Willie Fritz Ranked Among Best Head Coaches In College Football For One Simple Reason
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The Houston Cougars saw the turnaround of a lifetime in the 2025 season, going from 4-8 and near the bottom of the Big 12 food chain all the way to a 10-3 record and contenders for the Big 12 Championship through a majority of the year.
The transfer quadrant of quarterback Conner Weigman, running back Dean Connors, wide receiver Amare Thomas, and tight end Tanner Koziol brought the Houston offense back to life after last year only saw 18 total touchdowns from the team.
And who to thank more for the 180 than head coach Willie Fritz?
Willie Fritz Praised In Year-End Head Coach Ranking
In a year-end ranking of the top 25 coaches in college football by Football Scoop, Fritz was mentioned on the list, and the publication had nothing but praise for the former Tulane Green Wave leader.
"Willie Fritz always delivers, just give him time," the article begins. "After averaging a 2.8-win jump from year one to year two at his five previous stops, Fritz saw Houston grow from four wins to 10 in his second season."
During his time with the Green Wave, Fritz also started 4-8 in his first season with the team before seeing some promise in his last two years with the team during the 2022 and 2023 season, going 12-2 in the 2022 season and even getting the Green Wave ranked ninth in the AP Top 25, defeating the USC Trojans in a 46-45 offensive shootout in the Cotton Bowl.
2023 saw Fritz lead the Cougars to an 11-2 record before resigning shortly before the end of the season, which saw the team lose to the Virginia Tech Hokies in the Military Bowl.
As mentioned before, Fritz's first season with the Cougars saw a stark contrast to the success he saw with Tulane, going 4-8 and tied for 11th in the Big 12 Conference, and even having to split use between two quarterbacks in Donovan Smith and Zeon Chriss.
Year number two in Houston? One of his best as a head coach, starting with a 27-0 shutout of the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks at home.
From there, Fritz would lead the Cougars to three straight wins to open the season before suffering from their first loss at the hands of the Texas Tech Red Raiders and would only lose two more games afterwards, and would end their season with a statement 38-35 win over the LSU Tigers in what was basically another home game for the team in the Kinder's Texas Bowl this year.
Willie Fritz has truly built the genesis of what should be something special for the University of Houston, and with Weigman returning at quarterback for the 2026 season, the Houston fanbase should be looking forward to what the season has in store.
