Aug 28, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Willie Fritz looks on during the fourth quarter against the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Houston's Willie Fritz is Familiar With Rice's 'Gun Choice' Offense

Originally posted on Houston Cougars on SI | By Noah Ruiz | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 2:54 PM ET

With an intercity rivalry game against Rice right around the corner, Houston football has the advantage of a head coach in Willie Fritz who has seen the Owls offensive attack time and time again.

Before his time in Houston and before that, Tulane, began, Fritz was the head man of Sam Houston State and Georgia Southern's programs, where he had tremendous success employing the same offensive strategy as Rice.

Rice have been racking up rushing yards utilizing the 'gun choice' offense, where the defense has their hands full in the face of a triple option. The quarterback lines up in the shotgun and has his choice of a keeper, a pitch option or a dive option.

Seeing Triple

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Knowledge is a valuable commodity in the college football landscape, something head coach Willie Fritz has a lot of. With over 40 years of coaching experience, Fritz has had the luxury of being around a handful of different offenses, including the triple option which granted his Bearkats and Eagles success over the years.

At Georgia Southern, the gun option offense allowed the Eagles' rousing success int Fritz's first year at the helm in 2014. As their first season in FBS, the gun option bought Fritz's squad an undefeated, 8-0 Sun Belt Conference record as they won the outright conference championship.

Before his time with the Eagles, the gun option worked wonders with Sam Houston State. In Fritz's second year, he coached the Bearkats to the FCS's only undefeated regular season and into the FCS playoffs. He coached the Bearkats to back-to-back national title game appearances in 2011 and 2012 in only three years as head man of the SHSU program.

Mobile quarterbacks are essential for this kind of approach, which is something that Rice has ready to face the Cougars on Saturday. The Owls have local talent out of Katy, Texas in their quarterback Chase Jenkins.

Jenkins has capable options to give the ball to in the backfield, most notably running back Quinton Jackson. As the Owls starting back, Jackson trampled through Ragin' Cajun defenders in their 14-12 victory over Louisiana.

Jackson had himself a 119-yard game, with running back Daelen Alexander shoring up the RB2 spot and being the third head in the rushing Hydra that is the gun option offense. Though the eye candy is enough to fool any defense, Houston has the man who established this rushing attack in the modern era of FBS football.

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

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