Houston Cougars head coach Willie Fritz reacts during the first half against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium. Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Houston Cougars Add Transfer Center From Toledo

Originally posted on Houston Cougars on SI
By Kolton Becker | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 1:33 PM ET

The Houston Cougars coaching staff has been working hard since the transfer portal opened a few days ago, and they have finally found a guy they like: Anthony Boswell.

This will be a great addition to coach Willie Fritz’s 2026-27 roster, as he hopes to improve the offensive line and make it to the Big 12 Championship Game after finishing fourth this past year.

Boswell decided to hit the transfer portal after playing with the Toledo Rockets this past season. He was heavily recruited by Jason Candles, who has now walked out the door for a new coaching position at UCONN, so that might have influenced Boswell's decision to enter the portal and find a new school that could develop him into a better player than he was this past season.

The Rockets replaced Candles in December 2025 with coach Mike Jacobs, a Maumee native who previously coached at Mercer and Lenoir-Rhyne before changing his career path. He had led teams to conference titles and playoff appearances, but it wasn't enough for the center to stay in town as he made his way to H-Town and told CBS Sports that he intends to sign with Houston.

More On Boswell

Toledo starting center Anthony Boswell has signed with Houston, @mzenitz and I have learned for @CBSSports.

He was the 10th-highest graded center in the FBS this year, per PFF. https://t.co/yWKCEwBGbt pic.twitter.com/mDILGHJzJo
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) January 7, 2026

Houston is going to be getting a freshman right out of the portal who will have at least three years of eligibility left, so he will be spending some time with Houston to take on a ton of Big 12 opponents.

Boswell is a 6-foot-2 center who will now be snapping the ball to quarterback Conner Weigman and could be a huge part of protecting anyone who steps close to the senior quarterback. He is a native to Indianapolis, Indiana, and now calls Houston, Texas, home.

He attended Ben Davis High School and, as a college prospect, was only a 2-star according to 247Sports. He had offers from schools like Grand Valley, Kentucky Wesleyan, and Tiffin, but didn’t accept any of them.

Now, 247 Sports has him listed as a 4-star athlete, after he put his name in the portal and more coaches had an opportunity to watch film on him and discuss what he wanted and was looking for in his future.

Originally, he was enrolled at Purdue on June 30, 2024, then returned to the portal on December 2, 2024, and joined Toledo on December 20. Now, Houston is happy to have him in the room as he proudly wears No. 52, so fans will see if he is on the field with that on his jersey.

This article first appeared on Houston Cougars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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