“Houston football made a major splash Thursday, significantly strengthening its 2025-26 offense. The Cougars landed one of the top additions from the college football transfer portal — snagging him shortly after his departure from Wisconsin.”
The Big 12 program landed tight end Tanner Koziol, with Hayes Fawcett of On3 breaking the news. Koziol, who originally starred at Ball State in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), made his mark by hauling in 94 receptions for 839 yards and eight touchdowns during the 2024 season.
His performance vaulted him to No. 17 on On3’s rankings for the spring transfer cycle. However, his time at Wisconsin was surprisingly brief.
Koziol entered the transfer portal less than 24 hours ago after initially being touted as a major addition for the Badgers — a massive, athletic 6-foot-7, 237-pound target who was expected to be a key piece in Madison.
Instead, his sudden exit highlights the growing list of offseason challenges for Wisconsin, while Houston capitalizes with a marquee portal win.
Amid Wisconsin turmoil, Houston lands top TE transfer
Luke Fickell and his staff are navigating a turbulent offseason — even after the head coach signed a contract extension back in February.
Wisconsin’s quarterback room has been hit especially hard. Tyler Van Dyke kicked off the exodus with his transfer on Dec. 9, and just two days later, Braedyn Locke followed suit. Mabrey Mattauer capped off the rare portal departure trifecta by leaving on Dec. 21, leaving the Badgers with just three underclassmen quarterbacks heading into spring.
Although Wisconsin secured a commitment from Ryan Hopkins, a promising QB out of Mater Dei High School in California, he won’t arrive until the 2026 class. That left incoming transfers like Koziol potentially stepping into an uncertain quarterback situation.
Meanwhile, Houston seized the opportunity to fill a glaring need on offense. The Cougars struggled at tight end last season, with Maliq Carr leading the group with just 19 catches for 186 yards and one touchdown.
Now, Koziol enters a more stable QB environment. Zeon Chriss returns after throwing for 824 yards, four touchdowns, and eight interceptions last season. He’ll be joined by Conner Weigman, the former Texas A&M signal-caller, giving Koziol a more experienced quarterback room to work with.
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