University of Houston Football

WILLIE FRITZ Hometown Shawnee Mission, Kan. College Pittsburg State '83; Sam Houston State '86 Wife Susan Children Wesley, Lainie & Brooke PLAYING EXPERIENCE Level School, Position College Pittsburg State, Defensive Back (1978-81) COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2024 - Houston, Head Coach 2016-23 Tulane, Head Coach 2014-15 Georgia Southern, Head Coach 2010-13 Sam Houston, Head Coach 1997-2009 Central Missouri, Head Coach 1993-96 Blinn College, Head Coach 1991-92 Sam Houston, Defensive Backs/Special Teams 1987-90 Coffeyville CC, Defensive Coordinator 1986 Willis (Texas) High School, Assistant Coach 1984-85 Sam Houston, Graduate Assistant 1983 Shawnee Mission Northwest (Kan.) High School, Assistant Coach 1982 Pittsburg State, Graduate Assistant POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic, Tulane 2020 Idaho Potato Bowl, Tulane 2020 Armed Forces Bowl, Tulane 2018 Cure Bowl, Tulane 2015 GoDaddy.com Bowl, Georgia Southern 2013 NCAA FCS Playoffs, Sam Houston 2012 NCAA FCS Championship Game, Sam Houston 2011 NCAA FCS Championship Game, Sam Houston 2002 NCAA Division II Playoffs, Central Missouri 2001 Mineral Water Bowl, Central Missouri 1996 NJCAA Championship Game, Blinn College 1995 NJCAA Championship Game, Blinn College 1994 Mineral Water Bowl, Blinn College 1990 NJCAA Championship Game, Coffeyville CC 1988 Jayhawk Bowl, Coffeyville CC 1987 Jayhawk Bowl, Coffeyville CC Coach Willie Fritz on X, formerly Twitter • Willie Fritz, the back-to-back America

Adrian Romero on X, formerly Twitter Adrian Romero joined University of Houston Football as its Assistant Director of Creative Media in February 2022. He was...

Andrew Crane rejoined the University of Houston as its Associate Director of Sports Medicine in July 2024. The Houston graduate works with Cougars Football. The 2025 season will be his second with the Cougars. Crane comes to Houston following eight seasons at Auburn where he served as Senior Athletic Trainer. With the Tigers, he assisted in the prevention, care, rehabilitation and overall wellness of football student-athletes, coaching staff and athletic support staff. Crane worked directly with the Auburn football team while assisting in long-term and short-term rehabs of other sports at the NCAA Division I level. He oversaw coverage of weight room workouts, on-field workouts, practices and games including travel. Prior to Auburn, Crane served two years as Athletic Trainer – Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Outreach at Memorial Hermann and operated as Head Athletic Trainer at Houston's University of St. Thomas. At St. Thomas, Crane oversaw prevention, care, rehabilitation, and overall wellness of all student athletes, coaching staff and athletic support staff. He worked directly with seven varsity sports including Volleyball, Men's & Women's Soccer, Men's & Women's Basketball, and Men's & Women's Golf at the NAIA Division I level. At St. Thomas, he was the liaison between team physicians and student-athletes. He was also responsible for the design and implementation of UST's mission statement, emergency action plan, blood borne pathogen policy, concussion protocol and all re

Ausin Armstrong Hometown York, Ala. College Huntingdon '14 Family Wife: Tiffany COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2025 - Houston, Defensive Coordinator 2023-24 Florida, Defensive Coordinator 2021-22 Southern Miss, Defensive Coordinator 2020 Louisiana, Linebackers 2019 Georgia, Quality Control 2017-18 Louisiana, Graduate Assistant 2016 West Georgia, Graduate Assistant BOWL EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2025 Texas Bowl, Houston 2022 Lending Tree Bowl, Southern Miss 2020 First Responder Bowl, Louisiana 2019 Sugar Bowl, Georgia 2018 Cure Bowl, Louisiana • Austin Armstrong, a rising star, who recently held the reins as defensive coordinator at the University of Florida from 2023-24, joined University of Houston Football in the same capacity on Dec. 14, 2024. The 2025 season will be his first with the Cougars. • Armstrong, who was the youngest defensive coordinator in the Southeastern Conference (31) upon his hire in 2023, has tutored 22 All-Conference or All-Conference freshman selections in his five seasons as defensive coordinator. • In 10 seasons coaching, including nine at the FBS level, Armstrong has helped programs to six bowl appearances and three conference championship game appearances, highlighted by a 2019 Sugar Bowl victory and SEC Championship game appearance as Georgia’s defensive quality control coach. That season, the 12-2 Bulldogs led the nation in rushing defense (74.6), scoring defense (12.6) and fourth-down conversion defense (.261). • In his first seaso

Bennie Wylie, one of the top strength and conditioning coaches in the country, joined the Houston Football coaching staff in January 2026 following 18 season...

