Sam Houston Bearkats NFL Draft Prospects

A year removed from a 10-win season and a New Orleans Bowl title in 2024, Sam Houston crashed to 2-10 (1-7 Conference USA) in Phil Longo's debut, a slide that turned the Bearkats' second season under their head coach into a referendum on the direction of the program. Longo, who is 9-24 over three years as a head coach, inherited a roster and staff assembled on short notice after his December 2024 hire, and the growing pains showed all over a team that finished last in CUSA in total defense.

Two developments frame the 2026 campaign. First, the Bearkats finally know who is under center, with a returning starter in place rather than the week-to-week uncertainty that defined last fall. Second, they are coming home. Sam Houston played all 12 of its games away from Elliott T. Bowers Stadium in 2025 while the building underwent a major renovation, a grind that meant bus trips and hotel stays even for so-called home dates. A return to campus removes both the burden and, as the staff is well aware, any remaining excuses.