TCU has spent the first part of the season finding new ways to put Max Carroll in the middle of everything.
That makes sense for a senior linebacker who has already taken on a major leadership role, but the Horned Frogs have pushed it even further by shifting him around the defense and letting his range do the work. Carroll was handed big shoes to fill this year after replacing NFL draft pick Kaleb Elarms-Orr at middle linebacker, with outside linebacker Namdi Obiazor also going in the April draft.
He answered the challenge right away in the season opener against North Carolina, posting a team-high nine tackles, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. But even with that kind of production, the staff saw more they could tap into. Against the Tar Heels, Carroll moved from middle linebacker to outside linebacker and even lined up on the edge.
That flexibility carried into last week’s 63-7 win over Grambling State, where senior Hudson Hooper started at middle linebacker and Carroll was free to work more on the outside. According to HUDL IQ, Carroll logged 32 snaps at linebacker, nine at edge rusher, four on the interior, and even lined up in nickel based on North Carolina’s alignment. Advanced data wasn’t available for the FCS game, but his usage against Grambling was similar.
For Carroll, who played safety and receiver in high school in Memphis, the role has fit cleanly.
“It’s a great thing for me,” Carroll said Wednesday. “It makes me look versatile.
They can move me to MIKE, WILL, come off the edge, from the boundary, so honestly it looks better on my end. As long as I go out there and produce, it shows how versatile I am and the things I can put out there on the table.”
He backed that up against Grambling with four tackles and a pass breakup, and through two games he leads TCU with 13 tackles. The production has matched the offseason expectations that were put on him.
Still, Carroll isn’t pretending the job is finished. With Big 12 play looming, he knows there are details he has to tighten up.
“I need to improve my pad level and honestly stop being lethargic,” Carroll said. “Last game I was the reason why the explosive play happened because I had bad eyes coming out there.
I was lethargic, going through the motions. So for me personally, I just got to let all my emotions out, just let my energy flow, and the rest is going to take care of itself.”
That mindset echoes what made Elarms-Orr so effective last season. The first-team All-Big 12 linebacker kept a calm, stoic approach during the week, then brought his football intelligence and emotion together once the games started. Carroll may be trying to follow a similar path as he looks for another level.
The next test comes against an Arkansas State offense that is averaging over 38 points per game, and Carroll knows TCU’s defense has to be sharp from the start.
“I expect to see a lot of explosiveness. They got a great running back, great tall quarterback who can run, too,” Carroll said.
“They got a fast receiver, so we got a lot on our plate this week. So we have to go in with a positive mentality, go out there attack and start fast.”
In Other News...
TCU Just Landed A Local Lineman At A Fascinating Time
Gabriel Brooks recruiting path took a notable turn this week, with the North Crowley senior offensive lineman flipping his commitment from Stephen F. Austin to TCU for the 2027 class. A local product with college-ready size and a tackle frame, Brooks said the move gives him better opportunities academically and athletically while also keeping him closer to home, a combination that naturally carries extra appeal for a player from one of Fort Worths most visible high school programs.
For TCU, landing a lineman from North Crowley is the kind of in-state development that can matter well beyond the headline. Brooks is expected to stay at offensive tackle, and the timing makes the commitment even more interesting as he gets ready for a key upcoming game against Duncanville. How he handles that stage this fall will only add to the attention around a pledge that gives the Horned Frogs a nearby prospect with plenty still ahead of him. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Has One Thing To Clean Up Before Big 12 Play
TCU heads into Saturday night with the kind of confidence that comes after a comfortable win and a matchup that looks manageable on paper. The KillerFrogs staff is unanimously picking the Horned Frogs over Arkansas State, and the expectation is that TCUs offense should be able to keep rolling after last weeks dominant showing against Grambling State.
Still, this is the sort of early-season test that can expose a lingering issue before Big 12 play arrives. Arkansas State has shown it can throw the ball, but the Red Wolves have also had turnover problems, and the Horned Frogs biggest concern remains a secondary that still has some cleaning up to do. If TCU handles that end of the field cleanly, the rest of the evening should look routine. [Read more 🡒]