Shawn Bell Hometown China Spring, Texas College Sam Houston State '13 Family Wife: Taylor Children: Grayson & Tatum COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2026 - Houston, Wide Receivers 2024-25 Houston, Offensive Assistant 2022-23 Baylor, Defensive Quality Control 2018-21 China Springs High School, Head Coach 2016-17 China Springs High School, Assistant 2015 Georgia Southern, Graduate Assistant 2014 Magnolia West High School, Wide Receivers BOWL EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2025 Texas Bowl, Houston 2022 Armed Forces Bowl, Baylor Brian Bell on X, formerly Twitter • Brian Bell joined University of Houston Football in January 2024 as its Offensive Analyst. In December 2025, Bell was promoted to Wide Receivers Coach in December 2025 ahead of the Kinder's Texas Bowl. The 2026 season will be his third with the program and first as position coach. Bell joined Houston after two seasons as Baylor’s Quality Control Coach for Defensive Analysis. • Bell was promoted to Wide Receivers coach ahead of the Cougars Texas Bowl appearance against LSU where he served as the Wide Receivers coach and as the assistant to himself while also serving as the signaler from the sideline. • In Houston’s Texas Bowl win over LSU, eight different Cougars caught passes for 230 total receiving yards while star receiver Amare Thomas caught a pair of touchdown passes. • Bell helped tutor Thomas in his first season in Scarlet and White becoming the first Houston receiver with 10+ touchdown receptions since 202

Casey Smithson on X, formerly Twitter Casey Smithson joined University of Houston Football as its Director of Player Personnel in January 2020. In December 2...

Chris Couch Hometown Milledgeville, Ga. College Georgia Southern, '11, '15 Family Wife: Susannah Sons: Wyatt & Teddy COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2025 - Houston, Special Teams Coordinator 2022-24 Florida, GameChanger Coordinator 2021 Louisiana, Special Teams Coordinator 2016-20 Tulane, Special Teams Coordinator 2015 Point, Special Teams Coordinator 2013-14 Georgia Southern, Graduate Assistant 2012 Missouri Southern State, Slot Backs POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2025 Texas, Houston 2024 Gasparilla, Florida 2022 Las Vegas, Florida 2021 New Orleans, Louisiana 2020 Famous Potato, Tulane 2018 Cure, Tulane 2015 NAIA Playoffs, Point • Chris Couch reunites with Head Coach Willie Fritz in 2025 as Houston’s Special Teams Coordinator following three years at Florida as the GameChanger Coordinator where his role focused on special teams. • A native of Milledgeville, Ga., Couch spent the 2021 season with Billy Napier at Louisiana as UL’s special teams coordinator and the director of quality control & analytics. • In 2025, Couch coached the special teams unit that featured a Cougar kicker’s greatest success in decades. Senior Ethan Sanchez, who was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist for the nation’s best kicker, connected on the second most made field goals in a season with 21 made field goals. Sanchez earned three Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors and made three game-winning field goals with 3:00 remaining in regulation or overtime. • Sanchez’s three game

A veteran of more than 40 years in the coaching ranks, Donn Landholm joined University of Houston Football in January 2024 as its Special Assistant to the Head Coach. The 2025 season will be his second with the Cougars following eight seasons as Director of Player Development at Tulane (2016-23). Landholm helped transform Tulane into a national power as the Green Wave won 10-plus games in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history and spent 19 weeks ranked inside the AP Top 25 in 2022-23, including topping out at #9 following a thrilling 46-45 Cotton Bowl victory against #8 USC on Jan. 10, 2023. Tulane's 23 wins between 2022-23 ranked fourth nationally while the program's 15 conference wins are fifth in the country in that timeframe. Prior to Tulane, Landholm spent three seasons at Tennessee Tech as the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach. He was the defensive coordinator at Purdue in 2009, when the Boilermakers defeated Michigan and Ohio State in the same season for the first time since 1966. He coached the outside linebackers at Purdue for three seasons (2010-12) and was part of teams that went to back-to-back bowl games in 2011 and 2012. Those defenses included future NFL players Ryan Kerrigan, Kawann Short and Ricardo Allen. He moved to Purdue in 2009 from Eastern Kentucky, where he coached from 1997-2008. A native of Bristow, Nebraska, Landholm played outside linebacker at Wayne State College and earned a bachelor's degree in physical educati

• Dre Fusilier joined the Houston Cougars coaching staff as an Offensive Graduate Assistant in July 2024 after spending the spring at his alma mater Grambling State where he served as an assistant coach working with the running backs. The 2025 season will be his second with the Cougars. • Fusilier assists the running backs at Houston, aiding Assistant Coach Jordy Jospeh with a deep running back room. • During 2024, Houston's youthful running backs room rushed for 201 more yards than a season prior. Three of Houston's top four backs were freshmen including redshirt freshman Re'Shaun Sanford II who paced the Cougars with 444 rushing yards and was one of five FBS freshmen with 400+ rushing yards and 150+ receiving yards on the season. • Houston and Louisville were the only two programs nationally to have three freshman running backs produce 150+ all-purpose yards during 2024. J'Marion Burnette's 116 rushing yards after contact led all Big 12 true freshmen backs. DJ Butler's 76.8 PFF run grade was second among Big 12 true freshmen backs (min. 15 rushes) and his 4.88 yards after contact per attempt ranked third among Power Four true freshman backs (min. 15 rushes). • Meanwhile, junior Stacy Sneed finished third on the team 308 rushing yards. Sneed rushed for 5.0+ yards per carry for a third straight season, becoming the first UH back with 5.0+ yards/carry (min. 45 carries) in three straight years since Kenneth Farrow in four straight (2012-15). • While at Grambling, Fusilier coach

Ella Guerrero begins her first season on Head Coach Willie Fritz’s staff in 2026, as Director of Recruiting Operations. Guerrero arrives in Houston following...

