Houston Cougars Add New Quarterback From Transfer Portal

The Cougars have made another addition to their offensive depth in the transfer portal.

Oct 18, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Luke Carney (11) drops back to pass against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

The Houston Cougars have secured another transfer portal commitment, this time from Syracuse quarterback Luke Carney, per On3. The transfer spent just one year with the Orange before entering the portal on Jan. 2.

With the addition of Carney, Houston has now secured eight offensive depth pieces during the transfer portal period. In his lone season at Syracuse, the quarterback completed five of seven passes across four appearances.

The pass-thrower's arm talent is something that sticks out among many of the young transfer portal quarterbacks. Despite his limited action in New York, Carney showed impressive accuracy and arm strength during practice and training camp. After announcing that he would be entering the transfer portal, Syracuse fans voiced their concerns about the quarterback's departure.

High School Dominance and Winning Pedigree

Oct 18, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Luke Carney (11) looks to pass against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Before his time at Syracuse, Carney dominated the high school football scene at Dallas Christian. With elite dual-threat ability, the Mesquite, Texas native eventually became one of the most accomplished quarterbacks to come out of the state.

While he was only rated a three-star by 247Sports, On3, ESPN, and Rivals, Carney threw for over 10,700 passing yards and 110 touchdowns at Dallas Christian. He also rushed for over 3,119 yards and 42 touchdowns, leading the Chargers to four-straight state titles. That kind of production offensively is extremely hard to come by.

In his final season at Dallas Christian High School, where he earned Blue Grey All-American honors, Carney threw for 2,627 yards and 20 touchdowns to just three interceptions. The quarterback rushed for over 1,000 yards and 21 touchdowns on just 89 carries in his senior year.

For head coach Willie Fritz, the winning culture that Carney comes from is exactly what he's attempting to instill in his program for years to come. While the transfer isn't exactly projected to start for the Cougars, that championship winning mentality is something that can be hard to teach.

Depth at Quarterback That Very Few Programs Can Match

Dec 27, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Willie Fritz reacts during the first half against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Carney's decision to transfer to the Cougars adds an intriguing layer of competition to the quarterback room. While true freshman Keisean Henderson is expected to take over the starting role next season, it's important to note that Carney's skillset is extremely similar to that of Conner Weigman's.

In fact, all of Houston's current quarterbacks have unique dual-threat capabilities that set them apart from other signal-callers. That kind of consistency at the quarterback position is almost certainly by design. If Houston's starter goes down with an injury, whoever it might be at the time, offensive coordinator Slade Nagle doesn't need to change his offensive scheme.