The Biggest Concern Nobody Is Talking About For Houston Football
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Houston’s head football coach Willie Fritz has done an outstanding job at recruiting since he took over in 2024, and he may have put together his best overall team yet for this year.
In just two seasons, the Cougars went from 4-8 to 10-3, and they finished fourth in the Big 12 Conference.
With all the positives about Houston’s upcoming 2026 season, there are still major questions surrounding Houston’s offensive line and how they will perform as a unit this year.
Will Houston’s Offensive Line Be An Issue in 2026?
While Houston really doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses heading into fall camp, the offensive line poses the most concern because of the uncertainty of how the group will be able to gel as a unit.
A big reason why there are questions surrounding the offensive line is that it was built entirely through the transfer portal over the last two offseasons.
Fritz has shown strong interest in bringing in offensive linemen from other schools, and he has brought in all five starters from the portal.
In the 2025 offseason cycle, Houston brought in offensive linemen Alvin Ebosele and McKenzie Agnello to add experience to a depleted group.
Ebosele transferred from Baylor, and he started all 13 games at left tackle. He ultimately became quarterback Conner Weigman’s blind-side protector and he will be vitally important for protecting the star passer.
Agnello transferred from New Mexico State with nearly 800 career snaps to his name. Last year, he graded as Houston’s highest-rated pass blocker and he is projected to start at right guard this season.
To help fill out the offensive line with starting-caliber players, Houston brought in Shadre Hurst, Anthony Boswell and Drew Terrill, who will all have a huge impact in 2026.
Hurst transferred from Tulane, where he earned all-conference honors in both 2024 and 2025. Because of his strong performance over the years, he was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 First Team, and he will without a doubt be the starter at left guard for the Cougars.
Boswell was brought in from Toledo, and he developed into one of the top centers in the MAC last season. With his breakout year, the Cougars decided that he would be the answer at center for the foreseeable future since he is just a sophomore.
Terrill is the final project starter at right tackle, and he was brought in during the offseason from Miami (Ohio).
He also was a standout in the MAC and showcased a mix of physical run blocking and experience that Houston really liked.
While the unit on paper looks very solid, there are so many unknowns with this group that make it the biggest concern in 2026.
Houston has only two returning starters on the line, and it very well may take an extended period of time for the unit as a whole to gel with three new transfers being added to the starting lineup.
Another concern is that Houston really went all in with its starters from the portal, and there is very limited depth behind them.
While all the experience on the line could ultimately make this unit very strong down the road, right now the offensive line is Houston’s biggest concern heading into the 2026 season.
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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).