Houston Cougars Post-Transfer Portal 2026 Depth Chart Review: Quarterbacks
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After a stressful two-week period with the transfer portal in full effect, Houston football now has the majority of its roster figured out for the 2026 season.
The Cougars now turn their focus to spring ball, and they look to improve on an impressive 10-win season.
It all starts with the quarterbacks who will lead the offense next season; however, the group looks very different from what it did just a few weeks ago.
Breaking Down Houston’s 2026 Quarterback Room
The Cougars felt the negative impact early on in the transfer portal as junior quarterback Zeon Chriss-Gremillion and true freshman quarterback Austin Carlisle both found new homes for the upcoming season.
With the two departures, the Cougars will lean on senior Conner Weigman, freshman Keisean Henderson and sophomore transfer Luke Carney to carry the load at quarterback next season.
Conner Weigman
Houston picked up a big win when Weigman announced that he would play one more season for the Cougars.
In 2025, he threw for 2,705 yards and 25 touchdowns, along with nine interceptions.
One area that Houston began to really rely on him was the running game, where he rushed 171 times for 700 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Because Weigman stayed healthy enough to play in every game for Houston last season, he almost matched his career stats at A&M in one season.
Looking ahead to next year, Weigman will be one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the Big 12, and if he can stay healthy, he could very easily be one of the best players in the conference.
Keisean Henderson
The Cougars made a splash in the 2026 class by landing top-40 group, highlighted by Henderson, the No. 1 high school player in the country.
With his signing to play for the University of Houston, he is now the highest-rated football recruit in program history, and his play backs up the hype.
He played for Legacy High School, and he is one of the most dynamic players in the country. He is an elite passer, but his ability to take over games with his legs is second-to-none.
Henderson will be in a great situation competing with Weigman this offseason, and he is a player to watch going forward.
Luke Carney
To round out the quarterback room, coach Willie Fritz went out and signed former Syracuse freshman quarterback Luke Carney.
The move takes pressure off of Henderson in his first season because Carney has a full year of college development under his belt.
It is very common for coaches to add a talented quarterback with experience to the room, and he was an immediate need for Houston with only two quarterbacks on the roster.
Carney played one season for Syracuse where he appeared in four games. While this move could be primarily for depth, Carney will have every opportunity to earn the back-up role.
Ashton Grissom is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a senior at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Media Production with a minor in Marketing and Spanish. He also works for two student organizations: The Cougar and CoogTV. You can find Grissom on his Instagram (@ashtonagrissom8) or Twitter (@ashtongrissom8).