Houston Cougars Freshman WR Showing his Big-Play Potential
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Besides the 60-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Zeon Chriss-Gremillion to senior wide receiver Amare Thomas, the Houston Cougars did not have much to show for on offense against no. 9 Texas Tech last Saturday at TDECU Stadium.
However, late in the first quarter, a new name among the Cougars’ wide receivers made a splash play that stood out.
Koby Young: A New Name to Watch
Young is a redshirt freshman from New Orleans, LA. While he hadn’t had much playing time during his first year as a Cougar, that is starting to shift. Young has played in all five games this season and finally had his moment last weekend against one of the best teams in the country.
Houston had done nothing on offense until its third drive. With a first and 10 at the UH 45-yard-line and 4:30 to go in the first quarter, junior quarterback Connor Weigman took a deep shot down the sideline to Young, who reeled in a spectacular 43-yard catch with the Texas Tech defender behind him.
KOBY. YOUNG. 😳#Big12FB | 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/pSeyAUpN9r
— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) October 5, 2025
Even with a defensive pass interference call, Young still managed to come down with the football. It placed Houston at the Tech 12-yard-line, and they ultimately got a field goal out of it. That play gave some life and something for Cougars fans to cheer about.
“It’s big-time. Big for his confidence,” head coach Willie Fritz said. “Very talented, works extremely hard, and I’m glad he had some success on Saturday night, and we want him to build on that.”
High School Background
That was his first catch of the season, and gives a glimpse into the kind of play-making Young can give an inconsistent offense. The former three-star prospect from 247Sports and ESPN certainly has the ability to take the top off a defense with his speed. Young has a track background from high school and was part of a state-winning 4x100-meter relay team.
The 11th-ranked player in Louisiana in the recruiting class played in one game prior to this season. Young had 19 snaps in the 2024 season opener against UNLV, where he caught two passes and also played on special teams. A 2023 all-District player in high school, Young contributed on special teams as a punt and kick returner.
The six-foot, 180 lb receiver looks to grow his involvement against Oklahoma State and in the future.
Additional Wide Receivers
Fritz mentioned how the Cougars have better depth this season, and that is clear in the wide receiver room. Besides senior Stephon Johnson, Houston has a senior transfer from UAB, Amare Thomas, who has stepped up. Additionally, UH has senior Mekhi Mews, who was retained from 2024. Mews is primarily the returner on special teams. After that, it was unclear who would step up.
Right now, it seems to be Young. The Cougars also have two more transfers in junior Devan Williams from Tulsa, and junior Harvey Broussard III from Louisiana. Williams is 6-foot-1 and has a lot of experience, playing all 12 games for Tulsa last season. Broussard III also has 19 career starts under his belt before this season.
“We’d like to have seven or eight games in the mix during the ball game catching the ball, that would be good,” Fritz said.
Williams is dealing with injury issues and is out this week, leaving the door open more for Young. The Cougars offense has primarily targeted Johnson, Thomas, and senior tight end Tanner Koziol so far in their passing game. Fritz mentioned how they’ve tried to spread it around, but it has been a variety of factors why it hasn’t happened yet.
Whether it’s the quarterback not reading to their side, a bad throw, or an incorrect release at the line of scrimmage, the true potential of this offense has yet to click after five games. Houston still has time to figure it out, and they’ll get a great chance to do so Saturday morning at Oklahoma State.
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.