Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 33-20vs Oregon State | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 77-6vs Southern | 2 | 2 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#4
Brandon Mack
Senior linebacker for Houston. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 255 lb · Montgomery, AL
CFB Index 63 · #180 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Houston for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
6
tackles · 2026
2 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, 2 TFL, vs Southern
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Houston. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Transferred from Ole Miss to Houston in 2023.
Brandon Mack
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Three head coaches in six seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 4 tackles against Oregon State, Week 1, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 6 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2023
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2020–2026
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Dana Holgorsen → Willie Fritz. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2020Ole Miss5-5HC: Lane Kiffin · Run-leaning, fast tempo
2022Ole Miss8-5HC: Lane Kiffin · Run-heavy, fast tempo
2023Houston4-8HC: Dana Holgorsen · Balanced
2024Houston4-8HC: Dana Holgorsen · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2025Houston10-3HC: Willie Fritz · Run-leaning
2026Houston2-0HC: Willie Fritz · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: tackles for loss (85th percentile). Strength: qb hurries (83rd percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.0 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Willie Fritz
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
63 · #180 of 583 LBs
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big 12
Based on 2025: #24 of 73 Big 12 LBs
How the All-Big 12 estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 77–6
vs Southern
2 TOT · 2 SOLO · 2 TFL
Dominant 71-point win at home against Southern.
With K. Henderson — 83 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 23.8 · 54 rush yds (1 car) · 1 TD · C. Weigman — 120 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 48.3 · 6 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Houston
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Houston
Returning around him
- 1 Houston player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +1 net (18 in / 17 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Houston · Last season: 10-3 (AP #25) · Talent rank #57 · 2026 recruiting class #38
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to David Bailey’s 2023 season.
81%match
NFL Rd 1 · Pk 2
Matches David on
Solo tackle rate
Weight
Class year
Differs from David on
Hurry rate (lower)
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a graduate, his production profile tracks closest to Isaac Walker's graduate season at Jacksonville State (2025).
67%match
All-Sun Belt
Matches Isaac on
Weight
PD rate
Differs from Isaac on
Height (higher)
Hurry rate (lower)
Sack rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Brandon Mack
The linebacker corps · Houston
- #1Jaden Yates55 tackles · 2025
- #12Sione Fotu53 tackles · 2025
- #10Latreveon McCutchin37 tackles · 2025
- #19Miller Malone37 tackles · 2025
- #4Brandon Mack32 tackles · 2025
10 more on the roster · Houston team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology