Houston’s offense already has plenty of names that draw attention, but the Cougars may have another difference-maker waiting in plain sight.
Quarterback Conner Weigman and top receiver Amare Thomas are expected to command most of the spotlight, yet Oregon transfer running back Makhi Hughes could end up being one of Houston’s best players in 2026. He’s also positioned to turn heads this season.
Houston’s rise last year came with a lot of help from the transfer portal, and that approach has carried into the current build. The Cougars landed immediate contributors like Tanner Koziol, Dean Connors, Weigman and Thomas, all of whom played major roles in the team’s 10-3 finish in 2025.
Head coach Willie Fritz has also made it a point to bring back players who once left for other programs and later found a better fit returning home. Hughes fits that mold after his path took him away from Fritz and back again.
”Sometimes guys think the grass is greener someplace else, and they find out it's only green,” Fritz said.
Hughes’ journey didn’t unfold exactly that way, but the quote still fits the arc of his stop at Oregon. He started at Tulane under Fritz and the staff, then quickly became one of the most productive backs in college football.
Over two seasons with the Green Wave, Hughes piled up 523 carries for 2,779 yards and 22 touchdowns, leading the American Conference over that stretch. That production earned him a move to Oregon, where he had the chance to line up against some of the nation’s best competition.
The fit never clicked the same way. In 2025, he finished with just 17 carries for 70 yards.
Now he’s back with Fritz at Houston, where the setup looks much more favorable. Hughes is listed at 6-foot and 210 pounds, a physical runner who should benefit from a passing game that can force defenses to pick their poison.
With senior quarterback Conner Weigman throwing to Thomas and senior transfer Trent Walker downfield, opponents won’t be able to load up on Hughes every snap. That should open the door for more explosive runs and a return to the level of play he showed at Tulane.
If that happens, Hughes won’t stay under the radar for long.
In Other News...
Houston May Have A Real Big 12 Breakthrough Path After All
Houstons long-range outlook is starting to look a lot more concrete than a typical preseason wish list. The pieces are lining up for 2026, with an experienced quarterback in Connor Weigman, Willie Fritz providing continuity on the sideline, and a roster that has been strengthened by recruiting wins and portal additions that should give the Cougars more depth on both sides of the ball.
The path still wont be empty, of course, and the Big 12 always has a way of turning promising projections into weekly tests. But Houstons schedule appears manageable enough to keep real hope alive, with Utah, Texas Tech and UCF standing out as the biggest hurdles in a season that could put the Cougars in the mix for the conference title game and, if everything breaks right, much more than that. [Read more 🡒]