Houston Cougars Lose a Talented Safety in Flip to Wisconsin

Houston loses a key defensive piece as safety Kah'ni Watts flips his commitment to the Badgers

Nov 29, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Willie Fritz reacts on the sidelines against the Baylor Bears during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

While the Houston Cougars have built one of their best recruiting classes in recent memory, even Willie Fritz's program has seen some of their high school recruits flip their commitment.

Midway through the Early Signing Period, the Cougars lost a defensive pledge to the Wisconsin Badgers. Kah'ni Watts, the 3-star safety from Iowa Colony High School, stands 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds. He's ranked by 247Sports as the No. 203 prospect in the state of Texas.

The Cougars' missing out on an in-state recruit is counterproductive to Fritz's goals of dominating the local recruiting level. That being said, flips are bound to happen no matter how good a program is in the current college football landscape.

A Recruiting Reality Check for Houston

Oct 25, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a Houston Cougars helmet at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It's no secret that Houston's ability to recruit has flourished under Coach Fritz's leadership. In only two years with the program, the veteran head coach has achieved a recruiting class in the top half of the Big 12 featuring 15 in-state recruits. Even with some considerable growth in their local recruitment, the Cougars are still bound to experience flips.

This won't be the only flip that Houston experiences, either. Watts' decommitment signals that there's still work to be done for Fritz and his staff. The Iowa Colony native's commitment to a school like Wisconsin isn't exactly surprising either.

According to On3 Rivals, Watts becomes the lone safety in the Badgers' recruiting class. With the Cougars already having multiple safety commits, Javen Holmes and Mudassir Abdullah, the path to playing time at Wisconsin was likely clearer than it was in Houston.

A Quick Look at Houston's Secondary Depth

Nov 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars defensive back Will James (15) celebrates with defensive back Kentrell Webb (8) after an interception during the second quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

As previously mentioned, Holmes and Abdullah are two secondary recruits that the Cougars secured during the Early Signing Period. The two 3-star recruits help add some depth to an already talented safety room. According to 247Sports, Holmes is ranked as the No. 126 safety in the 2026 class, and Abdullah comes in at No. 140.

Depending on their decision after the bowl-game season's conclusion, Fritz and his staff could return both Jordan Allen and Kentrell Webb. The two redshirt-juniors stood out in the Houston secondary this season.

Allen totaled 32 tackles with two pass deflections, while Webb totaled 50 tackles, one forced fumble, one interception, and three pass deflections. C.J. Douglas also made 11 appearances, totaling 10 tackles and even came away with an interception.

With a safety room that's made up of experienced veterans and promising underclassmen, is will be interesting to see how Fritz and his staff attack the ever-changing transfer portal. The veteran head coach was aggressive in the transfer portal last year by adding 10 players to Houston's secondary depth.