Thoughts and ramblins’ from another week of Spring football.
The receivers have really stood out in Spring. This is a deep group and more talented than in recent memory. I think there will be seven guys in the rotation early on:
Amare Thomas (#0)
Trent Walker* (#4)
Muizz Tounkara* (#14)
Koby Young (#2)
Harvey Broussard* (#3)
Jaquise Martin (#80)
Tyson Turner* (#18)
*6’2″ or taller
Muizz Tounkara is going to surprise some people. He makes plays, and at 6’3″ 210 lbs, he looks like a big-time receiver, and routinely makes great catches in practice. “Mu” made a great sideline catch in 11-on-11 recently, and Willie, after telling Tounkara that he ran a great route, yelled at the DB, “You got your lunch ate!”
Koby Young is making great plays down the field, finding separation and getting some good balls from Conner Weigman (#1). Harvey Broussard looks like a different player than in 2025 and is stacking one good day after another. He’s making big plays down the field often.
I wrote a week ago that, after (virtually) every play by a running back, position coach Jordy Joseph sprints down the field to praise his guy and coach him up. Re’Shaun Sanford has had an excellent spring, and Jordy told him last week, “don’t get infatuated with the good plays” and “don’t overanalyze that sh__” on the bad ones.
Jalen Mayo (#2) continues to impress. He made a fantastic play on a ball he batted away, stretching across the receiver’s face to knock it down. He also has had several INTs in the spring in 11-on-11. C.J. Douglas (#13) has been making plays in the defensive backfield. He intercepted Keisean Henderson (#5) on a pass to Wyatt Herbal (#86), who is coming on in his own right.
Keisean has made some nice plays and, at times, looks more mature than a first-semester freshman should look. At other times, he’s a freshman. He broke a “tackle” on Tuesday and found Broussard on the sideline. A play later, he nailed TE Patrick Overmyer (#9) down the seam.
If the season started today, I think Trent Walker is returning punts and likely returning kicks as well. You can tell there are times he’s still adjusting to the heat and humidity of Houston, after playing and living his entire life in Oregon. He was at Oregon State and Beaverton HS before that. It’s his first year not being a Beaver, too.
Walker is clinical at catching the ball. He makes use of the Monarc Seeker, a six-ball pass-throwing robot, as much as anyone. He works on catching with it, but he also works on his hands.
The first-team offensive line is (L-to-R) Alvin Ebosele (#79), Shadre Hurst (#56), Anthony Boswell (#52), McKenzie Agnello (#66), and Drew Terrill (#73). Willie Fritz said on Talkin’ last night that Ebosele has been out for 10 days or so with a minor issue, but was returning to practice Tuesday.
The second OL has been coming together and appears to be: Ronnell McLain (#53), Larry Crawford (#70), Aaron Wolford (#50), Demetris Dean II (#55), and Hayden Wright (#57).
I discussed it on Talkin’ Bout Them Cougars Sunday night, but Saturday, I asked Austin Armstrong to name one guy who had taken a step in spring. He eventually gave me a ton of names, but the three he had top of mind were DK Mays (#47), Sione Fotu (#12), and Carmycah Glass (#25). Armstrong really likes Tulane transfer Javion White (#0) as well.
Armstrong has talked to us before about how he installs his defense – one piece at a time, starting in February – and says they’re still going. They expect to install another piece this week.
Sunday night, I asked Willie Fritz to name guys on each side of the ball that took a step in the Spring. He gave some excellent answers:
Patrick Overmyer continues to shine in every practice. He made a fantastic one-foot-in diving catch on the sideline in an end-of-half situation Saturday. Conner Weigman put it in exactly the right spot as well.
While Overmyer won’t put up the same numbers as Tanner Koziol (he won’t be asked to), he will have a big impact on this offense.
Former UH linebacker Jamal Morris was at practice Saturday. One of my favorite guys to get to know since GoCoogs started. You should read Jamal’s story here. Jamal is coaching at Brazoswood but hopes to get into the college game soon. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s at UH following the 2026 season.
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