TCU’s countdown to its 2026 season opener has reached 8 days, and the jersey number in the spotlight belongs to one of the most decorated players in Horned Frog history: Davey O’Brien.
The Horned Frogs open against North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland on Aug. 29, and No. 8 fits naturally for a program legend whose name still carries serious weight in Fort Worth. O’Brien remains the only Heisman Trophy winner in TCU history, earning the award in 1938 after helping lead Dutch Meyer’s team to an 11-0 season and a national championship.
His No. 8 is retired, and the résumé behind it is stacked. O’Brien was a two-time All-Southwest Conference First Team selection in 1937 and 1938, then added unanimous All-American honors in 1938.
That same year, he threw for 1,509 yards, setting an SWC record that lasted 10 years. He also posted 19 touchdown passes against just four interceptions, while adding three rushing scores.
The Philadelphia Eagles made O’Brien the No. 4 pick in the first round of the 1939 NFL Draft, and he wasted little time making an impact at the pro level. As a rookie, he led the league with 1,324 passing yards, breaking the previous record held by another former TCU quarterback, Sammy Baugh. He was named an NFL All-Star and a First-Team All-Pro in 1939 before playing two NFL seasons and moving on to the FBI, where he worked for 10 years.
O’Brien’s honors kept piling up long after his playing days ended. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955 and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1956. At TCU, he was already a Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award winner, and he was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1967.
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TCUs 2026 Hype Comes Down To Jaden Craig And One Big Question
TCUs long view toward 2026 starts with a roster that has real appeal in a few key spots, even if plenty of the picture is still coming into focus under Sonny Dykes. The linebacking group has the chance to be one of the steadier parts of the defense, and Max Carroll is positioned to be the voice in that room, while the offensive side carries its own intrigue with the receiver talent, the line, and the promise around quarterback Jaden Craig.
Craig is the center of the optimism because his overall command has given the Frogs something to build around, especially with the way he has handled the shorter throws and intermediate game. Still, the next step for TCUs offense depends on how the passing attack develops down the field, and that lingering question is the one that will shape just how high the hype around 2026 can really go. [Read more 🡒]