Houston Senior Running Back Receives Second College All-Star Invitation
In this story:
Following a career campaign that saw a crosstown transfer help turn the Houston Cougars into top-four contenders in the Big 12 conference, the accolades and invitations keep pouring in for senior running back Dean Connors.
In helping lead coach Willie Fritz to a turnaround 10-3 record with a high-caliber bowl win, Connors posted 977 yards in 2025 on 200 carries in a running back room that saw its depth tested from various injuries.
Now, not long after he emphatically capped off his collegiate career with a 126-yard burst in Houston's 38-35 Texas Bowl win over LSU on Dec. 27, and an invitation to the Hula Bowl as a native Hawaiian, another invite to a coveted college all-star game came his way.
Invite accepted ‼️@deanconn0rs is headed to the @ShrineBowl 🫡 pic.twitter.com/uwmuoWt6xC
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) January 13, 2026
Per official release, it was announced that Connors received an invite to the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl set for Jan. 27 at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. With this invite, he'll showcase his efficiency among the 115 current NFL draft-eligible talents and a bevy of franchise scouts in attendance.
Prior to the invite, Connors took to the Florida-relocated Hula Bowl at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand on Jan. 10, where he scored on a 16-yard touchdown run in the first quarter in helping lift Team Kai to a 38-21 win over Team Aina.
Now, he'll go from representing the ocean to representing the West in an in-state opportunity at the same venue where the Big 12 began its annual conference pro day in partnership with the NFL. It's safe to say that thanks to that implementation, it may not be the last time he hits the road up I-45.
Sunday futures?
There were various moments in Connors' memorable 2025 campaign that created these opportunities thanks to a watchful eye from other scouts.
With his Texas Bowl performance stacking second, his season-high 132 yards against his former program in Houston's Bayou Bucket matchup at Rice on Sept. 6. In that game, he also set (what would eventually be tied) his longest touchdown run of the season for 54 yards.
Connors also maintains a strong presence as a pass-catching back, where he averaged 7.5 yards on 34 receptions in 2025. In an effort that helped the Cougars clinch bowl eligibility for the first time as a member of the Big 12, he recorded a season-long 33-yard reception as part of a 13-play, 96-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter of their 31-28 win over Arizona at TDECU Stadium on Oct. 18.
In being a pivotal piece of Houston's near-historic campaign, it's not out of the blue to think he could make his way as a pivotal piece for a contending NFL franchise. It's best to keep those Sunday futures on watch.
Michael Carrara is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He attends the University of Houston, where he is a journalism major and a marketing minor. He is also a sports writer and reporter for the Daily Cougar, having covered baseball as an NCBWA member. You can find Michael on all major social media channels, including X on @michaelcoalec.