Dean Connors News, Rumors, Updates - Houston Cougars

Big days from Connors, Weigman send Houston past Rice 35-9 in crosstown rivalry

Conner Weigman threw for 188 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a score to lead the Houston Cougars to a 35-9 win over crosstown rival Rice Owls on Saturday night

SEPTEMBER 7, 2025 • Associated Press

Houston hits the road to play Rice

The Houston Cougars go on the road to meet the Rice Owls

SEPTEMBER 2, 2025 • Associated Press

50 yards in opener Connors posted 15 rushes for 50 yards and caught all two targets for one yard during Thursday's 27-0 victory against Stephen F. Austin.

Impact Connors led the team in rushing attempts and yards during Thursday's season opener, however J'Marion Burnette (10 attempts for 40 yards) was not far behind him. Burnette also caught a 39-yard touchdown pass. Still, Connors got a big workload in the opener and figures to continue to be a big part of the Cougars' offense this season, especially after the season-ending knee injury that Re'Shaun Sanford suffered.

AUGUST 29, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Co-starting in Week 1 Connors is listed as a co-starter at tailback alongside Re'Shaun Sanford and J'Marion Burnette, per Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle.

Impact Connors is the second listed tailback on Houston's initial two-deep, but he's an "Or" starter alongside Sanford and Burnette. All three backs figure to see time, but it remains to be seen how the exact pecking order will shake out. Still, after posing 780 yards with Rice last fall, expect Connors to see a sizable workload.

AUGUST 25, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Chooses Houston Connors will transfer to Houston, Pete Nakos of On3.com reports.

Impact Connors is coming off a second straight excellent season for Rice. In 2024, he ran for 780 yards and nine touchdowns on 4.9 yards-per-carry. He's also reeled in 105 receptions for 88 yards and five touchdowns over the past two years combined. His ability to stress defenses as a receiver should help him crack the Cougars' running back rotation immediately in Houston.

JANUARY 6, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Hits the transfer portal Connors has announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal, Pete Nakos of On3.com reports.

Impact Connors will depart from Rice after a productive 2024-25 campaign with the Owls. The 6-foot senior running back tallied 280 carries for 1,551 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground, and 105 receptions for 888 yards and five scores through the passing game across the last two season. Connors should draw the attention of numerous power-five programs in the portal this winter.

DECEMBER 26, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Productive in season finale Connors accrued 17 carries for 40 yards and caught 4 of 5 targets for 91 yards and one touchdown during Saturday's 35-28 victory against South Florida.

Impact Connors had a strong end to his season Saturday, highlighted by his 23-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. Although he was inefficient on the ground, his 91 yards on just four catches added to his strong day. It was an excellent season for him as he rushed 159 times for 780 yards and nine touchdowns and caught 62 passes (on 84 targets) for 485 yards and two touchdowns.

DECEMBER 1, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Productive in Saturday's loss Connors accrued 16 rushes for 62 yards and one touchdown and gathered in 3 of 5 targets for 43 yards during Saturday's 40-14 defeat versus UAB.

Impact Connors had a solid day Saturday despite the bad loss as he gained over 100 yards from scrimmage for the sixth time this season. He also scored his 10th touchdown of the season, a five-yard rush in the first quarter. He faces a very favorable matchup Saturday versus South Florida in the season finale where he will try to end his season on a high note.

NOVEMBER 24, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Quiet versus Memphis Connors totaled 14 rushes for 55 yards and reeled in 6 of 8 targets for 22 yards during Friday's 27-20 loss versus Memphis.

Impact Connors had 20 touches Friday, his third straight game with 20 or more opportunities, but still had a fairly quiet day. He gained just 69 yards from scrimmage and was held out of the end zone for the fifth time in his last seven games. Although his usage, particularly in the passing game, has remained high throughout the season, his lack of consistent touchdowns has significantly hurt his upside this season. He should be able to bounce back after the bye as he faces a very favorable matchup at UAB in Week 13.

NOVEMBER 10, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Productive versus Navy Connors posted 18 rushes for 105 yards and two touchdowns and reeled in all four targets for 34 yards during Saturday's 24-10 victory against Navy.

Impact Connors had one of his best performances of the season Saturday as he scored a pair of touchdowns, a four-yard rush in the first quarter and a nine-yard run in the third. It marked his third multi-touchdown game of the season. He also rushed for over 100 yards for the third time this season and gained over 100 yards from scrimmage for the fifth time. He faces another difficult matchup at Memphis on Friday.

NOVEMBER 4, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Dean Connors runs for 105 yards, 2 TDs; Rice beats Navy for first time since 2002

Dean Connors ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns to lead Rice to a 24-10 victory over Navy on Saturday night

NOVEMBER 3, 2024 • Associated Press

Quiet in Saturday's loss Connors tallied 20 carries for 46 yards and hauled in 4 of 6 targets for 13 yards during Saturday's 17-10 loss to Connecticut.

Impact Connors saw plenty of opportunities Saturday but he was unable to get much going. He had a season-high 24 touches but only gained 59 yards from scrimmage, his second-fewest this season. He will look to get more going versus Navy on Saturday.

OCTOBER 27, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Fumbles twice Saturday Connors accrued 11 rushes for 76 yards and caught 7 of 8 targets for 34 yards during Saturday's 24-10 loss to Tulane. He also lost two fumbles.

Impact Connors lost two fumbles in Saturday's loss, two mistakes that cost him a good performance and his team the victory. He accumulated over 100 yards from scrimmage and caught seven passes for the third time this season, so it was not all bad. Despite the two turnovers, he is still the focal point of the Owls' offense and has proven he can be effective in any matchup.