Eman Naghavi Hometown Katy, Texas College McNeese State '08 Family Wife: Julie Daughters: Ryan, Austin & Mason PLAYING EXPERIENCE Level School, Position College McNeese State (2005-08) COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2024 - Houston, Offensive Line 2023 Houston, Run Game Coordinator/OL 2022 Tulane, Offensive Line 2021 Georgia State, Offensive Line 2020 ULM, Offensive Coordinator 2017-19 ULM, Offensive Line 2016 McNeese State, Offensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator 2015 McNeese State, Offensive Line 2013-14 Texas, Offensive Quality Control 2011-12 McNeese State, Offensive Line / Tight Ends 2010 C.E. King HS, Offensive Line POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2023 Cotton Bowl, Tulane 2021 Camellia Bowl, Georgia State 2014 Texas Bowl, Texas 2013 Alamo Bowl, Texas Coach Eman Naghavi on X, formerly Twitter • Houston-area native and college football coaching veteran Eman Naghavi, a 2024 Dave Campbell's Texas Football 40 Under 40 recipient, joined University of Houston Football on Jan. 28, 2023. The 2026 season will be his fourth at Houston and 16th coaching collegiate football. • For the second-straight year, Naghavi (pronounced ee-MAHN nuh-GAH-vee) led an offensive line in 2025 with four new starters with the line gelling to the point where Houston improved in every offensive category, improving from 128th to 60th nationally in total offense, 132nd to 55th in scoring offense, 119th to 40th in passing efficiency, 90th to 41st in rushing offense, 126th to 81st in passing

Emily England joined University of Houston Athletics in June 2018 as Assistant Director of Performance Nutrition and was elevated to her current role as Director of Performance Nutrition in January 2021. In her current role, England oversees two full-time Sports RD’s, dietetic interns, and a group of work-study and volunteer undergraduate students. She supervises daily operations of a department that supports Houston’s 17 Division I sport programs, communicates, and works with Athletics administration, maintains and oversees department and fueling station budgets, and works with on-campus food service partners to coordinate individual team meals. England is the primary dietitian for Houston Football and oversees nutritional needs including pre-and post-practice nutrition, body composition measurement, hydration testing, and coordination of both home and travel meals for 100+ student-athletes. She also directs and oversees the nutritional needs of the Houston Tennis and Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams. Prior to her time at Houston, England was a Registered Dietitian Intern with the NBA G-League Texas Legends in Frisco, Texas. There she spent one season consulting and collaborating with a Gatorade Sports Science Institute Dietitian to promote education and provide nutritional support to the team. A native of Keller, Texas, England graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences from Texas A&M University in 2015. She went on to complete her Master of Science in Exercis

• Eric Osborne joined University of Houston Football during summer 2024. He serves as Defensive Graduate Assistant for the Cougars. The 2025 season will be h...

Garrison Vaughn on X, formerly Twitter • Garrison Vaughn was named a Graduate Assistant in 2023 after five seasons as a defensive back for the Houston Cougars from 2018-22. The 2025 season will be his third with the Cougars in an assistant capacity. • Vaughn works with the defensive backs for Houston where he helps run position group meetings, breaks down opposing team offensive game plans, manages the sideline communication of the defense and special teams and assists with the offensive scout team units to prepare the defensive side of the ball. • In 2024, Vaughn supported one of the nation's top safeties units led by First Team All-Big 12 Conference honoree A.J. Haulcy. The junior finished tied for Big 12 lead in interceptions (5) and second in passes defended (13). Haulcy was the only Big 12 defender with 2+ INTs in a league road game, leading the Cougars to a 30-19 win at TCU on Oct. 4. • During 2024, the Cougars limited opponents to 188.8 passing yards per game, ranking third in the Big 12. Houston's 2,266 passing yards allowed were its fewest in a non-COVID season (eight games played) in 30 years (2,160 yards in 1994). UH held opponents under 225 passing yards nine times (15th nationally) and intercepted passes in eight of 12 games including three picks against Baylor (Nov. 23) which ranked tied for the fifth most nationally by a Power Four program on the season. • In 2023, Haulcy led Houston in 2023 with 98 tackles, 73 solo, earning Big 12 Conference Honorable Mention

Henry Stone on X, formerly Twitter • Henry Stone joined University of Houston Football in January 2024 as its Offensive Analyst. The 2025 season will be his ...

