Quartet to Represent Cougars at Big 12 Media Days

Tank Jenkins, Latrell McCutchin Sr., Jamal Morris and Donovan Smith headed to Vegas

In Las Vegas, University of Houston Football Head Coach Willie Fritz will be accompanied by senior offensive lineman Tank Jenkins, junior defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr., senior linebacker Jamal Morris, and senior quarterback Donovan Smith at the upcoming Big 12 Conference Football Media Days presented by Totino’s, as announced by the league office on Monday.

The Cougars are scheduled to appear on stage on Wednesday, July 10th, at the first-ever Big 12 Media Days held in Las Vegas. The event, commencing on Tuesday at Allegiant Stadium, will be aired on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

Representatives from Houston will participate in 13 different stations, including live interviews and photo sessions, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the Cougars live on ESPNU at 3:20 p.m. CT and on SiriusXM College Sports Radio (Channel 84) from 3:35 to 3:50 p.m. CT. Coach Fritz’s press conference, scheduled for 3 p.m. CT, will be livestreamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

This will be the debut appearance at Big 12 Media Days for all four Houston student-athletes.

ABOUT the COUGARS

McCutchin Sr. is in his first season playing for the Cougars after redshirting in 2023 following his second transfer. The player from Austin made contributions in the secondary during all 14 games at USC in 2022, where he even started twice and made 22.0 tackles.

Morris had an impressive season for the Cougars, ranking third on the team with 64 tackles, including 38 solo tackles. His 72.0 coverage grade placed him second among Big 12 linebackers. The Houston native had stellar performances, achieving nine stops in consecutive games against West Virginia and Texas and recording four or more tackles in 10 different games.

Smith, who returned to his hometown of Las Vegas, is entering his fifth season in the Big 12 and second with the Cougars. In his first season with Houston in 2023, he was one of eight Power 5 quarterbacks to reach milestones such as 250+ completions, 2,500+ passing yards, 20+ passing TDs, and 5+ rushing TDs. Smith also had six games with 20+ completions, 225+ passing yards, and 2+ passing touchdowns, which was tied for fifth among Power 5 QBs.

Jenkins started every game at right guard in 2023, allowing just three sacks in 421 opportunities. He committed only one penalty throughout the season, which occurred in the finale at UCF and was the fewest among Houston starting linemen with 500+ snaps. With an efficiency grade of 96.8 according to PFF, the Montgomery, Ala., native showcased his skills on the field.

Fritz, a two-time American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year with 31 years of coaching experience, was appointed as the 16th head coach in Houston history in December. Hailing from Shawnee Mission, Kan., he has accumulated eight seasons with 10 or more wins and seven conference championships, including the 2022 American Athletic Conference title.

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