TCU’s fall camp has hit the point where the real battles are starting to show.
With the Horned Frogs finishing their first full padded practice Tuesday and the opener against Bill Belichick and North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 29 now creeping closer, the focus is shifting toward the depth chart. Through six practices, competition is everywhere - players are fighting to climb, and others are trying to hold their ground.
A few names have already separated themselves.
Dane Jones has been one of the camp’s biggest surprises at wide receiver. The redshirt freshman has looked especially sharp in one-on-one work, winning most of his reps on Tuesday.
He also caught a touchdown Monday from redshirt freshman quarterback Adam Schobel during 11-on-11, and that connection has stood out throughout camp. Jones has become a frequent target for Schobel, showing the kind of smooth route running and underrated speed that make him a problem inside.
Ed Small was expected to get plenty of slot work, and the sophomore still looks like a strong candidate to start, but Jones may be forcing his way into the conversation ahead of senior Major Everhart in the rotation.
In the secondary, Jacob Fields has wasted little time making his presence felt. The senior transfer from Louisiana Tech arrived with a reputation - he was Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year - and he’s backed that up with quick reads and a nose for the football.
On Tuesday, Fields blew up a run for less than a yard after flying down to the line of scrimmage, then picked off senior quarterback Jaden Craig in the end zone. He also should have had another interception earlier in the week.
At 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, Fields is not the biggest safety on the field, but he plays like someone who sees the game a step ahead. Paired with senior safety Jamel Johnson, he could give TCU a strong tandem.
Jon Denman has been one of the more electric players in camp, even in a setting that doesn’t allow full tackling. The sophomore running back produced one of the top plays so far when he made a one-handed touchdown catch on a wheel route.
He added another receiving touchdown in the same practice. Denman came into camp known as a power back, but he’s showing more versatility than that.
He also helped spark one of the practice skirmishes with a forceful stiff-arm on a TCU safety, a moment that fed into what was described as the team’s best offensive day of camp. After missing spring camp, Denman has returned in strong form and looks set to give TCU a solid 1-2 punch alongside junior Jeremy Payne.
Teon Parks has also made an immediate impact after transferring in from Colorado. The senior cornerback intercepted Schobel on Tuesday and nearly came up with another pick, only to drop the ball.
He’s been steady across the board, handling one-on-ones, 7-on-7 work and team periods against receivers such as senior Jordan Dwyer and redshirt freshman Terry Shelton. Parks, along with sophomore Gil Jackson, has helped make cornerback one of the strongest groups on the roster through the first six practices.
With Jackson, Parks, redshirt junior Vernon Glover and senior Kalen Carroll in the mix, TCU feels best about that position since 2022.
Kari Ashley has been one of the quieter success stories in camp, but he’s making a strong case to be part of the plan. The junior tight end came to TCU as a junior college addition in the last recruiting cycle, so he brings more experience than most newcomers.
He has looked the part of a veteran, contributing as both a receiver and a blocker. Ashley’s biggest highlight came on a post route from Schobel that turned into a touchdown of more than 50 yards.
He also turned in a key block on a defensive back during a goal-line period to help clear the way for a near-touchdown, and he had another strong block Tuesday that almost sprung a score. In Gordon Sammis’ new scheme, the tight ends are expected to play a bigger role in both the passing and run game, and Ashley is earning his place in that rotation.
In Other News...
Former TCU QB Josh Hoover Is Already Facing Pressure At Indiana
Josh Hoovers first fall camp at Indiana has opened with plenty of attention, and that comes with the territory when you arrive as a former TCU quarterback expected to help a team defend a national championship. Curt Cignetti said he has been pleased with Hoovers start, but the message around camp is clear enough: the Hoosiers want more as the month rolls on.
Hoover enters the job with a rsum that already carried weight after a strong final season in Fort Worth, and he is on the Maxwell Award watch list as the next chapter gets underway. His first start for Indiana comes against UNT, and while the baseline expectations are high, the next few weeks will go a long way toward showing how quickly he can settle in and how much pressure comes with leading a champion. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Legends Keep Putting The Horned Frogs On All-Time Lists
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Lily played at TCU from 1958 to 1960 before a standout NFL career and later induction into both the TCU Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tomlinson, who starred from 1997 to 2000, left campus with multiple rushing records, a Doak Walker Award, and eventually his own place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017. For TCU fans, the interesting part is less the recognition itself than the company these legends keep on lists like this, where the next name in the conversation is always the one everybody will want to see. [Read more 🡒]