Program field guide · 2026

Big 12 · Texas

Houston

Cougars

Houston’s Texas-developed core fell from 94 to 58 players.

2026 roster · Roster geography

In 2016, 94 of 117 roster spots were filled by Texas players with no earlier college team detected. On the 2026 roster, 58 of 116 fit the same definition. Detected transfers went from 6 to 37.

In 2016 the median player grew up 79 mi from campus. Now it is 172 mi.

Of the 37 players who came from another college, 15 are from Texas. Those home-state players make up 41% of detected-transfer stock on this roster.

Then → now

2016–18 compared with 2021–25

2016–182021–2573.6%47.3%7.8%29.5%
  • Local-developed core
  • Transfer stock
Measure2016–182021–25
Local-developed core73.6%47.3%
Transfer stock7.8%29.5%

The roster, at a glance

  • 304 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 114 located players.
  • 62.9%In-state62.9% of the roster is from Texas.
  • 42.1%Backyard42.1% grew up within 100 miles of campus.
  • 31.9%Detected transfers31.9% of the roster arrived after playing at another school.

Across the FBS

Where Houston ranks

Most In-State#1062.9%Most Transfers#3031.9%Closest to Home#13304 miFarthest From Home#126304 miBiggest Localism Shift#4162.9%Most Backyard Players#1242.1%Fewest Transfers#10931.9%Biggest Transfer Shift#5331.9%

Homecoming Radius over time

The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.

050100150200250FBS median (250 mi)200920122016201920232026

Roster composition over time

Where the in-state lens draws the line: local-developed, local transfer, outsider developed, outsider transfer, and unknown. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.

Local-developedLocal transferOutsider developedOutsider transfer200920122016201920232026

Where do Houston's players come from?

SeasonRosterIn-stateTransfer signalRadius
202611662.9%31.9%172 mi
202511157.7%39.6%202 mi
202411656.0%37.9%190 mi
202311865.0%29.7%179 mi
202210965.7%22.0%182 mi
202111669.6%18.1%161 mi
202012076.9%12.5%41 mi
201911578.8%12.2%33 mi
201811277.5%10.7%72 mi
201711776.9%7.7%59 mi
201611782.9%5.1%79 mi
201511880.5%2.5%118 mi
201411776.9%1.7%131 mi
201311678.3%1.7%81 mi
201212487.8%0.0%42 mi
201111690.4%0.0%42 mi
201011162.2%0.9%214 mi
20099772.2%1.0%147 mi

Where the roster grew up

Every 2026 player's hometown, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.

Houston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometownHouston player hometown

Homecoming Radius: 172 mi

(This slider is for exploring — leaderboards use the fixed lenses.)

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