Healthy Houston ready for next step after spring game
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Carlos Leon-Trejo, Contributor
- April 19, 2026
Conner Weigman hopes to attack
HOUSTON — For head coach Willie Fritz, getting through the spring game without injuries was a relief. It means the Houston Cougars will head into summer healthy at a time when the roster can’t be reshuffled by a second transfer‑portal window.
Unlike previous years, Fritz won’t have to worry about late departures.
“Well, that’s our team, you know? There can’t be any second thoughts. That’s it,” Fritz said. “This is our team. There’s not going to be any changes, so it’s excellent.
“You know, last year at this point in time, there was still some uncertainty about who was gonna be on our squad. We had some changes, some of them for the good, but I’m excited about the guys that we have coming back, the team that we have.”
Houston builds on 2025
The Coogs now turn toward the 2026 season after finishing fourth in the Big 12 (6-3), recording their first 10‑win season since 2021. They capped their season ranked No. 22 in the AP Poll and No. 19 in the Coaches Poll.
Their six wins tied the program for the best single-season turnaround among Power 4 teams with the Virginia Cavaliers. With that foundation, Fritz expects the program to continue to climb.
“We want to show improvement all the time,” Fritz said. “We’re always trying to get better. We did some great things last year, but we got some big-time goals here at the University of Houston.
“With our facilities and our location and our university, there’s no reason why we can’t compete for national championships. And that’s what our goal is.”
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Senior quarterback Conner Weigman acknowledged that at times last fall, the Coogs “let up” in games they expected to control. He noted that the Coogs entered some matchups assuming they would be “a cakewalk.” He stressed the need to start faster and maintain urgency throughout.
“We gotta step on throats from the beginning,” Weigman said. “And have that same mindset each and every week.”
The Cypress, Texas, native was poised to attack opponents.
On the attack
“I feel like we’re gonna attack more,” he said. “We’re gonna be able to push the ball down the field and keep defenses on their heels.
“They’re not gonna know what we’re about to do, and we’re gonna be a whole lot more multiple. And, like I said, attack the defense and put up a lot more points than we did last year.”
To bolster the Cougars’ defense, defensive lineman Ashton Porter transferred from Oregon. Porter spent three seasons with the Ducks, compiling 25 tackles, three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
He played in all 15 games last season and finished with 20 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a pass breakup.
“I feel like we are more aggressive than last year,” Porter said. “Watching the film from last year to this year, we have weapons. I’m excited to see what we can do and stop the run, rush the passer.”
Featured art courtesy of Houston Athletics.
Carlos Leon-Trejo
Contributor
Carlos Leon-Trejo is a co-host on the Bring on the Blitz! podcast on the Our Esquina network. A graduate of the Texas A&M-Victoria, his reporting credits include major stages such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the Big 12 Championship.
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