Willie Fritz Announces WR Stephon Johnson Has Returned to Houston Cougars
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There was big news today for the Houston Cougars. Wide receiver Stephon Johnson rejoined the team on Monday and will be eligible for his fifth season of college football, per coach Willie Fritz.
Johnson had his first practice with the team on Monday.
"Really excited about it and we feel about as good as we can feel that he'll be eligible and be able to play for us this fall," Fritz said.
Stephon Johnson Back at Houston
It seemed like Johnson's career at Houston was over after his medical redshirt was denied by the NCAA early in the offseason. He had suffered a Lisfranc injury in his right foot, which caused him to miss most of his senior season at Houston. Johnson played five games, which made him ineligible for the redshirt.
However, a federal court injunction on July 31 made players who were part of the high school class of 2022 eligible for a fifth season in the wake of the NCAA's new five-year eligibility rule. This decision gave Johnson an extra year of eligibility, and it looks like it has actually worked out for Houston.
Each individual situation regarding a fifth season for these players has been different, especially because of the 10th Circuit's stay order on Friday. Based on Fritz's statement, it seems like Johnson will be safe to play for the Cougars.
"I didn't want to do anything until I was certain. In this day and age, I'm not sure what certain is, but we feel pretty good about it. He knows how we run a program, how we do things, and we're excited about having him back," Fritz said. "I wanted to wait until we had some finality."
Johnson has been a key playmaker for the Cougars' offense over the years and has racked up 69 receptions for 954 yards and seven touchdowns since he joined Houston in 2023 after transferring from Oklahoma State. He averaged over 21 yards per catch last year.
The team was excited about having Johnson back once Fritz opened up the Monday morning meeting with the news.
Fritz mentioned that Johnson has got to do a couple of helmet days before he can really start to ramp it up, which is an initial practice session where only helmets are worn with no other pads.
Lisfranc injuries can take time to heal depending on the case, but Johnson is now in good shape.
"He's 100 percent healthy," Fritz said.
The Houston native has to get up to speed quickly on the new system, terminology, and different personnel groupings, but Fritz is confident this process will be good.
"The great thing about it is we're running the same offense. Basically, he's got the same coaches. So, it's not going to be easy for him because he's nine months behind, but he's a hard-working guy, and he'll do a great job," Fritz said.
This is a huge addition to Houston's wide receiver room that now looks very deep with preseason All-Big 12 member Amare Thomas, senior transfer Trent Walker, and fall camp standout in redshirt sophomore Koby Young.
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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.