Houston Cougars Zeon Chriss makes big transfer portal decision

Houston Cougars backup quarterback Zeon Chriss-Gremillion announced on Wednesday that he will enter the NCAA transfer portal during the upcoming window from January 2 to January 16, 2026. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native made the announcement via social media, confirming that he has one year of collegiate eligibility remaining.

Chriss-Gremillion joined Houston in 2024 after two seasons at Louisiana, where he appeared in 12 games, starting six, and threw for 1,331 yards with 12 passing touchdowns. During his sophomore season at Houston in 2024, he played in 11 of 12 games, including seven starts, completing 93 of 151 passes for 932 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 467 yards and four scores. He also became the first quarterback in program history to complete all of his passes in a single game (minimum 10 attempts) against Kansas State, a feat achieved by only 23 FBS quarterbacks since 1996 and 13 underclassmen in the same period.

Chriss-Gremillion showcased his dual-threat ability throughout his time with the Cougars. In 2024, he led Houston with four rushing touchdowns, totaled 388 rushing yards, ranking seventh among Power Four underclassmen quarterbacks, and forced 35 missed tackles on the ground, ranking fifth among Power Four QBs. His top rushing performance came at TCU with 97 yards, including a 71-yard run, the longest by a Big 12 quarterback that season. He also tallied 191 passing yards at Arizona, including a 57-yard completion.

In 2025, Chriss-Gremillion’s role diminished as Houston’s offense relied heavily on returning starter Conner Weigman, who threw for 2,711 yards and 25 touchdowns with just nine interceptions. Chriss-Gremillion appeared in only four games, completing 10 of 21 passes for 108 yards and rushing for 79 yards on 12 carries. Opportunities were few, but he capitalized on them, completing 15 of 18 passes with a touchdown and adding 97 rushing yards at TCU, then dialing up a 64-yard touchdown to Amare Thomas against Texas Tech.

High school product of Madison Prep Academy, Chriss-Gremillion was rated a three-star recruit, ranked as the No. 78 quarterback nationally and No. 53 player in Louisiana in the class of 2022. He completed 183 of 339 passes for 2,954 yards with 45 touchdowns and rushed for 629 yards and eight scores in his prep career.

Chriss-Gremillion is among five Houston players who have announced intentions to enter the transfer portal, joining linebackers Zion Taylor and Jesus Machado, as well as defensive linemen Joshua Donald and Zavian Tibbs. Donald, a transfer from Appalachian State, did not appear in a game for Houston, while Tibbs recorded six tackles and one pass defended in nine games in 2025.

With Houston set to welcome the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class, Keisean Henderson, Chriss-Gremillion faces limited opportunities for playing time next season, making the portal an opportunity for the dual-threat quarterback to pursue a starting role elsewhere.

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