RADIO
Willie Fritz Believes Houston Can Compete for National Championship
Houston head coach Willie Fritz is not putting a cap on the ceiling of the program, citing that his reason for leaving Tulane was for a chance to win a national championship. "I loved New Orleans and Tulane," Fritz said. "I wanted to have an opportunity to win a national championship. There's just a little bit more of a divide happening every year between Power Four and Group of Six, and that was part of it." The 66-year-old is entering his third season with the Cougars after a 10-3 campaign in 2025. Houston won just four games in each of its two first years in the Big 12, but the program has acquired depth and more high-end talent, making it a conference title contender in 2026. Veteran quarterback Conner Weigman is poised for a big year after the best season of his career, and the team added several impact transfers, including running back Makhi Hughes (Oregon) and wide receiver Trent Walker (Oregon State). Houston also just signed an elite quarterback prospect in Keisean Henderson, so its immediate and long-term future is bright in the new-look NIL era. "We're in the epicenter of football, in my opinion, in the world -- Houston, Texas," Fritz said. "I haven't been on a plane yet to recruit. We've got great facilities. We've got some work to do on the NIL front; we're working on that, but we've got over a quarter-million Houston alumni in the greater Houston area. We can get it done here."
Source: On3
Source: On3
