Houston Cougars Running Back Room gets a Boost for Week 4
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Houston football has gotten out to a great start this season, reaching the 3-0 mark for the first time since 2016. While the Cougars have played complementary football, the rushing attack has been quite successful so far.
Junior quarterback Connor Weigman and senior transfer running back Dean Connors have been a strong duo throughout the first three games.
Houston will now be getting some key added depth to the running back room with sophomore J’Marion Burnette expected to return for the Week 4 matchup on the road vs the Oregon State Beavers on Friday night, according to head coach Willie Fritz in his weekly press conference.
Burnette suffered a hand injury due to a car-related incident prior to the Week 2 game vs Rice and missed the past two games. In the season opener against Stephen F. Austin, the 6-foot-2 running back had 10 carries for 40 yards. Based on that game, it seemed that Burnette would be taking on a larger role in the running game for Houston this year.
Who has Stepped Up
Since his absence, Connors has officially established himself as the top back with his most recent performance against Colorado being 22 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown. Connors also put together a monster performance against his former team in Rice, a 132-yard night on 13 carries with two touchdowns.
More on Burnette
Burnette figures to jump right in this week as one of the top options given the season-ending knee injury to sophomore Re’Shaun Sanford after week one. Burnette was a standout in high school as a four-star prospect by ESPN and 247Sports and was ranked 14th overall in the country by rivals.
The Alabama native had 182 yards on 43 carries last year as a freshman. That included eight carries for 81 yards in a home win vs Utah. This season, Burnette looks to make a bigger impact in the passing game, as he had a 39-yard reception against SFA.
Other Running Back Options
The Cougars also have senior running back Stacy Sneed, who was the second option over the last two games. Currently, Houston lists Connors as the starter and Sneed as the backup. Now in his fourth year with Houston, Sneed has been a reliable player in both the backfield and receiving.
The Arlington native had 308 total yards and one touchdown last season. His freshman year was the highlight, with 500 yards and five touchdowns in 2022.
Houston also had sophomore DJ Butler chip in with some carries vs SFA and Rice. Overall, Burnette will likely ease himself back into the rushing attack for the Cougars and give them some much-needed depth.
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.