OCTOBER 21, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Scores twice in win over UTSA Connors had eight carries for 27 yards and one touchdown and caught 5 of 9 targets for 109 yards and one touchdown during Saturday's 29-27 victory over Texas-San Antonio.

Impact Connors scored a pair of touchdowns Saturday, an eight-yard rush and a 69-yard reception, both in the third quarter. He now has seven touchdowns on the season. While his lack of rushing yards Saturday is a slight concern, his continued production through the air gives him a high floor every week.

OCTOBER 14, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Productive in Saturday's loss Connors compiled 14 rushes for 121 yards and caught 2 of 4 targets for 14 yards during Saturday's 21-20 loss versus Charlotte.

Impact Connors rushed for a season-high 121 yards Saturday, significantly more than his last two games combined. Connors has been able to produce at a high level against weaker run defenses, and he faces his fair share of those throughout the rest of the season. After a bye week he faces UTSA in Week 7, a team which has given up just 106 yards per game on the ground.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Solid without touchdown Connors posted nine rushes for 51 yards and hauled in 8 of 12 targets for 31 yards during Saturday's 37-14 loss to Army.

Impact Connors failed to score a touchdown for the first time this season, but he still put together a nice performance. He gained 82 total yards, a mark he has hit in three of four games this season, and caught eight passes on a season-high 12 targets. Even though the Owls are not able to run the ball much given they fall into a deficit early in games, Connors' production in the passing game makes him a valuable asset regardless of the matchup.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Lone bright spot in loss Connors logged 11 carries for 32 yards and one touchdown during Saturday's 33-7 defeat against Houston.

Impact Despite the team's loss, Connors had a decent outing that was saved by a four-yard touchdown run with one minute left in the game. He continued to be productive in the passing game too as he caught five passes, bringing him up to 18 through three games. Although the Rice offense has not looked great through three weeks, Connors has proved his ability to produce even when the rest of his team doesn't.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Excellent in Saturday's blowout win Connors totaled nine rushes for 113 yards and three touchdowns and caught 4 of 6 targets for 34 yards during Saturday's 69-7 win over Texas Southern.

Impact Connors scored a hat-trick of rushing touchdowns Saturday, including a 71-yard run early in the third quarter. He rushed just nine times in the blowout as the team opted to save his legs for more important moments. He also was targeted six times in the passing game and added 34 yards through the air, a feature of his game that makes his fantasy upside extremely high.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Excellent in Saturday's blowout win Connors totaled nine rushes for 113 yards and three touchdowns and caught 4 of 6 targets for 34 yards during Saturday's 69-7 win over Texas Southern.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

21 touches in loss Connors logged 12 carries for 52 yards and one touchdown and caught 9 of 10 targets for 30 yards during Saturday's 34-14 defeat against Sam Houston State.

Impact Connors gained 82 yards from scrimmage, but the most note-worthy stat from his outing was his nine receptions. While he only gained 30 yards on those catches, it's a nice sign that he will continue to be used in the passing game even with a new quarterback. Only two other Owls' running backs received a carry in the game -- Christian Francisco (two) and Taji Atkins (one) -- signaling that Connors is the team's workhorse back.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Records two touchdowns Connors posted 15 carries for 64 yards and two touchdowns and reeled in 1 of 3 targets for eight yards during Tuesday's 45-21 defeat to Texas State.

Impact Rice's bowl game marked the fourth time Connors has logged multiple touchdowns. He finished 2023 with 10 touchdowns (seven rushing and three receiving) to go alongside his 1,000-plus scrimmage yards. Assuming that Connors stays put with Rice for 2024, he enters college football's next seasons as one of the AAC's most promising running backs.

JANUARY 3, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Leads backfield in win Connors totaled 14 rushes for 75 yards during Saturday's 24-21 win over Florida Atlantic.

Impact Connors had a solid end to the regular season, finishing with 86 total yards on 18 touches. He has now seen double digit touches in each of the last seven games and that has turned into production, as he has 746 total yards and five touchdowns during that stretch. Given his role in the second half of the season, he should be an important factor in the Owls' bowl game.

NOVEMBER 27, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Dominant in Saturday's win Connors accrued 19 rushes for 184 yards and a lost fumble during Saturday's 28-7 win versus Charlotte.

Impact Connors had one of his most productive games of the season Saturday as he accounted for a season-high 184 yards, all of which came on the ground. It was the first time this season he did not catch a pass, but his season-high 19 carries made up for that. His day could have been even better, but quarterback AJ Padgett scored two rushing touchdowns inside the five-yard line. Next up he faces a slightly more difficult matchup versus FAU Saturday in the regular season finale.

NOVEMBER 20, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Quiet in loss to UTSA Connors notched eight carries for 34 yards during Saturday's 34-14 loss to Texas-San Antonio.

Impact Connors did not play poorly Saturday, gaining over four yards per touch on 11 touches, but he did not receive a lot of work with the game getting out of hand. He was also playing a tough run defense in UTSA, and faces a more favorable matchup on that front Saturday at Charlotte.

NOVEMBER 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Scores twice Saturday Connors notched seven carries for 77 yards and one touchdown and caught 7 of 8 targets for 33 yards and one touchdown during Saturday's 36-31 loss against Southern Methodist.

Impact Connors scored twice Saturday, first on a 14-yard reception late in the second quarter and then on a one-yard rush late in the third quarter. He now has eight touchdowns this season (five rushing, four receiving) including five in the last three games. Saturday also marked the fifth time this season he recorded 100 or more total yards.

NOVEMBER 6, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

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Big days from Connors, Weigman send Houston past Rice 35-9 in crosstown rivalry

Houston hits the road to play Rice

Dean Connors runs for 105 yards, 2 TDs; Rice beats Navy for first time since 2002