TCU is heading into Sonny Dykes’ fifth season with a fresh look in some of the most important spots on the field. The Horned Frogs open Aug. 29 against North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland, and the big question is whether this roster can get back to the Big 12 championship game for the first time since 2022.
There’s a new quarterback in the picture, a new offensive coordinator calling the shots and enough turnover to make the 2026 season feel like a reset in several rooms. But there’s also real reason for optimism, especially on offense if the line holds up and the backfield takes a step forward.
At quarterback, Harvard transfer Jaden Craig is expected to take over after Josh Hoover transferred to Indiana. Craig brings more size and athleticism than Hoover, and the arm talent is similar, but he’ll have to show better consistency against FBS defenses.
The running back group could be one of the biggest drivers of that offensive jump. Junior Jeremy Payne leads the way after scoring the game-winning 35-yard overtime touchdown against USC in the Alamo Bowl and posting a career-high 623 rushing yards last season. Under new coordinator Gordon Sammis, TCU is aiming to climb from 14th in the Big 12 in rushing to a top-seven finish.
The receiving corps also has a new focal point. Idaho transfer Jordan Dwyer, who put up 730 yards and seven touchdowns last season, is positioned to become the primary target after All-Big 12 receiver Eric McAlister moved on. Terry Shelton, Ed Small and Dozie Ezukanma are in the mix for bigger roles as well.
Tight end is another spot where the Horned Frogs are leaning on a newcomer to the lineup. Ka’Morreun Pimpton is projected to start after working with the first team most of spring camp and developing early chemistry with Craig. That room returns only four catches for 37 yards after the departures of DJ Rogers and Chase Curtis.
Up front, TCU has a chance to be in a much better place than it has been in recent years. Returning starter Ben Taylor-Whitfield is back, and he’s joined by Cade Bennett along with transfers Jaheim Buchanon from Florida International and Noah McKinney from Oklahoma State. That group could end up being the program’s best offensive line since 2022 and help push TCU toward a top-five rushing offense in the Big 12.
The defensive line looks far more settled. TCU kept most of its two-deep intact and returns a unit that ranked fifth in the Big 12 against the run and finished with 24 sacks in 2025. Paul Oyewale, Zach Chapman, Markis Deal and Ansel Din-Mbuh are the projected starters.
Linebacker is the biggest unknown on the roster. The Horned Frogs have to replace NFL draft picks Kaleb Elarms-Orr, who went to Buffalo in the fourth round, and Namdi Obiazor, who went to New England in the sixth round. Fourth-year player Max Carroll is projected at middle linebacker next to Virginia Tech transfer Michael Short.
The secondary may have the widest range of outcomes, but it also might be the area most likely to improve. TCU finished 14th of 16 Big 12 teams in passing defense, yet the cornerback room could take a major step with sophomore Gil Jackson’s emergence and the additions of veteran transfers Teon Parks from Colorado and Kalen Carroll from Central Michigan.
At safety, the Horned Frogs have a new look after Bud Clark left for the Seattle Seahawks. Preseason All-Big 12 selection Jamel Johnson is the anchor, with Jacob Fields projected to start at free safety and Julius Simms at nickel.
In Other News...
Indianas Josh Hoover Brings One Huge Concern Into 2026
Indianas quarterback room is set for a major change in 2026, with the Hoosiers moving on from Fernando Mendoza and turning to TCU transfer Josh Hoover. Hoover arrives with plenty of production on his rsum after nearly three seasons as the starter in Fort Worth, where he piled up 9,629 passing yards and 71 touchdowns while also giving defenses their share of chances with 33 interceptions.
The concern around Hoover is easy to see, and analyst Josh Pate has already pointed to the turnover issue as the thing that could define the move. Still, Indiana may not ask him to carry the offense in quite the same way TCU did, especially after Mendozas key performances in tight games helped fuel the programs national title run. [Read more 🡒]
Jack Bech Showed What TCU Receivers Can Still Become
Jack Bechs rise gave TCU a reminder of what a receiver can look like when the fit is right. After arriving as an LSU transfer, he became the Horned Frogs top target in 2024 and went on to clear 1,000 receiving yards, a season that also brought All-Big 12 and All-American recognition plus semifinalist nods for several awards.
For TCU, the bigger takeaway was bigger than one standout year. Bech moved on to the NFL when the Las Vegas Raiders took him in the second round of the 2025 draft, and he has already gotten into 16 games as a rookie, leaving behind a clear example of how productive the Horned Frogs receiving room can still be when everything clicks. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Needs Jordan Dwyer To Answer One Big Receiver Question
TCUs wide receiver room is leaning on a player who arrives with both opportunity and expectation. Senior transfer Jordan Dwyer, coming over from Idaho, is projected to be the primary target for a group that needs experience and a steady hand, and wide receivers coach Malcolm Kelly has made it clear he wants Dwyer to help set the tone for the rest of the unit. For a relatively young receiver group, that kind of leadership matters almost as much as production.
Offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis is planning to find ways to maximize Dwyers impact by using him in multiple roles, which should make him a central piece of the offense from the start. The bigger question is how quickly he settles into that expanded role and how well the Horned Frogs can build around him, because the answer may determine how much balance this passing game can find when the season begins. [Read more 🡒]