Houston’s preseason buzz has a real foundation, but the Cougars’ ceiling in 2026 may come down to how quickly three transfer linemen settle in.
The Cougars are starting fall camp off a No. 24 ranking in the preseason Coaches Poll, and that puts them in a much different spot heading into the Big 12. Only Texas Tech, BYU and Utah sit ahead of them in the league, so the hype around Houston is already loud. Still, the biggest question is up front, where Slade Nagle and Eman Naghavi need their newcomers ready in a hurry.
Houston is plugging three openings with transfer help: Drew Terrill from Miami (OH) at right tackle, Shadre Hurst from Tulane at left guard and Anthony Boswell from Toledo at center. They’ll line up next to blindside tackle Alvin Ebosele and right guard McKenzie Agnello to form the starting offensive line.
Hurst looks like the headline name in the group. He was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Conference First Team and also earned a 2025 Second-Team All-American nod from The Sporting News.
His 2025 season at Tulane was especially strong in the passing game, where he posted a 90.5 pass-blocking grade, fourth-best in the FBS. He also finished with an 80.9 run-blocking grade, which ranked 10th nationally.
Tulane’s offense averaged 166.3 rushing yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry, but that wasn’t on Hurst.
Boswell arrives with a different kind of profile, but plenty of intrigue. This is his second transfer and his third team in three years, after moving from Purdue, where he was largely a non-factor, to Toledo.
CBS Sports’ Mike Renner said Boswell “played with incredible balance and leverage in an outside zone-heavy scheme” with the Rockets. Renner also questioned whether a second-year jump is coming, but said it may not even be required for Boswell to reach the NFL.
For Houston, the job is simpler than the scouting reports. The Cougars need Boswell to get comfortable quickly, especially with quarterback Conner Weigman, if they want the interior to hold up in Big 12 play.
Terrill may not carry the same spotlight, but he brings a solid résumé of his own. He earned second-team All-MAC honors and posted a 75.5 Pro Football Focus grade across 734 snaps last season. The concern is size at tackle, but he makes up for it with agility and a clear willingness to work in the run game.
That matters because Houston also has a fresh piece in the backfield with Makhi Hughes, who ran for 2,779 yards and 24 touchdowns at Tulane in 2023 and 2024 before moving to Oregon in 2025. If Terrill can help open the C-gap, Hughes should have a lane to attack behind him.
In Other News...
Houston Could Get Familiar Help Back If This NCAA Ruling Holds
A federal court ruling last week opened a door that college programs around the country are watching closely, and Houston could be one of the teams most affected if it survives the NCAAs expedited appeal. The preliminary injunction would allow high school class of 2022 athletes who have used all four seasons of college eligibility to play a fifth year in the 2026-27 season, so long as they meet conditions including age limits and the absence of a professional contract.
For the Cougars, that could put a familiar group back in play. Former Houston players Ethan Sanchez, Stephon Johnson, Xavier Stillman and Keyshawn Hall are reportedly among the athletes who could qualify, although there have been no official confirmations from the program. For now, it is less a reunion than a waiting game, with Houston like everyone else stuck seeing whether the legal ruling actually holds up. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Faces Pressure To Prove Its Big 12 Hype Is Real
Houston enters the 2026 season with a level of expectation that would have sounded lofty not long ago, but now feels more like the assignment. The Cougars have the kind of roster that can support a run at the Big 12 title and, with it, a legitimate path into the College Football Playoffs. Offensively, Conner Weigman gives Houston a proven presence at quarterback, while Amare Thomas and Trent Walker help round out a receiver group with real playmaking potential.
The bigger question is whether that talent is balanced enough to carry the weight of the moment. Houston has key contributors on both sides, including Kentrell Webb, Will James and Javion White on defense, and the expectation now is less about surprise and more about execution across the board. In a conference where staying in the race is as hard as getting into it, the Cougars will have to show that the hype is matched by leadership, depth and enough week-to-week consistency to make the promise of this roster mean something. [Read more 🡒]