How Houston QB Conner Weigman Overcame Adversity in Win vs. Oregon State

A bumpy ride in the first quarter didn’t rattle Weigman after the first Houston turnover of the season occurred when Weigman released a floater that was above the outstretched hands of his intended receiver, Koby Young. Fritz has commented this season that winning the turnover battle has been a staple for success. Even though there was a turnover, Weigman overcame adversity.

Two significant drops in the first half set an uncharacteristic tone early on. In the red zone, senior Stephon Johnson ran a slant route with Weigman releasing a dart that should’ve been a walk-in touchdown, but it resulted in a field goal because of a costly drop. Another disappointing drop occurred when Weigman delivered a missile to Young but couldn’t haul it in, causing it to go to the ground.

Missed opportunities rejuvenated Weigman, even in a game where the Beavers’ student section returned after a majority of students were absent for the first two home games. Quickly, the game shifted in the second quarter with the help of a sack and huge receptions by Amare Thomas and Johnson, later setting up Weigman’s confidence for his fourth rushing touchdown of the season. 

At halftime, he only completed seven passes for 69 yards, but kept the chains moving somehow. Eventually, the arm strength and durability, both in and out of the pocket, were on full display. It just took time. 

Falling two possessions with six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Johnson found open space and had a breadbasket catch from Weigman in the endzone to put the Cougars down 24-17. 

The tables then began to turn. 

The up-tempo offense Weigman started running worked, and it was pedal to the metal from there on. 

Weigman displayed his gun-slinging ability with a rocket to tight end Tanner Koziol in the middle of the field that raised the bar for the rest of the game. Weigman broke a season-high record with 270 yards passing, scoring two touchdowns, and helped deliver the game-winning drive, his first as a Cougar. 

Season Overview

Weigman continuously put in the work to show doubters he has the goods to compete in a Power 4 conference. While the season is still getting written, the numbers suggest the Cypress, Texas, native will leave everything on the field, regardless of the outcome. 

In the season opener, there were some eyebrows raised about Weigman only throwing for 159 yards against an SFA program that isn’t nearly as close to the success that Houston is at. Three passing touchdowns to begin the year, though, is all that Houston could ask for from a transfer quarterback who is still learning a new system. 

Steadily improving in his game was the passing yards. The road trip to Rice Stadium gave Cougar fans more confidence in their quarterback, as Weigman registered a 68.2 percent completion percentage, up nearly 6 percent from the week prior. 

Colorado then traveled to TDECU Stadium for the first Big 12 game of the year, and Weigman displayed his dual-threat abilities, giving every ounce he could to fool the defense and mix up the formations. Offensive coordinator Slade Nagle contributed to the offense producing Weigman’s best passing game in the Scarlet and White. 

Then, the game against the Beavers was statistically attractive once the Cougars’ offense got on the same page. What Cougars fans have been waiting to see is if Weigman can deliver with the game on the line. Those questions got answered, and defenses get to deal with it.

It might still be early, but don’t sleep on this guy.