Jake Pittman joined University of Houston Football as its Director of Scouting in March 2024. The 2025 season will be his second with the program. In his current role, Pittman assists in evaluations and breakdowns of film, discovery of prospects, and management of the recruiting board. He helps in day-to-day recruiting operations and on-campus visits. Pittman coordinates recruiting travel for coaches and prospects to evaluate. At camps, Pittman collects prospect measurements and athletic testing. Pittman also discovers and evaluates prospects from JUCO and the transfer portal. Prior to Houston, Pittman spent two years at Texas Tech. In 2023, Pittman served as the Assistant Director of Scouting, assisting in film evaluations, organization, and board management. He also assisted in recruiting functions, helping with official visits and summer camps at Texas Tech. Also assisting with roster management, Pittman worked to create weekly opponent scouting reports, breaking down and grading the rosters of opposing teams. In 2022, Pittman worked as a Post-Graduate Intern in Recruiting. In 2019, Pittman worked as a summer scouting intern for the New Orleans Saints. In the NFL, he helped the Saints with breakdowns and film cut-ups. Pittman helped with day-to-day organization, along with creating scouting reports and presenting them to the Saints scouting staff. Beginning in 2018, Pittman served as a Student Football Equipment Manager at Baylor University, assisting coaches with daily dr

James Ross III Hometown Detroit, Mich. College Michigan '16 Family Wife: Omni Children: Jayce & Jax COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2025 Houston, Outside Linebackers / Defensive Ends & Run-Game Coordinator 2024 Houston, Defensive Ends/ Outside Linebackers 2023 Tulane, Senior Defensive Analyst 2022 Cincinnati, Outside Linebackers 2021 Hope College, Linebackers 2018-20 Michigan, Graduate Assistant BOWL EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2025 Texas Bowl, Houston 2022 Fenway Bowl, Cincinnati 2020 Citrus Bowl, Michigan 2018 Peach Bowl, Michigan Coach James Ross III on X, formerly Twitter • James Ross III joined University of Houston Football in January 2024 as its Defensive Ends/Outside Linebackers Coach. In January 2025, he was named Outside Edges & Run-Game Coordinator. The 2026 season will be his third with the Cougars. Ross came to Houston from Tulane where he spent the 2023 season as Senior Defensive Analyst. • In 2025, Ross tutored a second-straight Cougar edge defender to All-Conference honors with Eddie Walls III earning All-Big 12 Second Team honors in his lone season at Houston. Walls led the Cougars with 7.0 sacks and 11.5 TFLs while assisting Houston’s run-stop core with a 6.2% run-stop rate, top 100 nationally among edge rushers. Walls ranked fifth in the Big 12 in sacks and sixth in TFLs. • In 2024, Ross III's unit played a key role in a Houston defense which ranked 26th nationally and 18th in the Power Four in total defense (324.8). He helped tutor defensive end

Jay Girdner joined University of Houston Football as its Director of Recruiting Strategy in March 2024 and was promoted to Director of Recruiting in February 2025. The 2025 season will be his second with the program. As Director of Recruiting Strategy, Girdner helped identify and evaluate prospects in high school, JUCO and the transfer portal in addition to handling recruiting studies and communication. Girdner directly communicated and built relationships with recruits while helping to schedule and operate their visits. He also helped lead interns within the recruiting department. Prior to Houston, Girdner spent nearly one year as Player Personnel/Recruiting Analyst at Wisconsin where he identified, evaluated and recruited primarily skill positions in high school and junior college and searched for players in the transfer portal based on position and scheme needs. While at Wisconsin, the Badgers' 2024 class was ranked Top 25 nationally and the second highest in program history including the highest rated defensive back in school history. Girdner came to Wisconsin from Wofford where he spent spring 2023 as its Defensive/Special Teams Quality Control. He spent fall 2022 as an Offensive Assistant at Furman where he worked with quarterbacks during practice, in meetings and on game days. Prior to Furman, he spent summer 2022 as a Graduate Assistant at Wingate, developing and coaching safeties. Girdner received his Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from Wingate. He earned hi

Jordy Joseph Hometown New Iberia, La. College Tulane '15, '16 COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2024 - Houston, Running Backs 2023 Southern Miss, Quarterbacks 2021-22 Southern Miss, Running Backs 2018-20 Tulane, Offensive Analyst 2016-17 Tulane, Offensive Graduate Assistant BOWL EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2025 Texas Bowl, Houston 2022 LendingTree Bowl, Southern Miss 2020 Idaho Potato Bowl, Tulane 2020 Armed Forces Bowl, Tulane 2018 Cure Bowl, Tulane Coach Jordy Joseph on X, formerly Twitter • Jordy Joseph joined University of Houston Football in January 2024 as its Running Backs Coach. The 2026 season will be his third with the Cougars. Joseph, who spent five seasons working for Head Coach Willie Fritz at Tulane, joined Houston following three seasons at Southern Miss. • In his second season at Houston, Joseph earned 35 Under 35 honors and coached senior running back Dean Connors to one of the best seasons by a running back in recent Houston history. Connors rushed for 977 yards, the most by a Houston running back since 2014 and the 10th most since 1996. Connors finished the year with 254 receiving yards, fourth most on the team and became the first Cougar running back since 2008 to record 900+ rushing yards and 250+ receiving yards in a single season. • During 2024, Houston's youthful running backs room rushed for 201 more yards than a season prior. Three of Houston's top four backs were freshmen including redshirt freshman Re'Shaun Sanford II who paced the Cougars

