What Houston's Willie Fritz said after win over Rice in Bayou Bucket
Houston Cougars celebrated their first win under new head coach Willie Fritz by defeating Rice 33-7 in the Bayou Bucket, marking a strong turnaround for the struggling team. This victory improved Houston’s record to 1-2 and showcased significant progress, particularly on offense, which had faltered in the first two games of the season.
"I thought we made improvement from week one to week two and I thought we made an improvement week two to week three," Fritz said after the game. "We've gotten a bit better each and every week. We don't want to stay the same. Right now, we're dialed in defensively."
Quarterback Donovan Smith led the way with 142 passing yards and three total touchdowns, while running back Stacy Sneed energized the Cougars with an early 65-yard touchdown run that set the tone. Mekhi Mews followed with a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown, putting Houston up 14-0 and forcing Rice into a defensive scramble.
"Everybody played smart on the play," Fritz said about Mews' run back. "That kind of gave us a jump start. I thought we ran the ball very effectively. We had difficulties running in week one and week two. We ran the ball extremely well and that opened up the passing game."
Smith’s leadership shined as he threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Stephon Johnson and added two rushing touchdowns, including a 37-yard run in the second half.
The Cougars defense was relentless, holding Rice to just 159 total yards and shutting down their rushing attack. Rice quarterback E.J. Warner managed only 50 yards passing and an interception. Houston’s defense also stifled Rice’s third-down attempts, allowing just 2-of-13 conversions.
Fritz acknowledged the cycle of defensive personnel for the Cougars at the end of the game surrendered a potential shutout, but it gave his staff intel going into the Big 12 schedule.
"Defensively we played fantastic," Fritz said. "I kinda put all those guys in at the end. Coach Woods is probably a little upset we could've had a shutout. He just did a great job along with the defensive staff."
As Houston looks ahead to a matchup against Cincinnati, the Cougars aim to build on their newfound momentum and continue their offensive and defensive improvements.
JEFF HAUSER