Houston Cougars Special Teams Shines at the NFL and College Level
In this story:
One huge reason why Houston football is still undefeated at this point is the incredible special teams play late Friday night at Oregon State. The Cougars blocked two field goal kicks, one right before halftime and the other right before time expired at the end of the game to keep the score tied.
Senior defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr. rounded the corner with ease on the last play of the first half and blocked the Oregon State 49-yard kick to keep the score at 14-10. The Beavers had been struggling with issues in their kicking game all season, and Houston took full advantage of that. When it counted the most with the game on the line, the Cougars have come through in this department.
Houston being Special
It looked like the Beavers would be in a great position to walk it off on a 42-yard field goal, but Houston had the last laugh with their second block of the night that sent it into overtime. Senior defensive back Marc Stampley III broke right through the defense and denied the attempt.
Additionally, senior kicker Ethan Sanchez, who transferred over from Old Dominion, has truly stabilized the kicking game for Houston. Sanchez calmly drilled a 24-yard game-winner after getting iced by his own team, which kept their undefeated season alive. Sanchez has been great so far, most notably getting Big 12 special teams player of the week after going 5/6 against Colorado with his longest make from 52. He has gone 9/11 overall and 14/14 on extra points.
Head coach Willie Fritz has long been known to emphasize and focus on this part of the game, as a former defensive backs/special teams coach for Sam Houston in 1991-92.
It was not just at the NCAA level that the Houston Cougars football program made an impact on special teams this week. It happened on the NFL stage as well. One former Houston player has put together a true eye-popping highlight reel at the professional level, and that is New England Patriots cornerback and special teamer Marcus Jones.
The Elite Returner
Jones was with the Houston Cougars in 2020 and 2021, where he became a legend in Third Ward. The five-foot-eight, 188-pound corner was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after setting multiple records with his performance this past Sunday. Jones returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers in Week 4, the second punt-return touchdown of his NFL career. His last punt return that went all the way was back in his first season.
There he goes!! @MarcusJonesocho pic.twitter.com/T9soIOjGGT
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) September 28, 2025
Not only that, Jones had 167 punt return yards on three attempts, which included a 61-yard and 19-yard return. The 55.7 punt return average was the highest in a game in Patriots history and the second-best mark in NFL history. This was his second career special teams player of the week award, with the first being in Week 11 of 2022.
Never a doubt @MarcusJonesocho 🙌 pic.twitter.com/tRG0F7WzW1
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 1, 2025
How Jones’ NFL career has gone
The former Houston star has established himself as a regular starter and impact player for the Patriots since 2022. Jones played 15 games in his rookie season and had two interceptions, including one for a touchdown.
The 2022 third-round pick has four total touchdowns in his professional career so far. One of those also includes a receiving touchdown in his rookie season. He had four receptions for 78 yards and that score back in 2022.
#Patriots bring in CB and punt-return hero Marcus Jones on **offense**.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 2, 2022
All he does is make plays. Speeeed. 💨💨pic.twitter.com/3Jc53oyM65
His elite ability to make defenders miss and create something out of nothing has completely translated to the NFL level. There’s a reason why he won the special teams player of the year for the American Athletic Conference in 2021.
Jones as a Houston Cougar
After he transferred from Troy to Houston back in 2019, Jones’ career began to flourish and went to the next level. In 2020, Jones earned multiple first-team All-America honors as a punt returner. That season, he led the FBS and the American Conference in punt return average and also led the FBS in punt return yards.
Jones was truly one of the great Cougar special teams players of all time, as he upped his game in his senior year. Jones was awarded the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in the country. He remained a first-team All-American punt returner and improved to second-team All-Conference as a corner.
Jones led college football with two punt return touchdowns and was third in the NCAA with two kickoff return touchdowns. His 100-yard game-winning kickoff return touchdown to upset No. 17 SMU with 17 seconds left has been one of the all-time UH football highlights in recent memory.
dsajhfljbaouigcuoanjklbfgpiuyijsaiohf;h🤯😲 pic.twitter.com/8q1DIA9MF9
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) October 31, 2021
The Patriots are truly enjoying this exceptionally talented Houston product on defense and especially on special teams.
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.