Fritz points to culture, continuity as Houston football eyes bigger goals

Houston football coach Willie Fritz admitted national championship ambitions are not something he spends much time discussing with his team.

That’s not to say he doesn’t envision it.

Entering his third season, Fritz believes the Cougars are building toward something bigger after a 10-win campaign in 2025 that culminated in a 38-35 win over LSU in the Texas Bowl.

“You know, we’ve certainly got the location. We’ve got the university. We’ve got the facilities,” Fritz said Tuesday at Big 12 Media Days. “There’s no reason why we can’t do that at the University of Houston.”

It helps to have a role model on the other side of campus, too.

“A good template for us has been coach (Kelvin) Sampson and what he’s done with men’s basketball. I think every program in the University of Houston aspires to be national champs, and we certainly do in football,” Fritz added.

Despite finishing fourth in the Big 12 standings in 2025, Houston enters 2026 with higher expectations than at any point since joining the conference.

Houston boasted a 10-3 record last season, a six-win improvement from the year prior, while returning senior starting quarterback Conner Weigman, along with the same offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators.

“I think there’s maybe 11 schools like that in the country. I’ve got that,” Fritz said. “It’s a really good building block for your program.”

Weigman—whose time at Texas A&M was marred with injuries—compiled his first fully healthy campaign, with 36 total touchdowns and 3,405 total yards in his first year with Houston.

He enters his second year with the same offensive coordinator and scheme for the first time since his days at Bridgeland High School.

In what Fritz calls “a really complicated game nowadays”, having Weigman in the same system makes for one less variable Houston has to account for in 2026.

“He’s really smart, he’s done a great job of processing what we’re doing,” Fritz said of Weigman. “We’re adding things to the equation with him, but we’re looking for him to have a great season for us.”

While the return of Weigman, his top receiver senior Amare Thomas and others helps provide a foundation, Fritz believes culture has remained the driving force behind Houston’s turnaround.

Immediately tasked with trying to rectify a previous regime while navigating the transfer portal, Fritz compared the culture-building process to cooking up a quick meal, noting that in college athletics, there’s no such luxury as waiting around.

“You’ve got to cook it like it’s a microwave, not an oven. You’ve got to do it quickly,” Fritz said.

As the microwave continued heating, Houston amassed the No. 7 transfer portal class of 2026, in Fritz’s first year present for the entire cycle.

Part of the challenge for him and staff isn’t simply acquiring talent, but identifying players who fit the culture he and Houston have worked to establish. 

“To be a great recruiter, you have to be a talent evaluator, and you’ve got to be an information gatherer, and you have to find guys that fit the way you do things,” Fritz said.

Fritz pointed to senior offensive lineman McKenzie Agnello, alongside senior defensive backs Kentrell Webb and Jordan Allen, as examples of players who align with the program’s vision on and off the field.

“All those guys have had that, so you have to make sure you find guys that fit in your culture. I think we’ve done a fantastic job of that as coaches utilizing the portal to our advantage,” Fritz said. 

One area Fritz pointed to as a sign of Houston’s progress was the added depth heading into the 2026 season.

The Cougars now have a cluster of players who have spent multiple years within the program, with an understanding of expectations, as well as transfers and freshmen that could make an impact in year one.

Houston’s depth is perhaps most evident at the quarterback position.

While Weigman enters the season as the unquestioned starter, Fritz expressed confidence in freshman quarterback Keisean Henderson, one of the nation’s highest-rated recruits.

“It’s great to have two five-star quarterbacks. I’ve never had one. Great to have two of them who are great people and also very smart,” Fritz said of Weigman and Henderson.

Fritz praised the relationship between the two quarterbacks, viewing it as an opportunity for Henderson to grow under Weigman’s guidance.

“Those guys really, really work well together in the quarterback room,” Fritz said. “I think it’s a perfect situation for Keisean to be in there and learn from not only great coaches, but a fellow great player in Conner.”

The camaraderie between Weigman and Henderson reflects the type of culture Houston has spent the last two seasons building.

Fritz said one of the hallmarks of his career has been maintaining programs with little-to-no internal issues. It’s something he attributes to “recruiting the right guys.”

“But I think a big part of it is winning the right way, and that’s what we’re going to do at the University of Houston,” Fritz said.