Joseph Stone joined the University of Houston Sports Performance team as an Assistant Strength Coach in June 2025 and works with the Cougar Football team. Stone comes to Houston by way of Abilene Christian where he served as the Director of Olympic Strength & Conditioning and the Director of Football Speed Development for three years overseeing a comprehensive strength and conditioning programs for the Wildcats' women's basketball and soccer and assisted with the implementation of the football strength and conditioning program. Prior to Abilene Christian, Stone was a Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at Jackson State supporting the football program where he led offensive and defensive linemen in weekly speed and agility training during summer workouts from 2022-23. Stone earned his start in collegiate athletics at Memphis where he was a strength & conditioning intern for the Tigers' football team. He graduated from Delta State with a Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science from Delta State in 2020 and a Masters in Human Performance in 2022.

Judson Hunter joined the Houston Football staff as a Special Teams/Specialsts Assistant ahead of the 2025 season after one season at the University of Charle...

Kevin Haynes joins the Houston Equipment Services team as Director of Football Equipment Operations in May 2024 after two seasons as the head equipment manager at San Diego State. He brings over a decade of collegiate equipment management experience with seven years on Division I football equipment staffs. The 2025 season will be his second with the Cougars. As the Director of Football Equipment Operations, Haynes collaborates with the Assistant Athletic Director of Equipment on all aspects of the football program's equipment needs including but not limited to handling the equipment budget, managing inventory, forecasting orders for future student-athletes and staff, preparing for all recruiting events, fitting protective equipment and ensuring all apparel items are sanitized, sorted and distributed to assigned personnel. Before Houston, he spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons at San Diego State as Head Football Equipment Manager. Haynes oversaw the fitting, distribution, laundering, maintenance, and purchasing of athletic equipment and apparel for 115 football players & 40 staff members. He also directly supervised 15 student managers and designed, implemented. Haynes' got his start in collegiate athletics at Boise State as the head student assistant for the women's basketball team from 2009-13 before a season in 2013-14 with the men's team. He then moved across the country for his first football equipment job at Florida State as a graduate assistant for the 2014 season before re

Liam Daigle Aucoin joined the Houston Athletics Sports Medicine Department as an associate director working with the football program in February 2026. Daigle Aucoin comes to Houston following a season with the Chicago Bears as an athletic training intern, two seasons at Auburn working with the football program as an intern and a summer with the New Orleans Saints. A 2023 graduate from Southeastern Louisiana, Daigle Aucoin earned his masters from Arkansas State in 2024.

Shawn Bell Hometown Kansas City, Mo. College North Texas '14 COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2026 - Houston, Cornerbacks 2024-25 Stephen F. Austin, Cornerbacks / Defensive Recruiting Coordinator 2023 Stephen F. Austin, Defensive Backs / Defensive Recruiting Coordinator 2022 Stephen F. Austin, Safeties 2020-21 Lovejoy High School, Co-Defensive Coordinator, Special Teams Coordinator, Secondary Coach 2019 Coppell High School, Special Teams Coordinator / Secondary Coach 2018 John Horn High School, Defensive Backs 2017 Missouri, Defensive Graduate Assistant BOWL EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2025 FCS Quarterfinals, Stephen F. Austin 2017 Texas Bowl, Missouri Marcus Trice on X, formerly Twitter • Marcus Trice was named University of Houston Football Cornerbacks Coach in December 2025. The 2026 season will be his first with the Cougars. • Trice joins the Cougars from Stephen F. Austin where he helped the Lumberjacks to the Quarterfinals of the 2025 FCS Playoffs, their best finish since 2009. The Lumberjacks won 11 FCS games after opening the season against Houston and won all seven home games they played. • Three Lumberjack defensive backs earned All-Southland Defense honors in 2025 with Charles Demmings and Jalen Mayo earning All-SLC Defense First-Team honors and Aaron Sears being named to the All-SLC Defense Second Team. Mayo led SFA cornerbacks with an 88.4 PFF Coverage Grade which ranked eighth in FCS. • Over the last two seasons SFA intercepted 31 passes over 26 games,

