Houston Cougars Football

Houston Cougars Football

2024-25 REGULAR SEASON
209.0 PYPG
50.0 RYPG
7.0 PPG
259.0 TotY/G

Team Information

Ground TDECU Stadium
City Houston, Texas
Conference Big 12,
Nickname Cougars

2024 Regular Season Leaders

All Statistics
Passing Yards

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Houston Cougars Football Bio

The Houston Cougars football program is a prominent team in NCAA Division I FBS representing the University of Houston. They are affiliated with the Big 12 Conference. Since 2014, they've showcased their talents at TDECU Stadium, succeeding Robertson Stadium as their home ground. The Cougars have won eleven conference championships and six division championships across two different conferences.


Name of the teamHouston Cougars
First Season1946
Athletic DirectorChris Pezman
Head CoachWillie Fritz
StadiumTDECU Stadium
LocationHouston, Texas, United States
Field SurfaceArtificial
DivisionDivision I FBS
ConferenceBig 12 Conference
Conference Titles11
Fight SongCougar Fight Song
MascotShasta
RivalsRice (rivalry), Texas Tech (rivalry), Tulsa (rivalry)
Consensus All-Americans10


Houston Cougars Football Introduction

The Houston Cougars football program started in 1946. Initially, they participated in the Lone Star Conference but later shifted to the Gulf Coast Conference by 1948. Their affiliation then changed to the Missouri Valley Conference from 1951 to 1959. A significant development occurred in 1956 with the NCAA's divisional split, propelling them into the University Division, which eventually became Division I.


From 1960 to 1976, the Houston Cougars experienced significant achievements while functioning as an independent team. They acquired six successive Top-25 rankings and participated in five bowl contests.


Upon entering the Southwest Conference in 1976, the Cougars achieved a remarkable feat by winning the conference championship in their inaugural season, distinguishing them as the lone Texas university to accomplish this feat.


After the Southwest Conference disbanded in 1996, they became one of the founding members of Conference USA. Over the years, the Cougars have earned a total of 11 conference championships, including six outright titles.


Houston Cougars Football History

The history of the Houston Cougars football team can be traced back to 1941 when Johnny Goyen and Jack Valenti advocated for establishing an official intercollege football team at the University of Houston (UH). Subsequently, they convened a student body meeting in 1942 to challenge Rice Institute (now Rice University) to a football match.


In August 1945, UH publicly announced its plans to form a football team for the first time, and by October of the same year, they received an invitation to join the Lone Star Conference. In September 1946, under the guidance of head coach Jewell Wallace, the Cougars officially debuted, playing their inaugural game against Southwestern Louisiana Institute.


Despite initial setbacks, such as losing in their debut match, the team made steady advancements, moving from the Lone Star Conference to the Gulf Coast Conference. Coaches like Clyde Lee and Bill Meek played pivotal roles in the Cougars' journey, leading them to milestones like their first bowl game appearance in 1951 and their inaugural Missouri Valley Conference championship in 1952.


Hal Lahar's coaching era highlighted offensive excellence, while Bill Yeoman's extensive tenure from 1962 to 1986 propelled the Cougars to national recognition. Yeoman introduced the Veer offense and steered the team to four Southwest Conference Championships along with numerous bowl victories. Despite facing controversies, including allegations of recruiting infractions, Yeoman's enduring impact as the longest-serving coach in Cougar history remains noteworthy.


Houston Cougars Football Coach

Willie Fritz currently holds the position of football head coach at the University of Houston. Born on April 2, 1960, Fritz is an American football coach and former player. He assumed the role of head coach on December 3, 2023. In the history of the Cougars football program, there have been eighteen head coaches, including two who served as interim head coaches, since the team's inception in the fall of 1946.


Here’s a table showing all the head coaches and the period they served as head coaches.


CoachTenure
Willie Fritz2024–present
Dana Holgorsen2019–2023
Major Applewhite2016–2018
Tom Herman2015–2016
David Gibbs2014
Tony Levine2011–2014
Kevin Sumlin2008–2011
Chris Thurmond2007
Art Briles2003–2007
Dana Dimel2000–2002
Kim Helton1993–1999
John Jenkins1990–1992
Jack Pardee1987–1989
Bill Yeoman1962–1986
Hal Lahar1957–1961
Bill Meek1955–1956
Clyde Lee1948–1954
Jewell Wallace1946–1947


Houston Cougars Football Stadium: TDECU Stadium

John O'Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium is located on the University of Houston campus and serves as the home turf for the Houston Cougars football team. The stadium has a capacity of 40,000. This stadium was previously used by the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL.


TDECU Stadium was constructed on the site where Robertson Stadium once stood, the former venue for the university's football program since 1946. Its name, TDECU Stadium, comes from Texas Dow Employees Credit Union (TDECU), Houston's largest credit union, which acquired the naming rights in what was then the largest-ever deal of its kind for a college football stadium.


The idea for a new or renovated football facility was conceived as early as 2010 by the university's athletics department and contractors. Demolition of Robertson Stadium started on December 3, 2012, with the official groundbreaking for the new stadium taking place on February 8, 2013. TDECU Stadium was built at a cost of $128 million and was opened by the University of Houston on August 29, 2014, during a game against UTSA.


Houston Cougars Football Rivals

Rice stands out as Houston's primary rival. Their rivalry is one of the most intense crosstown rivalries in college football. The Bayou Bucket trophy is the coveted prize awarded to the victor of this matchup.


They also have a rivalry with SMU that traces back to their shared history in the Southwest Conference.


