Houston Found Something Against Oregon State It Can Build Around

Houston posted 533 total yards against the Oregon State Beavers on Sept. 5 and won 33-20. Most of the attention went to quarterback Conner Weigman, who threw for 305 passing yards and wide receiver Amare Thomas, who gained 133 receiving yards. However, there is one specific element that Houston must keep using not only in the next game but throughout the entire season. Running Back Rotation Sep 5, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) hands off to running back Re'shaun Sanford II (6) during the second quarter against the Oregon State Beavers at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Running backs Makhi Hughes and Re'Shaun Sanford II combined for 173 rushing yards, more than half of the total 228 yards on the ground. Hughes had 98 yards and Sanford had 75, with both of them scoring a touchdown. Neither of them carried the running load alone and that worked for Houston. The rotation gave offensive coordinator Slade Nagle two different styles of running backs to solve the same problem. Sanford is a running back who can break out in the open, as he did with a 56-yard touchdown in the second quarter. On the other hand, Hughes is a running back who grinds through and slips past defenders to get the offense going. Head coach Willie Fritz talked in the postgame press conference about how important it is to limit how much Weigman runs. "We want to be able to run the ball and not always have to run it with our quarterback," Fritz said. In 2025, Weigman finished second on the team in rushing yards with 700, alongside 11 touchdowns. During last year's season opener, Weigman ran the ball six times for 39 yards. In the 2026 season opener, he ran for 30 yards on nine carries, meaning the rotation hasn't taken the burden off yet. There will be times when Weigman has to run or scramble out of the pocket, but if Nagle and Fritz can limit how often he does so, Weigman could be healthier. Going Forward A two-back rotation that can produce more than 150 yards a game becomes a valuable rotation that Houston cannot afford to lose. Additionally, against teams like Texas Tech and Utah, getting fresh bodies on the field will be just as important as the running system. If Hughes gets tired or needs a breather, Sanford can come in to replace him, keeping fresh players in the game. However, Fritz could go two ways with this system. He could either give one a larger share of the carries or split the work between them, like they tried to do against Oregon State. Either way, Fritz and Nagle have two solid running backs and a system they can experiment with. The Texas Tech game is getting closer, and having this rotation in place beforehand could be a deciding factor in the conference. Add us as a preferred source on Google