Michael Bishop was hired as an Offensive Assistant in December 2025 ahead of Houston's appearance in the 2025 Kinder's Texas Bowl following five seasons as the head coach at Legacy the School of Sport Sciences in Spring, Texas. In five seasons at Legacy, the Titans went 36-21 where he coached incoming five-star quarterback Keisean Henderson for four seasons where the two will reconnect in 2026. Bishop, who played high school football at Willis High School in Willis, Texas, enters the collegiate coaching ranks for the first time in his career and reunites with Coach Fritz after playing under him at Blinn College for two seasons from 1995-96. Bishop helped lead Blinn to back-to-back undefeated seasons, going 24-0 in route to winning consecutive NJCAA championships. A dual-threat talent, he passed for over 2,500 yards while rushing for over 500 yards with a combined 34 touchdowns through the air and ground. Following one season of collegiate baseball at Independence Community College in 1997, Bishop played quarterback at Kansas State where he was recruited by Bill Snyder. Bishop went on to start 25 games through two seasons in Manhattan, Kan., where he passed for just over 4,400 yards and 36 touchdowns as well as 1,300 rushing yards and 23 scores, breaking school records and collecting all-conference honors. He went on to win the 1998 Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's best quarterback before finishing second in voting for the 1998 Heisman Trophy behind Ricky Williams. In 2023,

Oscar Giles Hometown Palacios, Texas College Texas '91 Family Wife: Kim Children: Olivia & Kourtney COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2024 - Houston, Defensive Line 2023 Wyoming, Associate Head Coach/Defensive Run-Game Coordinator/Defensive Tackles/Freshman Head Coach 2022 Wyoming, Defensive Run-Game Coordinator/Defensive Tackles 2017-20 Texas, Defensive Line 2015-16 Houston, Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line 2014 Louisiana Tech, Defensive Line/Special Teams 2005-13 Texas, Defensive Ends/Special Teams 2003-04 Houston, Defensive Line/Special Teams 2000-02 SMU, Defensive Line/Special Teams 1999 Texas, Graduate Assistant 1998 Southwest Texas State, Defensive Line/Strength BOWL EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2025 Texas Bowl, Houston 2023 Arizona Bowl, Wyoming 2022 Arizona Bowl, Wyoming 2020 Alamo Bowl, Texas 2019 Alamo Bowl, Texas 2019 Sugar Bowl, Texas 2017 Texas Bowl, Texas 2016 Las Vegas Bowl, Houston 2015 Peach Bowl, Houston 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl, Louisiana Tech 2013 Alamo Bowl, Texas 2012 Alamo Bowl, Texas 2011 Holiday Bowl, Texas 2010 BCS Championship, Texas 2009 Fiesta Bowl, Texas 2007 Holiday Bowl, Texas 2006 Alamo Bowl, Texas 2006 BCS Championship - Rose Bowl, Texas 2003 Hawaii Bowl, Houston Coach Oscar Giles on X, formerly Twitter • Oscar Giles joined the University of Houston as its Defensive Line Coach in February 2024, marking his third tour with the Cougars after previous stints on staff during 2003-04 and 2015-16. The 2025 season will mark his 26th as a

• Pete Brown joined the University of Houston Football in March as a Defensive Analyst. The 2025 season will be his second with the Cougars after spending th...

PJ Hall Hometown Hoover, Ala. College Tulane '19; Tulane '20 COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2026 - Houston, Safeties 2025 Houston, Cornerbacks 2024 Tarleton State, Defensive Assistant 2021-23 Baylor, Graduate Assistant 2021 UAB, Graduate Assistant POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2025 Texas Bowl, Houston 2024 FCS Playoffs, Tarleton State 2022 Armed Forces Bowl, Baylor 2021 Sugar Bowl, Baylor Coach PJ Hall on X, formerly Twitter • PJ Hall, a former Tulane Football standout student-athlete, who spent three seasons on staff at Baylor and another at Tarleton State, joined University of Houston Football as its Cornerbacks Coach on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. Hall transitioned to coach the safeties ahead of the 2026 season. The 2026 season will be his second with the Cougars. • In 2025, the Cougars’ cornerbacks posted career-best seasons while helping limit opposing teams passing game plans. Hall tutored both starting cornerbacks to All-Big 12 Conference Second-Team selections, the first season Houston had a pair of All-Conference cornerbacks since 2016. • Sophomore cornerback Will James posted one of the best seasons by a Cougar defensive back in over 10 years when he became the first Cougar DB since 2015 to record 3+ INTs and 4+ TFLs in the same season. James also earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week following a performance where he snagged two interceptions while adding a forced fumble and five tackles. • On the other side of the field, senior Latrell McCutchin

RJ Sneed spent one season as a Nebraska graduate assistant in 2024 before joining Head Coach Willie Fritz’s staff in 2026 as an Offensive Quality Control coach working with the quarterbacks. The former Baylor wide receiver worked with the receivers at Nebraska. Sneed came to Nebraska after serving as the receivers coach at Bryan High School in Texas during the 2023 season. Sneed played wide receiver at Baylor from 2017 to 2021, where he played three seasons for head coach Matt Rhule. Sneed tallied 133 receptions for 1,563 yards and eight touchdowns as a Bear. Sneed played his sixth season at Colorado in 2022, seeing action in 12 games and recording 20 receptions for 168 yards. Sneed earned his bachelor’s degree in health, kinesiology and leisure studies from Baylor in 2020.

Robert Beacham on X, formerly Twitter • Robert Beacham joined University of Houston Football in February 2023 as its Offensive Analyst. The 2025 season will ...

Robert Nathan was elevated to Director of Football Video in 2022 after serving as a student video intern. Nathan plans, edits and coordinates video productio...

