Houston is finally getting some clarity on Stephon Johnson, and the Cougars’ receiver is now set to make his season debut against Southern.
On Monday, coach Willie Fritz said Johnson has been cleared to play in Week 2 after the program spent the last stretch waiting for everything to be fully settled. Houston had already brought Johnson back in during the middle of fall camp with the belief that he would eventually be eligible for a fifth collegiate season, but the Cougars wanted the paperwork and approvals to be completely locked in before putting him on the field.
“Stephon is eligible. He's going to play this week. He kinda got thrown in the fire there a little late, but he'll be ready to go this week,” Fritz said.
Johnson’s path back has been tied to the broader fight over a potential fifth year for members of the class of 2022. He went undrafted and never signed a formal NFL contract, aside from taking part in New York Giants rookie minicamp on an invite basis. A Dallas judge later granted a temporary restraining order at the end of August to the 41 plaintiffs named in the lawsuit seeking an additional year, and Johnson was among them.
Even with that order in place, Houston still needed more certainty before moving ahead. Fritz said last week that eligibility had to be approved not only by the program’s compliance staff but also by the NCAA.
“The last thing you want to do is declare somebody eligible when he's not eligible,” Fritz said prior to Week 1.
Johnson had to catch up after arriving in the middle of August, which left him behind the rest of the roster in terms of learning the system and getting back into football shape. Fritz said the team had a “nine-month jump” on him. Johnson was in the same pads as everyone else last week, but Houston still needed to bring him along steadily.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Houston native has already been a productive piece for the Cougars since joining the program in 2023, putting up 69 catches for 954 yards and seven touchdowns. Now he joins a receiver group that already includes Preseason All-Big 12 selection Amare Thomas, senior transfer Trent Walker and redshirt sophomore Koby Young.
Not everyone in Houston’s eligibility situation has been resolved, though. Transfer safety Myles Rowser is still waiting for his own answer.
“I’m not quite sure with him. There’s another court case coming up and all sorts of things. So his deal is not tied in with Stephon’s deal at all," Fritz said.
Fritz added that he did not think Rowser would be eligible this week.
In Other News...
Sam Leavitt Faces An Early Big 12 Test Arizona State Fans Should Track
Week 1 offered only a partial read on the Big 12 quarterback picture, because most of the leagues passers got warm-up assignments against lighter opponents. A few still had to deal with real resistance right away, including Floridas DJ Lagway and UCFs Barnett, but for the most part the opening weekend was more about getting into rhythm than surviving a true test. For Houston fans keeping an eye on the league around them, it was a useful reminder that early box scores can flatter a lot of offenses.
Week 2 should sharpen the picture quickly, with several quarterbacks stepping into tougher matchups and defenses that can expose shaky protection or rushed decision-making. Sam Leavitt is one of the names to watch, because Arizona States early schedule puts him in a spot where the evaluation gets more serious in a hurry. For teams trying to map out the Big 12 race, these next games are where the conversation starts to mean something. [Read more 🡒]
Kelvin Sampson Just Gave Houston Fans Real Reason To Dream Again
Houston spent a recruiting weekend building something it can point to well beyond the current season, landing commitments from point guard Darrell Davis and forward Beau Daniels. Both prospects give Kelvin Sampson and his staff an early start on the 2027 class, and Davis, ranked No. 31 overall, brings a lead-guard profile that fits the way Houston likes to play. Daniels, ranked No. 58, adds another high-level piece to a group that already has four-star guard Oneal Delancy in the fold.
For a program that has turned sustained roster construction into a calling card, getting that kind of early traction matters. It gives Houston an initial core to sell on the trail and another reminder that the Cougars are not waiting around to think ahead. The class is still taking shape, but the early outline is already the kind that can keep fans looking forward. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Looked Far More Vulnerable Than A Ranked Team Should
Week 1 had a way of humbling several AP Top 25 teams, and Houston fit right into that uneasy early-season picture. While Michigans messy win over Western Michigan turned into the biggest poll fallout, the Cougars also spent the weekend making their ranking look a little shaky, joining Oregon, SMU and Washington among the teams that left plenty of questions after facing unranked opponents.
Houston still got what it needed, but the performance was far from the kind that settles a restless fan base. With a veteran group back in place, the expectation was that the Cougars would look steadier than they did, and instead they were pushed into an uncomfortable finish that kept the opener from feeling like a clean statement. [Read more 🡒]