One Question For Each Offensive Position Group Houston Has This Spring
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The Houston Cougars have returned to the field with spring practice kicking off on Monday, and head coach Willie Fritz is getting the first looks at his squad after weeks of winter workouts.
The Cougars will look to build on a much-improved 10-3 season as they head into their third season under Fritz. The work for the 2026 season starts now in the spring as the Cougars look to blend their returners with their new additions from the transfer portal and high school ranks.
With spring ball now on its way for Houston, here is a question for each of the Cougars offensive position groups.
Quarterback: Can Conner Weigman Take Another Step?
Quarterback Conner Weigman came back home to Houston after spending time in College Station with the Texas A&M Aggies and found plenty of success in his first year as the Cougars' signal caller, as he threw for 2,705 yards, 25 touchdowns to nine interceptions, while also rushing for 700 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Now, as Weigman heads into his second season leading the Cougars offense, how much can the veteran quarterback grow with some continuity under the same system and some more offensive weapons around him? A leap from Weigman could make the Cougars serious contenders in the Big 12 and compete for a spot in the conference championship game.
Running Back: Who Can Pick Up Where Dean Connors Left Off?
The Cougars are losing a huge piece to their offense with running back Dean Connors out of eligibility, as he rushed for 977 yards and six touchdowns on 200 carries, while rushing for 4.9 yards per carry last season.
Now with a wide open spot at the running back position, the Cougars will have a tough position battle throughout the spring between Re’Shaun Sanford II, who rushed for a team-high 444 rushing yards on 94 carries while scoring a lone touchdown back in 2024.
And incoming Oregon transfer Makhi Hughes, who, while having a quiet 2025 season, had a productive 2024 season back with the Tulane Green Wave, the running back rushed for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Wide Receiver: Who will Step Up Outside of Amare Thomas?
Houston's offense received a huge boost with the retention of Amare Thomas, who had a breakout season last year as he recorded 67 receptions for 966 yards and 12 touchdowns. And now that he heads into year two, he will become the top player to watch for opposing teams and their game plan.
The Coogs will need a wide receiver outside of Thomas to become a top contributor. Houston could turn to a returning player like Harvey Broussard III, who recorded eight receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown. Or the Cougars can lean on the additions they made in the transfer portal at the wide receiver position in Oregon State transfer, Trent Walker, Texas Tech transfer, Tyson Turner, and Florida transfer Muizz Tounkara, becoming instate impact players.
Tight End: How Quickly Can Patrick Overmyer Assimilate into the Offense?
Houston also has a huge loss in the tight end room with its top tight end, Tanner Koziol, heading off to the NFL. The Cougars went back to the well of transferring in a tight end after the success with Koziol and brought in UTSA transfer Patrick Overmyer.
In his last two seasons with the Road Runners, Overmyer totaled 58 receptions for 627 yards and eight touchdowns, and his productivity will be needed especially in a Cougars offense that relies heavily on their tight end.
Offensive Line: How Will the Offensive Line Reshuffle Itself?
The Cougars made a total of four offensive line additions in the transfer portal, with the likes of Tulane transfer Shadre Hurst and Toledo transfer Anthony Boswell among others, after losing several veteran pieces along the offensive line. The Cougars do bring back a core of their starters from last year in left tackle Alvin Ebosole and center McKenzie Agnello.
Both the returners and the incoming transfers will have hit the ground running in the spring for Fritz and his coaching staff to settle on a best five up front that will begin the fall as the starters that will serve as Weigman's protection.
