Can Willie Fritz Turn it Around for the Houston Cougars?

The Big 12 is as wide open as it’s ever been. With all twelve teams having a realistic shot at the title, this could be the most entertaining conference race in years.

And for Houston Cougars fans, there’s plenty of reason to believe their team could be in the thick of it.

Dan Wetzel, senior sports writer at ESPN, is among those bullish on second-year head coach Willie Fritz, noting during a recent appearance on the ESPN College Football Show that history could be on his side in 2025.

“A lot of potential in Houston," Wetzel said. "Willie Fritz… Year 1 at Blinn, Central Missouri, SHSU, Georgia Southern, and Tulane: 30-25-1 combined. Year 2? 44-17. There’s been a historic jump… that’s a great coach.”

Meet Head Coach Willie Fritz

Fritz enters 2025 with 32 years of collegiate head coaching experience and back-to-back American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors. His track record is consistent: everywhere he’s been, year two brings a leap forward.

It began in 1993 at Blinn College, where he inherited a small junior college program and turned it into a national powerhouse. In just four seasons, Fritz led the Buccaneers to a staggering 39–5 record and two national junior college championships, earning himself a place in the NJCAA Football Hall of Fame.

From there, he moved to Division II Central Missouri, where he spent over a decade rewriting the school’s record books. By the time he left in 2009, Fritz was the winningest coach in program history at 97–47. He guided the Mules to their first postseason berth in 32 years, then followed it with an MIAA championship and the school’s first NCAA Division II playoff appearance.

Success followed him to the Division I ranks. At Sam Houston State, Fritz wasted no time making his mark, leading the Bearkats to back-to-back national championship game appearances in 2011 and 2012, accomplished in just his second and third seasons in charge.

Then came Georgia Southern, where Fritz stepped into history as the program’s first-ever FBS head coach. He wasted no time rebranding the program, becoming the first coach in history to go unbeaten in conference play (8–0) during their inaugural FBS season. The following year, they finished 8–4 and won the GoDaddy Bowl, their first bowl game at the FBS level.

His next chapter took him to Tulane, where he inherited a program far from the national conversation. Over eight seasons, Fritz transformed the Green Wave into one of the Group of Five’s most respected programs. In 2022, he earned both the Dodd Trophy and the George Munger Coach of the Year Award, and in his final season in 2023, he led Tulane to a New Year’s Six bowl, cementing a culture of winning that continues today.

Now in his second year at Houston, Fritz is aiming for the kind of leap that has been common in his previous stints. His first year at the helm saw promising results, including back-to-back wins against nationally ranked Utah and Kansas State. 

Despite the team finishing 4-8 in the year, there is much expectation heading into 2025. With former Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman taking over under center, joined by 25 transfer additions, Houston could make quite some noise this coming season. 

Fritz has built winners at every level, often at programs with fewer resources than what Houston currently boasts.  With a full offseason to instill his system and culture, the Cougars could become a contender sooner than expected.