Houston’s fall camp is starting to sharpen into a real depth-chart picture, and Willie Fritz had plenty to say after Practice No. 11 inside the indoor facility.
With the Cougars less than two weeks away from opening the season Sept. 5 against Oregon State, the work now is less about discovering the obvious starters and more about sorting out the pieces around them. Houston is also carrying the buzz that comes with being ranked No. 23 in the preseason AP poll, so every camp update matters a little more.
One of the clearest developments came on special teams, where the kicking job still isn’t fully settled but has started to tilt in one direction. Fritz said redshirt sophomore Jonathan Dimas is handling the first-team reps for extra points and field goals right now, while Zac Yoakum has been working with the second group and taking kickoff duties.
"Dimas is currently running one on extra point and field goal, with Zac Yoakum two, and then kickoff has been Yoakum. Probably Dimas two," Fritz said.
Dimas, a Houston native who has been with the program since 2024, would be an appealing answer at placekicker if he wins the job. He played at Westfield High School and was the 2024 Kohl’s Kicking Camp Senior Showcase winner after going 18/18 on field goals up to 65 yards. That’s a résumé that makes his camp push worth watching, especially with redshirt freshman Evan Noel of Florida drawing plenty of attention in the competition.
Houston has also been rotating through options in the return game, using wide receivers Amare Thomas, Jaquise Martin and Trent Walker, along with running back ReShaun Sanford II and two-way player Paris Melvin Jr. Among that group, Walker has emerged as the most seasoned option, and Fritz made it clear that experience counts.
"He's been in a lot of different stadiums catching punts, so right now, he's our leader as our punt returner," Fritz said.
The freshman class is starting to show up in a bigger way, too. Fritz singled out running back John Hebert and said he expects Paris to be part of the mix as well.
"John Hebert has been very, very impressive. Well coached.
He's got great practice habits," Fritz said. "Same thing with Paris.
He's gonna play for us as well."
Hebert, the former Strake Jesuit standout, is still looking at opportunities in a crowded running back room, but the message from Fritz was loud enough: he’s made a strong impression. Fritz also pointed to freshmen Noah Abebe and Aaron Wolford on the second team at guard, along with defensive lineman Kaleb Walker.
There was also a note on the health front. Fritz said RJ Lee was "a little banged up," and added that the team would be in good shape if it had to line up for a game immediately.
He also said, "I think him, Muizz (Tounkara), and obviously, Luke McGary. We're hoping for those guys to be ready week two, three, somewhere like that," Fritz said.
Up front, the first offensive line appears set, but the second unit is still taking shape. Fritz mentioned redshirt junior Larry Crawford, sophomore tackle RJ Lee and redshirt sophomore Ronnell McLain as part of that group, along with the two freshmen he highlighted earlier.
In Other News...
These 5 Cougars Could Define Houstons 2026 Rise
Houstons 2026 outlook already has a clear spine, and it starts with the familiar kind of questions every rising program has to answer. Conner Weigman is projected to be the starting quarterback, while Makhi Hughes and Amare Thomas are expected to share the burden of the ground game as the primary rushing threats. On the other side of the ball, Brandon Mack looks like the player most likely to set the edge for the pass rush, giving Houston a few established names around which the next season can take shape.
Jaden Yates adds another layer to that picture as the leading tackler projection, a reminder that the Cougars growth will not depend on offense alone. The bigger point here is how much of Houstons ceiling may rest on this group holding off competition and turning expectation into something sturdier by the time 2026 arrives. The roster seems to have its candidates, but the real test is whether those projected leaders can actually become the teams defining players. [Read more 🡒]
J'Wan Tugler Gives Houston Another Defensive Identity Fans Can Trust
Houstons recent defensive backbone has been built as much on versatility as on effort, and JWan Tugler fits right into that conversation. The Cougars have long been defined by toughness on that end of the floor, but Tugler has become another name that reinforces the idea that their identity is not just a slogan. He is part of a small group of college players drawing attention as potential defensive prospects for the 2027 NBA Draft, alongside Byrd and Natt, with each bringing a different kind of value as evaluators look for players who can guard, disrupt and adapt.
For Houston, that matters because the modern NBA keeps rewarding teams that can defend multiple styles without losing structure. Tuglers profile, like the others in that defensive class, points to the kind of player who can matter even before the offense fully catches up. The buzz around him is not about a flashy scoring ceiling so much as whether his defensive traits translate to the next level, which is exactly the sort of question that has helped past prospects rise once teams start projecting what they can do when the game gets bigger and faster. [Read more 🡒]