Willie Fritz’s Houston Cougars stand at a crossroads, and they must turn the tide this season—no ifs or buts. After two consecutive 4 win seasons, their move from AAC to the Big 12 has only added fuel to the fire. Imagine a team once riding high with an 8-win season could not even enter a bowl game. That decline demands a strong rebound. But hope isn’t lost. With transfer QB Conner Weigman ready to take the reins, Houston might finally be back in business. But their chances depend entirely on Weigman’s health. If he goes down, it could quickly shatter Fritz’s redemption hopes this season.

Conner Weigman’s Texas A&M career has been a whirlwind, a rollercoaster ride from highly touted recruit to seasoned starter under immense pressure. The five-star quarterback, once the jewel of the Aggies’ 2022 class, faced a baptism by fire, battling injuries, coaching changes, and intense competition. A season-ending ankle injury soured his 2023 campaign, and though he showed flashes of brilliance—like his strong performance against Missouri—he ultimately couldn’t hold onto the starting job. That’s exactly what 365 Sports’ Sam Khan is pointing at: “I think the question relies along part largely upon one thing is his health is can he stay healthy. Because that’s what’s bothered him at Texas A&M.”

“But last year, I don’t know that at any point in the season he was 100%. Even that opening game against Notre Dame, he, to me, did not look like himself, and so now that he’s had an off-season to recover and he’s got a fresh start, he’s in a new place, he’s back in his home city—does that equate to more success for him? I will say, from a schematic standpoint, I really like the fit,” Khan said. That sure makes sense, as Weigman was consistently off-target against Notre Dame. He only completed 12 out of 30 passes for 100 yards. But now that he’s back home healthy, things might change for Willie Fritz’s program.

Now, one person who could turn things around for Conner Weigman is Houston’s new offensive coordinator, Slade Nagle. “Slade Nagle, the new offensive coordinator who was at Tulane when they made that run to the New Year Six, had Michael Pratt, and Pratt, of course, we know was really successful at Tulane. When you watch Pratt play, I think the skill set that he had is not terribly dissimilar to what the skill set that Conner Weigman has is, and so when I think, ‘Can I plug Conner Weigman into that offense and be successful?'” Khan said.

Slade Nagle revitalized Tulane’s offense in 2023, igniting a high-powered attack that consistently delivered. As offensive coordinator, he orchestrated an offense that scored over 20 points in 11 of 12 regular season games, exceeding 30 points six times. Tulane’s offense dominated, powering them to an 11-1 regular season record, including a perfect 8-0 conference mark. Nagle didn’t just call plays; he masterminded one of the AAC’s most potent and reliable offenses.

And on top of that, he unlocked quarterback Michael Pratt’s full potential. Pratt thrived under Nagle’s tutelage, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 27 touchdowns against just five interceptions. He also rushed for 478 yards and 10 touchdowns, a personal best. Pratt’s impressive 8.9 yards per attempt and conference-leading 161.8 quarterback rating left defenses scrambling. Nagle didn’t just coach Pratt; he honed him into the AAC Offensive Player of the Year, showcasing his ability to transform talent into stardom.

After an ice-cold offense last season, Willie Fritz’s team needed a playcaller like Slade Nagle. Averaging just 14 points and 152 passing yards per game, ranking a dismal 133rd out of 134 FBS teams, they were in a tough spot. But things are turning for the good. As the team already has 19 commits and 27 transfers. That will only enhance Weigman’s chances to shine.

“I think he absolutely can, and I think more important than just the system fit is what they put around him. They went really heavy in the portal. They got a couple tight ends, they got some running backs, and they got five offensive linemen, most of whom have Power Four experience or have a lot of playing experience, and I think that was huge because their offensive line was a mess last year. They really need to upgrade that,” Khan added.

Now, when things are falling right in place for the Cougars, Willie Fritz’s program gets hit by a storm.

Willie Fritz’s football program faces a major blow

Houston football’s future looks bleak. Following two consecutive four-win seasons, the Cougars’ progress has unexpectedly stalled. Despite that, fans expected a turnaround, but with the Houston athletic department’s recent revenue-sharing update, it looks like the changes are not expected anytime soon.

With schools like Baylor, which is aggressively pursuing NIL deals to attract top football recruits, Houston is taking a different approach. And Athletic Director Eddie Nunez laid out his revenue-sharing strategy clearly on the Houston Roundball Review Media Group podcast. “We’re pretty close. I would tell you we’re pretty close. Part of it is still understanding all the nuances. Again, as that got rolled out, the judge did her ruling—and as you’ve seen, things have continually been spun out from the CSC, the new College Sports Commission, and everything else. So we’re trying to put all that into perspective.”

The statement caused a stir; however, Nunez pressed on. He doubled down on his focus and made sure the Cougars’ strength, basketball, got the most amount of revenue sharing. “It’s not going to be much different than what you’ve seen at some other institutions, with some of the percentages maybe a little bit more or less. As I said in the beginning, there’s going to be more for us on the basketball front than most schools are doing because we want to make sure we can sustain that.” Let’s be real: Cougar’s basketball HC Kelvin Sampson’s team is exceeding expectations every year. Ranked 4th in the AP preseason Top 25 and winner of the Big 12 regular season title last year, Nunez is investing where success is evident.

But it’s not like Willie Fritz’s program’s need is ignored. As he talked about his plan for the football team, Nuñez added, “At the same time, we’re making sure football has everything it needs to be successful in this league. From our perspective, those two—basketball and football—are going to be the ones that need to be focused on more than anything else.” Facing a changing landscape, Fritz’s program is at a critical juncture. Other schools are heavily investing in football, creating an uneven playing field.

It’s ironic how other programs are doubling down more on football, whereas the Cougars are still unsure of it. For starters, Clemson’s aggressive strategy, allocating 86% of its athletic budget to football, exemplifies this trend. Now, the bottom line for the Cougars is to adapt quickly and make a splash this season.