Houston basketball coach Kelvin Sampson used Saturday’s football game against Oregon State to send a direct message to Cougars fans: the time to get behind Willie Fritz’s program is now.
Speaking from the sideline during the game, Sampson praised Fritz and his staff, then made it clear he wants the Houston faithful in the stands before the Cougars reach any playoff-level buzz.
“We got the right guy [Willie Fritz]. He’s not only a great coach, he’s a great man, great husband, grandfather.
But he also has a great staff. Conner Whitman.
What he represents… this is the kind of team we have to hear from. It’s important as an athletic department that we start filling this stadium and showing up and supporting these guys.
Because as the season goes on, they’re going to get better and better. And we’re in a position now, where if we have a great year we can get to the Playoffs, but we got to support the team right now, not wait until they become a Playoff team.”
Houston has reason to believe a run is possible. The Cougars went 10-3 overall last season and finished T-4 in the Big 12 at 6-3 in league play. They also return Connor Weigman and star wide receiver Amare Thomas, while adding transfer help such as running back Makhi Hughes, who arrived after stops at Tulane and Oregon.
The bigger issue, as Sampson pointed out, is getting people through the gate. Houston football attendance has been a long-running problem, including since the program entered the Big 12. Sampson argued the team has reached a level where students, alumni and general fans should be showing up in force.
That message matters even more with four Big 12 home games on the schedule this fall against UCF, Oklahoma State, Cincinnati and Baylor. Sampson wants the same kind of support Houston gets for basketball to show up for football, too.
In Other News...
Houston Fans Have A New Reason To Question ESPNs Big 12 Respect
Houston fans got another reminder of how precarious their place can feel in the TV pecking order late in the game against Oregon State, when ESPN shifted the broadcast over to ESPNews with about nine minutes left in the fourth quarter. The network wanted to roll into coverage of Texas vs. Texas State, and the switch was enough to spark immediate pushback from viewers who felt a Big 12 game should not be shoved aside that quickly, especially with Houston now part of the conference.
The optics were hard to miss for Big 12 supporters, because ESPN is supposed to be one of the leagues major media partners. College sports columnist John Canzano was among the critics, and the frustration carried extra weight given Texas departure from the Big 12 for the SEC. For Houston backers, it was less about one broadcast hiccup than the broader question of how much respect the league really gets when the schedule starts to crowd in. [Read more 🡒]
Houston's Encouraging Start Comes With One Concern Fans Can't Ignore
Houston opened with a confident 33-20 win over Oregon State, and the early signs on offense were exactly what the Cougars had hoped for. Re'Shaun Sanford helped set the tone on the ground, Conner Weigman handled the passing game efficiently and added a touchdown run, and the offensive line gave Houston a sturdy base to lean on in Week 1.
The concern comes on the other side of the ball, where the result looked better than the performance in stretches. Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson was able to work through the air for 376 yards and a touchdown, and Houston did not always generate the kind of pressure or coverage tightness that can keep stronger passing attacks from settling in. That is the part of the opener the Cougars will likely want fixed before the schedule gets more demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Found An Early Formula Fans Will Want To See Again
Houstons opener offered a glimpse of the kind of balance the Cougars have been looking for, the sort that can make a September win feel like more than just a good start. In a 33-20 victory over Oregon State, Conner Weigman was central to the operation, pushing the offense through the air and giving Houston the kind of rhythm that can travel as the schedule tightens.
The encouraging part for the Cougars is that the performance did not hinge on one type of play or one burst of momentum. Weigmans ability to keep the passing game moving while Houston controlled the flow gave the team an early formula worth revisiting, especially after a weekend around the country that showed how quickly a clean debut can set the tone for a season. [Read more 🡒]