Cougars’ deep class to aid Big 12 move
The University of Houston knows the date it will officially join the Big 12 (July 1).
On Tuesday, it learned the football schedule for the inaugural season (the Big 12 opener is Sept. 16 vs. TCU).
Next on the list: the ongoing makeover of the roster.
UH announced two signees — top wide receiver recruit Mikal Harrison-Pilot and junior college defensive back Juwon Gaston — and nine midyear roster additions as part of Wednesday’s national signing day. Including the early December signing period, the Cougars have added 27 players this offseason. All indications are more are on the way.
“We’re positioning ourselves to be able to improve the roster because we know we have to,” coach Dana Holgorsen said. “I know what football needs to look like. We’re going to continue to improve it and continue to make progress when it comes to the on-field product.”
Harrison-Pilot, a four-star wide receiver from Temple, is UH’s fourth-highest rated signee in the modern recruiting era, according to 247Sports. His father Chris played linebacker at UH from 2005-08.
“He’s a legacy,” Holgorsen said. “We don’t have a lot of them that are that caliber. The University of Houston hasn’t landed kids like that very often.”
Harrison-Pilot joins an impressive recruiting haul in recent years for the Cougars, who have added running back Alton McCaskill (2021) and wide receiver Matthew Golden (2022), along with Dekaney wide receiver Jonah Wilson and Klein Forest running back Parker Jenkins, both four-star recruits, and Fort Bend Marshall wide receiver Ja’Koby Banks in the 2023 class.
After landing quarterback Donovan Smith from Texas Tech in December, the Cougars continued to load up with nine more transfers, a mix of players expected to compete for starting jobs and valuable spots on the two-deep roster.
The newcomers include defensive lineman David Ugwoegbu (Oklahoma), wide receivers Stephon Johnson (Oklahoma State) and Joshua Cobbs (Wyoming), defensive backs Brian George (Texas A&M), Isaiah Hamilton (Texas Southern), Adari Haulcy (New Mexico), linebacker Ish Harris (Texas A&M), tight end Mike O’Laughlin (West Virginia) and kicker Jack Martin (Alabama).
“The biggest difference in what you are looking at in the (American Athletic Conference) and what you are looking at in the Big 12 is what those secondand third-team guys look like,” Holgorsen said.
A graduate transfer, Ugwoegbu was a productive four-year player at OU, finishing second on the team in tackles last season to earn All-Big 12 honorable mention. He plans to shift from linebacker to a pass-rush role off the edge.
“(Ugwoegbu) took notice of what this whole Sack Ave. thing is all about,” Holgorsen said of the nickname given to the Cougars’ defensive line.
With the early departure of All-American Nathaniel “Tank” Dell to the NFL draft, the Cougars made wide receiver a priority this offseason. Cobbs had 35 catches at Wyoming, and Johnson had 17 catches for Oklahoma State.
Hamilton had five interceptions for TSU, while George played in 19 games for the Aggies. Harris, another A&M transfer, did not play in College Station and was a four-star recruit in high school.
Holgorsen said the Cougars will remain active in the transfer portal. The Cougars continue look to upgrade on both the offensive and defensive lines, an area that Holgorsen said new cooffensive coordinator/run game coordinator/offensive line coach Eman Naghavi should help bolster.
Sixteen signees enrolled for the spring semester and will participate in spring practice, Holgorsen said.
“That’s never happened before,” he said. “I don’t know who has got the record, but 16 is a lot. I think that’s twice as much as we’ve ever brought in. I don’t see that number going down.”