Willie Fritz wants to build a winning team this season with the Houston Cougars and to do that he must get the most out of quarterback Donovan Smith.
In his first season with the Cougars, Smith threw for 2,801 yards and 22 touchdowns while completing more than 64% of his passes. He never really got the chance to be the full-time starter at Texas Tech, where he played in 2021 and 2022. But, he put up solid numbers when he got the chance.
He threw for nearly as many passing yards in two seasons with Tech as he did in his one season with Houston.
Donovan Smith and Willie Fritz
Now, the first-year Houston coach has to lean on Smith, perhaps even harder than he leaned on Tulane starter Michael Pratt, who was one of the most experienced quarterbacks in college football a season ago and expertly executed Fritz’s offensive philosophy.
He believes Smith is suited for the challenge, even though he wasn’t able to fully participate in spring workouts due to his recovery from surgery for a labrum tear.
“He’s an unbelievable leader,” Fritz said. “He’s a true dual-threat quarterback, which usually guys, you hear that and they do one or the other much better. He does an excellent job throwing the ball, one ball, two ball, three ball I kind of call it, and just his football IQ is just off the charts.”
Smith’s rushing numbers took a jump last season, as he rushed for 428 yards and scored six times.
Fritz likes to run the ball, so Smith will need to be ready, as will running backs Parker Jenkins, Tony Mathis Jr. and Stacy Sneed, who are all back from last year. Houston averaged 118.7 yards per game on the ground last season. Tulane averaged 155.1 yards.
Where the Cougars will need development fast is on the offensive line, where Tank Williams is the only returning starter.
Houston enters its second season in the Big 12, along with BYU, UCF and Cincinnati. All four joined last July as part of league expansion. Oklahoma and Texas moved to the SEC on July 1. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah officially join the league in August.
Houston went 4-8 in 2023 with a 2-7 record in the Big 12. The Cougars fired coach Dana Holgorsen and then lured Fritz away from Tulane, where he led the Green Wave to a Cotton Bowl win two seasons ago.
The transfer portal was hard on the defense, as there are only two returning starters. The Cougars will lean on safety A.J. Haulcy and linebacker Jamal Morris as they transition to a 3-4 scheme. Fritz and the staff worked the transfer portal to execute the flip faster, including importing three former Tulane players.
The Cougars host UNLV on Aug. 31 to open non-conference, followed by a trip to Oklahoma on Sept. 7 and a home game with Rice on Sept. 14.
Houston’s Big 12 schedule starts at Cincinnati on Sept. 21 and then the Cougars host Iowa State on Sept. 28.
Houston is at TCU on Oct. 4 and, after a bye week, at Kansas on Oct. 19. The Cougars then host Utah on Oct. 26.
The Cougars host Kansas State on Nov. 2, followed by a trip to Arizona on Nov. 15. After hosting Baylor on Nov. 23, Houston ends the regular season at BYU on Nov. 30.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