Shane Meyer, a highly decorated placekicker for head coach Willie Fritz at Central Missouri, joined the University of Houston Football program in December 2023 as its Associate Athletic Director, Director of Football Operations. Prior to Houston, Meyer spent eight seasons with Tulane (2016-23) as Associate Athletic Director for Football Operations, handling administrative duties including travel, scheduling, and program organization. His time at Tulane included a Cotton Bowl Classic victory and one American Athletic Conference Championship. In 2022, Meyer was selected as the FootballScoop Operations Director of the Year. He previously spent 2014-15 at Georgia Southern in the same role under Fritz, four and a half years as Head Girls' Basketball Coach at Jefferson City High School in Missouri, and began his coaching career in 2002. As a student-athlete at Central Missouri (1995-98), Meyer was a four-time All-MIAA selection and three-time Academic All-American. In 1997, he kicked 18 field goals to set UCM's single-season record and holds the career record with 49. He was inducted into the Central Missouri Hall of Fame in 2009. Meyer is married to fellow Central Missouri alum Chris and has two children, Trey and Leah.

Shawn Bell Hometown China Spring, Texas College Baylor '06; Baylor '07 Family Wife: Hali Children: Cannon, Braxton & Saydi COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2025 - Houston, Asst. HC/Quarterbacks/Passing Coordinator 2024-25 Houston, Quarterbacks/Passing Coordinator 2021-23 Baylor, Quarterbacks 2020 Baylor, Tight Ends 2018-19 Baylor, Offensive Line 2017 Baylor, Analyst 2016 Cedar Ridge High School, Head Coach 2010-15 Magnolia West High School, Head Coach 2009 Clifton High School, Head Coach 2008 China Spring High School, Assistant Coach 2007 Stony Point High School, Wide Receivers BOWL EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2025 Texas Bowl, Houston 2022 Armed Forces Bowl, Baylor 2021 Sugar Bowl, Baylor 2020 Sugar Bowl, Baylor 2018 Texas Bowl, Baylor Coach Shawn Bell on X, formerly Twitter • Shawn Bell joined University of Houston Football as its Quarterbacks Coach/Passing Coordinator in January 2024 but was elevated to Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Coach/Passing Coordinator in December 2025. The 2026 season will be his third with the Cougars following seven seasons at Baylor. • In his second season at Houston, the former Baylor quarterback tutored junior quarterback Conner Weigman to a breakout and career defining season as Houston’s new QB1 showcased his dual-threat athleticism totaling the seventh most touchdowns nationally, throwing for 25 touchdowns and rushing for 11 scores. Weigman was one four quarterbacks in FBS with 25+ passing touchdowns and 10+ rushing touchdowns i

Slade Nagle Hometown Baton Rouge, La. College McNeese '01 Family Wife: Kirby COACHING EXPERIENCE Year School, Position 2025 - Houston, Offensive Coordinator 2024 LSU, Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends 2023 Tulane, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Interim Head Coach 2016-22 Tulane, Tight Ends 2012-15 McNeese, Running Backs/Special Teams 2011 Central Arkansas, Running Backs 2010 Texas State, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks 2009 LSU, Special Teams 2006-09 Northwestern State, Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers 2004-05 Dodge City (Kan.) CC, Quarterbacks 2002-03 McNeese, Graduate Assistant BOWL EXPERIENCE Year Bowl, School 2025 Texas Bowl, Houston 2023 Military Bowl, Tulane 2022 Cotton Bowl, Tulane 2020 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Tulane 2019 Armed Forces Bowl, Tulane 2018 AutoNation Cure Bowl, Tulane 2015 FCS Playoffs, McNeese 2013 FCS Playoffs, McNeese 2011 FCS Playoffs, Central Arkansas 2009 Capital One Bowl, LSU 2005 Heart of Texas (NJCAA), Dodge City CC 2002 FCS Playoffs, Northwestern State Coach Slade Nagle on X, formerly Twitter • Slade Nagle, a 20-plus year coaching veteran who helped guide Tulane’s resurgent offenses across eight seasons and most recently oversaw special teams/tight ends at LSU, was named University of Houston Football Offensive Coordinator on Dec. 5, 2024. The 2025 season will be his first with the Cougars. • Under Head Coach Willie Fritz, Nagle coached Tulane tight ends from 2016-22 before taking over the reins as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks co

Tatjana Banjeglav on Twitter Tatjana Banjeglav joined the University of Houston Department of Athletics in January 2011 and became assistant director for the Academic Center for Excellence in January 2016. She has since been promoted to Associate Athletics Director for Academic Services in December 2025 after serving as Assistant Athletics Director for Academic Services for multiple years. As Interim Associate Athletics Director for Academic Services, Banjeglav oversees the Dominic and Ellen Ng Academic Center for Excellence which includes academic advisors, learning specialists, tutors and student-athlete development supporting Houston Student-Athletes during their time at Houston. In the later role, she works closely with the Football program, providing information and advice to current and prospective student-athletes regarding University academic programs and curriculums and analyzing degree plans and graduation applications. Banjeglav -- whose name is pronounced Taht-yah-nuh Ban-juh-glove -- first worked with the Cougars as an academic learning specialist in January 2011. During her time at UH, she worked in a variety of roles, serving internships with the strength and conditioning staff and the associate athletics director for sports programs during the 2006-07 school year. Banjeglav, who hails from Toronto, Ontario, also worked as a sales executive with the Karen Brown Insurance Group in Houston for three years before joining the Athletics Department in 2011 on a full-

