Dean Connors is an American college football running back for the University of Houston Cougars in the Big 12 Conference.[1][2] Born in Bend, Oregon, he moved to Hawaii's Big Island as an elementary school student, playing youth football for teams like the Waimea Cowboys before attending Hawaii Preparatory Academy.[1] Midway through high school, he relocated to California to attend Murrieta Valley High School, where he earned Southwestern League MVP honors as a senior in 2020.[2][3] Connors began his college career at Riverside Community College in 2021, rushing for 516 yards and seven touchdowns on 107 carries, helping the Tigers reach the CCCAA title game.[1][2][3] He transferred to Rice University for the 2022-2024 seasons, where he amassed 1,679 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns on 307 carries, plus 912 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns on 113 catches over 37 games (17 starts).[1][2][3] At Rice, he set career records for running backs in receptions and receiving yards, led the team in rushing, touchdowns, and all-purpose yards in 2024 (780 rushing yards, nine rushing TDs, 485 receiving yards), and earned two-time All-American Athletic Conference Honorable Mention (2023-2024), Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Second Team All-Texas Offense (2024), and George R. Brown Offensive Award (2023-2024).[2][3] After Rice coach Mike Bloomgren's 2024 firing, Connors entered the NCAA Transfer Portal with one year of eligibility left and joined Houston in 2025.[1] Through 10 games that season, he contributed 725 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on 158 carries, plus 173 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, aiding the Cougars' 8-2 record and No. 23 College Football Playoff ranking under coach Willie Fritz.[1] He lists Hawaii as his home state across collegiate stops and remains a key contributor for Houston as of late 2025.[1][2]