Houston football puts in the work during summer practice ahead of the season opener on Aug. 31. | Oscar Herrera/ The Cougar
This past year, Houston entered a period of transformation. Joining the Big 12 Conference was the headline but as time passed, it served as only a fraction of what was to come for UH. Change has been powerful for this football program this season, after coming off a 4-8 2023 season.
New coaches, new players, new energy and with that came a new culture. As year two of Houston’s time in the conference approaches, things look different, and according to the team, it feels different too.
In December 2023, Willie Fritz was named the program’s 16th head coach. Along with him came a winning resume spanning over 20 years and a personable touch to the field.
Fritz’s impact has already been widely felt in various ways. From bringing on new staff to adding pieces via the transfer portal, Fritz has had to craft a squad from nearly the ground up.
Sophomore defensive lineman Anthony “AJ” Holmes Jr. backed that statement. “Coach Fritz cares about everybody and gets a chance to know everybody’s name. He doesn’t have any favorites,” Holmes said.
In theory, the number of unfamiliar faces should lead to some separation within the group, but perhaps this is where the head coach’s influence shines the brightest.
The tight-knit squad seems to be in perfect harmony, which can be credited to Fritz’s leadership style and bond with each player.
When asked to characterize the group since the change in approach, whether it was a first-year cougar or a returning member, one word that echoed throughout the locker room was family.
Senior kicker Jack Martin attributes the positive team chemistry to not only the staff but the player’s willingness to follow Fritz’s guidance and apply his teachings on and off the gridiron.
“Fritz leads the way for us,” Martin said. “It doesn’t matter who you are, who, what, where you’re from. Everybody here is a family.”
Even with all the internal positivity, voices outside the locker room tell a different story. After a rocky freshman season in the Big 12, many college football analysts don’t predict a major jump in standings for the Cougars ranking them near the bottom of the conference.
Sophomore linebacker Latreveon “Tre Tre” McCutchin sees the newfound culture as a building block of what’s to come on the field for Houston, something he feels may be overlooked.
“Coach Fritz is taking the program to heights that people are underestimating this program to go,” McCutchin said.
The team however isn’t shaken by the noise. Senior linebacker Kendre Gant, a transfer from Louisianna, is ready to prove the naysayers wrong.
“We are going to show them what the Houston Cougars got this year, not last year,” Gant said.
The Cougars will get their first chance to quiet the noise in its season opener on Aug. 31st vs UNLV.