Additionally, Tulsa holds the distinction of being Houston's most frequently played opponent. Other notable rivals include former Southwest Conference adversaries such as Baylor, Texas A&M, Texas, and TCU. Recently, rivalries have emerged within Conference USA and the AAC, notably with teams like Memphis, Cincinnati, and UCF. As of the 2023 season, Houston leads the series against Rice with a record of 33 wins to 12.


Houston Cougars Football Record and stats

  • The Cougars have claimed 11 conference championships in their history, with six being outright titles.

  • Houston has secured six division championships across two different conferences.

Conference championships

YearConferenceCoachOverall recordConference record
1952Missouri Valley ConferenceClyde Lee8–23–0
1956Bill Meek7–2–14–0
1957Hal Lahar5–4–13–0
1959†3–73–1
1976†Southwest ConferenceBill Yeoman10–27–1
19789–37–1
1979†11–17–1
1984†7–56–2
1996†Conference USAKim Helton7–54–1
2006Art Briles10–47–1
2015American Athletic ConferenceTom Herman13–17–1


Division championships

YearDivisionCoachCG opponentCG result
2006Conference USA - WestArt BrilesSouthern MissW 34–20
2007†N/A lost tie-breaker to Tulsa
2009†Kevin SumlinEast CarolinaL 32–38
2011Southern MissL 28–49
2015†AAC WestTom HermanTempleW 24–13
2018†Major ApplewhiteN/A lost tie-breaker to Memphis


Houston Cougars Football Roster

The Houston Cougars football team roster includes players from diverse backgrounds

On the offense side, the players included are:


PlayerPosition
Ui AleQB
Lucas ColeyQB
Jett HuffQB
Caleb McMickleQB
Donovan SmithQB
Jake SockQB
Indiana WijayQB
Brandon CampbellRB
Parker JenkinsRB
Tony Mathis Jr.RB
Steve PolkRB
Maurice ReedRB
Re'Shaun Sanford IIRB
Sherman SmithRB
Stacy SneedRB
Sergio SniderRB
Kelan WalkerRB
Ja'koby BanksWR
Samuel BrownWR
Dylan CaddleWR
Dalton CarnesWR
Joshua CobbsWR
Joseph Donatto IIIWR
Anthony GangiWR
Matthew GoldenWR
Mikal Harrison-PilotWR
Stephon JohnsonWR
Joseph Manjack IVWR
CJ NelsonWR
Samuel PadgittWR
Chance ProsperieWR
Peyton SawyerWR
Hunter TeichmanWR
Ja'Ryan WallaceWR
Jonah WilsonWR
Matt ByrnesTE
Logan ComptonTE
Bryan HenryTE
Darson HermanTE
Mike O'LaughlinTE
Jett RunionTE
Max BanesOL
Cayden BowieOL
Peyton DunnOL
Jack FreemanOL
Jaylen GarthOL
Shamar Hobdy-LeeOL
Demetrius HunterOL
Tank JenkinsOL
Tyler JohnsonOL
Karson JonesOL
David NdukweOL
Patrick PaulOL
Tevin ShawOL
Cross TuckerOL
Reuben UnijeOL


On the defense side, notable players include:


PlayerPosition
Hakeem AjijolaiyaDL
Ivan AutenreithDL
Justin BeadlesDL
Justin BentonDL
Jamaree CaldwellDL
Nelson CeaserDL
Torren Coppage-ElDL
Joshua DiazDL
Thomathon GoodDL
Anthony Holmes Jr.DL
Hunter JonesDL
Amipeleasi Langi Jr.DL
Garfield LawrenceDL
Brandon MackDL
Chidozie NwankwoDL
Taleeq RobbinsDL
Zykeius StrongDL
Nadame TuckerDL
Cavan TuleyDL
David UgwoegbuDL
Sedrick WilliamsDL
Kamsi ArinzeLB
Trimarcus CheeksLB
Jalen GarnerLB
Hasaan HypoliteLB
Latreveon McCutchinLB
Jamal MorrisLB
Blake OkoyeLB
Treylin PayneLB
Chris PearsonLB
Malik RobinsonLB
Aubrey SmithLB
Aaron WillisLB
Moses AlexanderDB
Johnsley BarbasDB
Antonio BrooksDB
Beau ClewettDB
Jalen EmeryDB
Malik FlemingDB
Dorian FriendDB
Juwon GastonDB
Brian GeorgeDB
Noah GuzmanDB
Isaiah HamiltonDB
A.J. HaulcyDB
Alex HoganDB
Latrell McCutchinDB
Michael PattersonDB
Jamaal ShawDB
Jalyn StanfordDB
Micah SweatsDB
Justice UgoDB
Mike WelchDB
Dante WynnDB


Houston Cougars Football Schedule

The Houston Cougars' regular season matchups are as follows:


DateOpponent
Sat, Aug 31UNLV
Sat, Sep 7Oklahoma
Sat, Sep 14Rice
Sat, Sep 21Cincinnati
Sat, Sep 28Iowa State
Fri, Oct 4TCU
Sat, Oct 19Kansas
Sat, Oct 26Utah
Sat, Nov 2Kansas State
Fri, Nov 15Arizona
Sat, Nov 23Baylor
Sat, Nov 30BYU


FAQ's On Houston Cougars Football

A. The program began in 1941 when efforts led by Johnny Goyen and Jack Valenti initiated a petition for an official football team at the University of Houston.

A. Since 2014, the Cougars have played their home games at TDECU Stadium, located on the University of Houston campus.

A. The Cougars have won a total of eleven conference championships over the course of their history.

A. Willie Fritz currently holds the position of head football coach at the University of Houston.

A. The Cougars' main rivals include Rice, Texas Tech, and Tulsa, with Rice's rivalry being particularly intense, marked by the Bayou Bucket trophy.

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