. The eligibility could always change again, but at the moment, there is an answer.
Coach Willie Fritz revealed in the postgame press conference on Saturday after the 27-17 win over UCF in Week 5 that fifth-year safety Myles Rowser and wide receiver Stephon Johnson are both eligible and clear to play.
More on Johnson and Rowser's Eligibility
Fritz found out early Friday afternoon. The school's compliance office submitted it and it also involved a temporary restraining order, according to Fritz. Both players were not eligible for the first four weeks.
"They told me he's eligible, so let's go. It's tough to play those guys much. We feel like they'll play a much larger role this upcoming week," Fritz said.
That's a quick turnaround from Friday to suddenly get the option to play in Week 5 on Saturday morning. Ultimately, both players were in uniform but didn't play. Fritz revealed on Monday that Rowser got some kickoff reps on Saturday and would be another optionas a returner given the injury to freshman running back John Hebert.
Houston adds great depth to the receiver room with the experienced Johnson in his fourth season with the program. He's made 69 receptions for 954 yards and seven touchdowns with the Cougars. Additionally, Houston's pass defense has struggled at times with big plays given up.
Rowser's experience and physicality in the back-end can also help. This is Rowser's first season in the program and he joined towards the end of fall camp. Rowser, also known as "ghost", spent the past two years at Arizona State, where he played in 27 games and was a two-year starter.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound defensive back made 84 total tackles last season and earned All-Big 12 Third Team honors. Rowser was a Big 12 honorable mention in 2024 and led the team with 98 tackles. His transition won't be as easy for Johnson, who's been at Houston since 2023.
Johnson's eligibility situation has constantly changed over the past few months. He joined the team towards the end of fall camp and was expected to become eligible. Fritz had even said Johnson was eligible at the start of Week 2, but that didn't turn out to be the case by the time the game rolled around.
Johnson was initially mentioned as part of the 41 plaintiffs that were granted a TRO by a Dallas judge at the end of August. Rowser's case was much more straightforward and didn't receive clearance for eligibility until now.
"We're exciting about having those guys' full availability," Fritz said.
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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.