TCU’s march toward the 2026 season opener keeps ticking, and the latest stop on the Countdown to Kickoff lands on a familiar name: former Horned Frog linebacker Travin Howard, who wore No. 32.
The Horned Frogs are set to open the 2026 season against North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland on Aug. 29, and Howard fits the number on the calendar with a career that piled up production from start to finish. Over four seasons at TCU, he topped 100 total tackles in each of his final three years and closed his college run with 343 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, three interceptions, 11 pass breakups and a pick-six.
Howard appeared in 51 games for the Frogs and made his first real splash as a sophomore, when he earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. From there, the 6-foot-1, 213-pound linebacker from Longview, Texas kept climbing, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors in both 2016 and 2017.
His senior season ended with another big moment, as Howard was named Defensive MVP of the Alamo Bowl after TCU beat Stanford. He also became the first player in program history to lead the team in tackles in three straight seasons, and his 343 total tackles stood as the most by any Horned Frog defender during Gary Patterson’s time as head coach.
That college production carried Howard into the NFL, where the Los Angeles Rams picked him in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He went on to play in 29 NFL games and make two starts, finishing with 44 total tackles, six pass breakups and one interception. After four seasons with the Rams, Howard signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2023 and later spent a brief stretch with the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL in 2024.
In Other News...
TCUs Dublin Opener Suddenly Feels Like The Trap Fans Feared
The buildup to TCUs season opener in Dublin already had enough intrigue, with the Horned Frogs heading overseas to face a North Carolina program trying to steady itself under Bill Belichick and Mike Lombardi. Now the matchup carries even more edge because the Tar Heels have spent the offseason dealing with turbulence around the football operation, which only adds to the sense that this is not the clean, simple opener either side probably wanted.
For TCU, the concern is less about the scenery than the trap. Early-season games in Ireland have a habit of punishing the favorite, and the Frogs have to sort through all the usual opener variables while facing a team that still has plenty of talent and a coach whose presence guarantees attention. The point spread reflects the Horned Frogs edge, but it also underscores the risk: if TCU lets the moment get bigger than the game, Dublin could turn into the kind of stage where the underdog suddenly looks very comfortable. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Fall Camp Will Reveal How Real These Frogs Really Are
Fall camp is about to put a fresh TCU roster under the microscope, and the first questions are happening where so many seasons are won or lost, up front. The Horned Frogs are sorting through battles at left tackle and center while new offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis starts shaping an attack that should look more physical and run-oriented, a change that will ask the line to set the tone early with a week 0 trip to Ireland against North Carolina looming.
Jaden Craig sits at the center of it all, because his development could determine how much the offense can grow beyond the basics. On the other side of the ball, the Frogs are also looking for the next wave of voices to emerge, with Jamel Johnson and Max Carroll stepping into bigger leadership roles as TCU tries to figure out just how real this group can be before the season even begins. [Read more 🡒]
This TCU Camp Could Decide If The Horned Frogs Break Through
Preseason camp is arriving at a useful moment for TCU, which has spent the offseason trying to turn a good program into a true breakthrough team. The Horned Frogs are coming off another nine-win season, and the next step is obvious enough: find a way to push into double digits while a new-look offense and a reshuffled roster settle in around quarterback Jaden Craig.
Craig, the Harvard transfer, showed enough in the spring to keep the job within reach, but he also had a rough final scrimmage and now has to grow into the leadership role TCU needs from him. Gordon Sammis pro-style system adds another layer to the camp watch, with the Frogs leaning into a more balanced approach, while battles at linebacker and wide receiver will decide how quickly the new pieces can fit together. [Read more 🡒]