Terrian Dora joined the Houston Football program ahead of the 2026 season following a season at Hinds Community College and works with the defense. Dora spent the 2025 season at Hinds where he served as the Special Teams Coordinator and Linebackers Coach. Dora reunites with Defensive Coordinator Austin Armstrong, and Running Backs Coach Jordy Joseph, whom he crossed paths with at Southern Miss during their time in Hattiesburg, Miss. Dora spent two of his seven seasons at Southern Miss including four as a student, two as a graduate assistant, and one as a defensive assistant and worked for multiple head coaches during his time in Hattiesburg. He earned his Bachelor of Liberal Arts in May 2021 from Southern Miss and his Master of Sports Management in May 2023 from Southern Miss. In 2018, he was a part of top defenses in Southern Mississippi. He came to Southern Miss after earning 4A all-region honors at Noxubee County High School, where his school won two state titles during his time there. Dora and his wife, Taylor, has two children, Teyana and Terrian.

Tyler Kishbaugh joined University of Houston Football in January 2024 as its Assistant Strength Coach. The 2025 season will be his second with the Cougars after spending two seasons in the same capacity at Tulane (2022-23). At Tulane, Kishbaugh was responsible for weight room programming and skill positions as well as all aspects of return to play for football. He led and programmed FRC mobility routines for pregame and lift sessions and played an integral role in the Green Wave's historic two-year run which included two American Athletic Conference Championship appearances, one league title and a Cotton Bowl victory over No. 9 USC. Prior to Tulane, Kishbaugh spent eight months as Temple's Assistant Strength Coach and an eight-month part time role as North Carolina's Assistant Athletic Performance Coach. Kishbaugh also served Sports Performance Intern stints at Villanova and Ithaca College. He received his Bachelor of Exercise Science from Ithaca College in May 2019, where he played defensive back and was named to All-Conference in the Liberty League. In May 2021, he earned his Master of Exercise Science in Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention from California University of Pennsylvania. Kishbaugh is an NSCA certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, a certified Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist and is certified by the American Red Cross in CPR/AED/First Aid.

Wes Fritz joined the University of Houston Football program as its Director of Personnel/Pro Liaison in December 2023. The 2026 season will be his third with the program and second as General Manager. In his first three recruiting cycles he has done that with 40+ Cougars from the greater Houston-area. Since his first recruiting class in 2024 which featured 63 newcomers, the 2026 class featured just 38 newcomers while returning 68 Cougars from the 2025 roster. Fritz came to Houston after spending eight seasons as Tulane's Director of Player Personnel where he managed all recruiting events as well as maintained the Green Wave's recruiting database and recruiting board. Behind Fritz's recruiting efforts, Tulane saw multiple players selected in the NFL Draft in three of the last four years (2020, 2021, 2023). Between 2020-23, the Green Wave placed 10 players in the NFL including 2023 third round NFL Draft selections Tyjae Spears (81st pick) and Dorian Williams (91st pick). Fritz came to Tulane after serving the 2014-15 seasons at Georgia Southern in a similar capacity under head coach Willie Fritz. Before earning his master's degree from Georgia Southern, Fritz received his bachelor's degree from Sam Houston State University in Kinesiology in 2013. At Sam Houston, Fritz was a two-year letterwinner for the Bearkats in basketball.

Will Weaver on X, formerly Twitter • Will Weaver was named Defensive Analyst at Houston in January 2019. The 2025 season will be his seventh with the program. • During 2024, Houston ranked 26th nationally and 18th in the Power Four in total defense (324.8). The Cougars held opponents under 100 yards rushing five times, ranking 21st nationally and second in the Big 12, while limiting the opposition to one or no rushing scores in nine different contests. Through the air, Houston's 2,266 passing yards allowed were its fewest in a non-COVID season (eight games played) in 30 years (2,160 yards in 1994). • Prior to Houston, Weaver spent one season in a Defensive Quality Control/Linebackers role at Arkansas State. In 2018, Arkansas State was one of the nation's best defenses against the pass, ranking 11th in the country while allowing just 177.8 passing yards per game. • Prior to his time at Arkansas State, Weaver spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Northwestern State. • Under Weaver’s tutelage, De’Mard Llorens finished his career in the school’s top 10 in all-time rushing. Llorens tied the school single-game rushing touchdown mark as a junior, scoring four times at Nicholls on Halloween 2015. Llorens and Daniel Taylor each had more than 100 carries, becoming the first NSU running back duo to do so since 2009. The 2,130 rushing yards were the most by a Demons team since 2007 (2,139). • In his first season as the running backs coach, Weaver balanced a stable of talented backs