Can Houston overcome its problems? – Deseret News

Editor’s Note: Fourth in a series previewing every Big 12 team in 2024.

When a college football team gets its starting quarterback back, it’s usually treated favorably by prognosticators who like to make preseason predictions.

That’s not the case this season for the Houston Cougars, who are picked to finish 15th in the Big 12 Football Media preseason poll.

After throwing for 2,801 yards and 22 touchdowns last season, quarterback Donovan Smith returns to Space City in 2024. The problem is, the Cougars went 4-8 last year, mercurial coach Dana Holgorsen was fired, and now the Big 12 newcomer in 2023 is projected to be no better than Arizona State this season.

But there is a certain optimism emanating from the TDECU stadium.

For starters, new coach Willie Fritz, hired at Tulane, has had success everywhere he’s been. Houston fans are counting on the 64-year-old Fritz to get them back to where the program was in the American Athletic Conference.

“When I took the job in Houston, I said I felt like it was a sleeping giant, like the sky was the limit, and I feel the same way about the Big 12,” Fritz said at Big 12 football media days last week. “We’re in the epicenter of the world in Houston, Texas. I loved not having to fly to recruit.”

Houston is truly a football hotbed. The question is whether Fritz will be able to keep a good portion of his players in Houston.

Keeping Smith, who completed 64.5 percent of his passes last year, is a good start.

“His football IQ is off the charts,” Fritz said of the son of Indianapolis Colts running backs coach DeAndre Smith.

Houston went 2-7 in the Big 12 last year, finishing tied for 11th with BYU and Baylor.

The Cougars will host league-favorite Utah on Oct. 26 in a game that locals say could be Houston’s chance to garner national attention, if not an upset. More realistically, Houston will play BYU on Nov. 30 in what could be a game that decides which of the 2023 Power Four newcomers returns to a bowl game.

On offense, Houston has 10 returners, including Smith, running back Parker Jenkins and offensive lineman Tank Jenkins. Jenkins rushed for 464 yards and three touchdowns last year on 99 carries.

“Parker Jenkins is a quality back who can do a little bit of everything,” Fritz said.

There are some question marks on the offensive line, as Tank Jenkins is the only returning starter on that unit. Replacing big Patrick Paul, an offensive lineman who was selected in the second round of April’s NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins, won’t be easy.

On defense, Houston also has 10 top-tier players. Linebacker Jamal Morris, who made 64 tackles and had five pass deflections, is one to watch, as is defensive back AJ Haulcy. Kicker Jack Martin has been reliable at the position.

Houston will open at home against UNLV, a must-win game if it wants to qualify for a bowl game. After that, the Cougars will play Oklahoma, a team that is likely to be ranked in the top 10. The Big 12 opener on Sept. 21 in Cincinnati, which will be another key game for teams coming off mediocre years and trying to find their place in a top conference.

“One of the things we’re going to do is play a lot of guys in the first few weeks, figure out the rotation, how many guys — which ones should play 50, 60 snaps, which ones should play 10, 20,” Fritz said. “And that’ll be determined after a couple of weeks because I haven’t done a lot of live action with those guys.”

Another priority for Fritz is building a better rushing attack, something that was lacking in 2023. The Cougars rushed for just 118.7 yards per game last year, which was among the worst in the country. They had just 10 rushing touchdowns.

They were also bad on defense, ranking 100th or worse nationally in every major defensive category.

In other words, new defensive coordinator Shiel Wood has his work cut out for him as he transitions to a 3-4 scheme. There are high hopes that new cornerback Latrell McCutchin, a USC transfer who was sidelined last year, will bolster a leaky Houston defense.

2023 record

Utah Connections

• Defensive back Ajani Carter, former Utah State DB (2019-22)

Calendar 2024

• August 31 — UNLV
• September 7 — in Oklahoma
• September 14 — Rice
• September 21 — in Cincinnati
• September 28 — Iowa State
• October 4 — at TCU
• October 19 — at Kansas (Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City)
• October 26 — Utah
• November 2 — State of Kansas
• November 15 — in Arizona
• November 23 — Baylor
• November 30 — at BYU