Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | PUNT | YDS | AVG | LONG | IN20 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 33-20vs Oregon State | 3 | 127 | 42.3 | 50 | 2 | |
| Total | 3 | 127 | 42.3 | 50 | 2 |
#91
Liam Dougherty
Junior punter for Houston. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 205 lb · Geelong, VIC · St. Joseph's College
Returning to Houston for 2026
The numbers
42.3
yards per punt · 2026
3 punts · long of 50 · 2 inside the 20
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 punts, 42.3 avg, vs Oregon State
The story
3 punter for Houston. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed with Houston in 2024.
Liam Dougherty
Handles the punting job without giving the return man a lane. Liam Dougherty has played for two head coaches in three seasons at Houston. His first career honor landed in 2024: Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
His career
He was winning awards before he was old enough to be a story.
202412 games
- Signed with Houstonout of ProKick Australia
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
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Not enough tracked stats yet to summarize this season.
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.
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Handles the punting job without giving the return man a lane.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Houston
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Punter · 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
Steady
Handles the punting job without giving the return man a lane.
P
His 2025 production profile sits closest to George Caratan’s 2023 season.
Matches George on
In-20 rate
Class year
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Nathan Totten's sophomore season at Marshall (2025).
80%match
All-Sun Belt
Matches Nathan on
Class year
In-20 rate
Yards / punt
Player DNA
Players who play like Liam Dougherty
Background
As a Sophomore (2025) Appeared in all 13 games 74.2 punt grade ranked fifth in the Big 12 18 punts inside the 20-yard line ranked sixth in the Big 12 4.07 seconds hangtime ranked eighth in the Big 12 44.1 yards per punt ranked sixth in the Big 12 50+ yard punt in 10 of 13 games Season-high four p...
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology