SURGE: Willie Fritz and Keisean Henderson REWRITE Houston’s Recruiting FORTUNE

The Houston Cougars surge onto the national radar as Willie Fritz transforms recruiting and program expectations—could a College Football Playoff berth in 2026 be within reach? Brian Smith and Parker Ainsworth break down Fritz’s strategic focus on stacking talent from Houston, Louisiana, and North Texas, spotlighting star quarterback recruit Keisean Henderson’s impact on building a locally powered roster. Is Fritz’s honest, no-nonsense approach the secret to landing top prospects and establishing Houston as a Big 12 contender? The hosts analyze the Cougars’ improved physicality in the trenches, the influence of transfer portal additions like Ashton Porter, and what it will take for Houston to escalate from dark horse to playoff lock. Key discussion points include challenges snagging elite Dallas-area recruits, the long-term vision for national recruiting reach, and why Fritz deserves top-10 head coach recognition. Can the Houston Cougars shock the nation and claim a spot among college football’s elite? Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join the community: https://theportal.supercast.com/ Support us by supporting our sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast Rugiet Get 15% off your treatment → https://rugiet.com/lockedonnhl Rugiet. Performance medicine for men. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.