The No. 20 Houston Cougars are ranked the highest they've been since 2016, and the momentum has built towards the Big 12 home opener against UCF in Week 5.
Houston's offense has performed at a high level throughout the season, but it's been the defense that has struggled at various points. The Cougars' pass defense through four weeks ranked 15th out of the 16 Big 12 teams.
Houston's secondary was considered a strength of the team prior to the start of the season. The main reason for that was the experience and talent in the back end. Houston returned both starting safeties, who are entering their fifth season, and redshirt junior corner Will James, who was an All-Big 12 first-team member and nominated for both the Nagurski and Bednarik Award preseason watchlists.
It hasn't looked that way so far. Houston gave up almost 300 yards passing and 355 total yards to Georgia Southern in Week 4.
Sep 5, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars defensive back Kentrell Webb (8) reacts after a defensive play during the second quarter against the Oregon State Beavers at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
"We felt that we wanted to go in and dominate them, and defensively we feel like we really didn't do that," fifth-year free safety Kentrell Webb said.
The Cougars know they must put in work this week to improve. Giving up those huge passing plays in conference games will hurt them severely.
"We have to capitalize. We have to capitalize on the plays we're supposed to make. Win third down. We've got to come off the field on fourth", James said.
Houston put in the effort during practice this week to focus on three key aspects: getting off the field and finishing the play and making those interceptions happen.
"We put our focus on finishing the plays because we're close to the plays. The defense's job is to take the ball away and that's what we're supposed to do, so we've been really working on that this week," James said.
The Cougars aren't far off.
"I feel like we're in the right spot 90 percent of the time. We just got to make the plays, because the plays come right to us. We've just got to make them," James said. "We most definitely need to get better. It's got to be perfect if we want to play how we want to play."
Houston coach Willie Fritz has mentioned the busts in coverage for the past three competitive games. What will it take to fix that?
"We've got to clean up the post-play before the ball is snapped. If we can clean up the post-play, get our communication right, and get everything straight with each other, then all the busts stop happening," James said.
James is referring to cleaning up the pre-snap discipline and alignment. A secondary putting themselves in the right spots before the play happens can prevent some of those big gains by the opposition.
This is surprising given what the Cougars have in the secondary. Fifth-year transfer corner Jalen Mayo is a huge part of this as well. It's not like the players don't fit together.
"The chemistry is 100 percent there," James said.
His teammates also understand that changes needed to be made.
"We're looking to do something different between those plays on and off the field, even at practice," fifth-year strong safety Jordan Allen said. "It's all about stacking every single day, trying to build those habits to do it outside of the game and then it'll happen in the game."
Houston's coaches have preached about the rush and the coverage working together. UH views this as an entire defense issue, not just the secondary.
"We've been doing extra walkthroughs, extra film sessions, so y'all should see something different soon,"Allen said.
The Cougars have dropped multiple interceptions from a few different players over the first four games. Houston emphasizes a next-play mentality.
Allen believes it's that killer instinct to finish the tackles or finish the play that will be the key going forward.
"Knowing that here and there, we're always in the right position most of the times, we just gotta finish those plays. It be a guy running to the receiver and finish on the ball," Allen said. "It might be a D-lineman keeping up with his rush. It might be a safety staying over the top and breaking on the ball. So just those small details that we need to fix in order to make those big plays."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/houston as Houston's Veteran Secondary Knows What It Needs to Do to Improve .
