Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 33-20vs Oregon State | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 0 | 9 | |
| Wk 2 | W 77-6vs Southern | 6 | 55 | 9.2 | 1 | 15 | Season-high 55 yds |
| Total | 8 | 72 | 8.8 | 1 | 15 |
#25
DJ Butler
Junior running back for Houston. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 190 lb · Mobile, AL · WP Davidson HS
CFB Index 36 · #270 of 326 RBsHigh 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
72
rushing yards · 2026
1 TD · 9 per carry · 1 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 55 rush yds, 1 TD, 1 rec yds, vs Southern
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 running back for Houston. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Houston in 2024.
DJ Butler
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. DJ Butler has played for two head coaches in three seasons at Houston. The receipt on tape: 55 rush yds, 1 receptions against Southern, Week 2, 2026.
72 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 8 CARRIES
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 3 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20247 games
- Signed with Houston3-star out of WP Davidson
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Houston
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
Houston
Coaching transition mid-career: Dana Holgorsen → Willie Fritz. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Houston4-8HC: Dana Holgorsen · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2025Houston10-3HC: Willie Fritz · Run-leaning
2026Houston2-0HC: Willie Fritz · Run-heavy
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: yards / carry (100th percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 36.0 YDS/g, 8.8 YPC, 0.5 TD/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 · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big 12
Based on 2025: #31 of 35 Big 12 RBs
- #1LJ Martin
- #30Micah Welch
- #31DJ Butler
- #32Kanye Udoh
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
55 rush yds (6 car) · 1 TD
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)
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Southern · 1&9 · Q3 · EPA +2.42(09:44) No Huddle-Shotgun #25 D.Butler rush right for 9 yards gain to the SU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 09:39 #49 J.Dimas kick attempt good (H: #15 J.Sock, LS: #69 W.Edwards)
- Week 2 · Southern · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.89(12:27) No Huddle-Shotgun #1 C.Weigman pass complete short left to #25 D.Butler caught at HOU43, for 1 yard to the HOU50 (#11 J.Holden)
- Week 2 · Southern · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.53(11:02) No Huddle-Shotgun #25 D.Butler rush middle for 8 yards gain to the SU24 (#28 C.Jones; #16 D.Valdrey)
- Week 1 · Oregon State · 2&10 · Q2 · EPA +0.41(12:51) No Huddle-Shotgun #25 D.Butler rush middle for 9 yards gain to the HOU22 (#36 D.Vickers)
- Week 2 · Southern · 2&10 · Q1 · EPA +0.40(09:42) No Huddle-Shotgun #25 D.Butler rush left for 9 yards gain to the SU09 (#3 H.Brister III; #20 C.Morris), out of bounds
- Week 2 · Southern · 2&4 · Q3 · EPA +0.36(11:37) No Huddle-Shotgun #25 D.Butler rush left for 8 yards gain to the SU32 (#36 K.Jones), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Southern · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.31(12:07) No Huddle-Shotgun #25 D.Butler rush right for 6 yards gain to the SU40 (#36 K.Jones)
- Week 1 · Oregon State · 3&19 · Q2 · EPA +0.12(09:39) No Huddle-Shotgun #25 D.Butler rush middle for 8 yards gain to the HOU38 (#5 X.Chisolm; #18 J.Comer)
- Week 2 · Southern · 2&2 · Q3 · EPA -0.08(10:26) No Huddle-Shotgun #25 D.Butler rush middle for 15 yards gain to the SU09 (#40 C.Hall), 1ST DOWN
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Houston
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Houston
Returning around him
- 81% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
- 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
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jaivian Thomas’s 2025 season.
Matches Jaivian on
Weight
EPA / carry (adj)
Rush TD rate
Differs from Jaivian on
Class year (lower)
Height (higher)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Demetric Felton’s path through UCLA.
100%match
All-Pac-12NFL Rd 6
Matches Demetric on
Yards per carry
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Ca'Lil Valentine's sophomore season at Illinois (2025).
Matches Ca'Lil on
Height
Receiving share
Yards / reception
Differs from Ca'Lil on
Rush TD rate (lower)
Recruiting rating (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like DJ Butler
Background
As a Sophomore (2025) Played in 11 games Third on the team with 301 rushing yards Third on the team with 68 rushing attempts Single-game high 69 rushing yards on a single-game high 14 rushed at UCF 50+ rushing yards in two games (at UCF, at Baylor) As a Freshman (2024) Appeared in eight games 89...
The backfield · Houston
- #25DJ Butler301 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Makhi Hughes70 rushing yards · 2025
- #37Zane Smith12 rushing yards · 2025
- #16JayShon Ridgle4 games · 2025
- #6Re'Shaun Sanford II2 games · 2026
3 more on the roster · Houston team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology