The Houston Cougars have a new look running back room heading into the 2026 season.
With the transfer portal officially closed, the Cougars have had a lot of changes in the running back room over the past few weeks. With the loss of senior running backs Dean Connors and Stacy Sneed, coach Willie Fritz had to go out and find guys to replace a significant amount of production.
The Cougars will return six running backs, along with two new comers, and the group has a lot of potential going into the 2026 season.Nov 7, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Houston Cougars running back DJ Butler runs the ball against UCF Knights cornerback Jyaire Brown during the first quarter at Acrisure Bounce House. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images In the 2025 season, Houston heavily relied on its run game to be successful. The Cougars ran the ball 60 percent of the time, and they totaled 548 carries for 2,315 yards.Junior running back Re’Shaun Sanford II was one of Houston’s top running backs last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Prior to getting hurt, the young back recorded 94 carries for 444 yards and a touchdown, and he averaged 4.7 yards per carry. With Sanford II expected to return from injury and be available for 2026, he will be a big part of the offense if his recovery goes as planned.With Sanford’s injury, sophomore running back DJ Butler earned a lot more opportunities late in the season.Other Returners Houston also has several guys that have a lot of talent that have not had the chance to see the field yet, but they supply the running back room with much-needed depth. Sophomore Nehemiah Warmate, sophomore Zane Smith, redshirt sophomores Aaron Davis and Steve Polk are all returners who will battle for a starting role when the season begins in August.Fritz and staff made an early splash in transfer portal by landing former Oregon junior running back Mahki Hughes. The veteran running back spent one year at Oregon and two seasons at Tulane, and he totaled 540 carries for 2,849 yards and 22 touchdowns in his career. Hughes will be an instant spark to the Cougars’ running back room, and he will have a good shot at being a day one starter.Houston wrapped up its running back room with freshman running back John Hebert, who was a standout at Strake Jesuit High School. In his career, he rushed for over 8,000 yards and 89 touchdowns, solidifying himself as one of the best statistical running backs Houston has ever seen. The rookie running back has a lot of talent, and he will be an exciting player to watch once he works his way onto the field.Ashton Grissom is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a senior at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Media Production with a minor in Marketing and Spanish. He also works for two student organizations: The Cougar and CoogTV. You can find Grissom on his Instagram or Twitter .
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