Why Continuity Matters for Houston in 2026
In this story:
Head coach Willie Fritz has spent most of his time at Houston rebuilding the roster and exceeding expectations that were placed upon the team.
Going into year three, Fritz finds himself in a position where the program already knows its identity.
With returning coaches and players, continuity is one of the most important advantages Fritz has had at Houston.
The Coaches
In the game of football, the coaching staff is where everything starts. Having a good coaching staff raises the ceiling for teams, which couldn't be more true for Houston.
Offensive coordinator Slade Nagle improved every single offensive category for the Cougars last year, such as the 133rd offense in the red zone to the 14th and the 72nd offense in time of possession to the 17th.
Defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong got Houston's defense ranked in the top 50 nationally in multiple categories, such as 27th nationally in the red zone and 38th in stopping the run. Additionally, four of his defenders earned All-Big 12 Second-Team honors. All of those improvements happened in his first year as Houston's defensive coordinator.
Special teams coordinator Chris Couch developed former kicker Ethan Sanchez into a Lou Groza Award semifinalist for the nation's best kicker, winning three Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
All three of these coaches have two things in common: they all made dramatic improvements to every aspect of football in their first year with Houston and they are all returning. During fall camp media on August 6, Fritz explained how rare it is to have all three coaches back-to-back years as well as players.
"We are one of the few teams in the country that's got the same offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators back along with the head coach," Fritz said. "We're fortunate that we've got a lot of continuity with our players and coaches. That makes things a lot easier."
Coaches are not teaching the veterans and experienced players how to run the system anymore, but teaching them how to perfect it. Fritz can spend more time honing players' talents instead of going through the motions.
Players
Houston lost important pieces in the offseason, with many either graduating or transferring to another team; the majority of the Cougars' roster tells the same story as the coaches. Many important players on the offense and defense are coming back with a chance to win the Big 12 Conference.
Quarterback Conner Weigman comes back after having the best year of his career in 2025, with 2,705 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. Wide receiver Amare Thomas had 966 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns and is coming back to aim for a 1,000-yard season.
Defensive back Kentrell Webb comes back after having 72 total tackles, four pass deflections and an interception, cementing himself as one of the anchors in the secondary.
Continuity is a big reason why the Cougars are ranked No. 24 in the Coaches Poll. Continuity is also what could bring Houston a Big 12 championship.
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Micah Clay is a staff writer for the Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a freshman at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Administration. He also works for The Cougar organization. You can find Clay on his Instagram(@mcjosh_btw_podcast)