TCU is set to get a major piece of its defense back for Saturday night, but two other important starters are still trending the wrong way.
Head coach Sonny Dykes said Tuesday that preseason All-Big 12 safety Jamel Johnson will be available when the Horned Frogs face Arkansas State at 7 p.m. Saturday at Amon G.
Carter Stadium. Johnson sat out last week’s 63-7 win over Grambling State because of a foot injury, and his return gives TCU’s secondary a needed lift.
It’ll be a big boost for TCU’s secondary to have its leader and one of the best safeties in the country back on the field.
The news wasn’t nearly as encouraging for senior edge rusher Zach Chapman and senior wide receiver Jordan Dwyer. Dykes said both are doubtful for the game.
“Zach and Jordan, both, I would say doubtful,” Dykes said.
Neither player has appeared this season, and both are working through undisclosed lower body injuries. Chapman, a freshman All-American in 2024, was expected to team with Paul Oyewale to give TCU a dangerous pass rush, but that pairing has not materialized yet. He also missed most of fall camp while wearing a boot.
Dwyer, meanwhile, entered the year as TCU’s top returning receiver from last season. He finished second on the team with 730 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago and was considered one of the Big 12’s top wideouts heading into the season.
There was at least a little optimism on Dwyer’s timeline. Dykes said after the win over Grambling that he expected the receiver back for the Big 12 opener at Central Florida on Sept. 26.
“We’ll probably have Jordan back next week or at least in the near future,” Dykes said.
In Other News...
TCU Gets One Last Real Test Before Big 12 Play
Before TCU dives into Big 12 play, the Horned Frogs get one more chance to sharpen themselves in a non-conference tune-up at home against Arkansas State. It is the kind of September game that can look routine on paper, but it still offers a useful checkpoint for a team trying to clean up details before the league schedule starts to matter more.
Arkansas State brings a little more complexity than a typical late non-conference visitor, with transfer quarterback Trey Owens running an offense that spreads work around at running back and receiver. The Red Wolves also mix up their defensive looks and have a solid secondary, even if their run defense has been leaky through their first two games. For TCU, the matchup should be less about surviving a trap and more about seeing whether the Frogs can handle a varied opponent the way a Big 12 team has to. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Campbell Just Landed A TCU Commitment That Says Plenty
Mark Campbell added another notable piece to TCUs future on September 14, when 2027 point guard Kaylor Buse announced her commitment to the Horned Frogs. The ESPN No. 52 prospect in the class chose TCU over several other programs, giving Campbell a well-timed win on the recruiting trail and another sign that the programs message is resonating with national talent.
Buses decision also speaks to the value of relationships in recruiting, with her connection to Campbell playing a major role in the pick. For TCU, landing a highly regarded floor leader this early in the 2027 cycle is the kind of move that can shape a class before it fully takes form, and it leaves the Horned Frogs with momentum as they continue building around Campbells vision. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Fans Got Relief Saturday But One Big Test Still Looms
After two weeks away from game action, TCU looked much closer to the team it wants to be in a 63-7 rout of Grambling State. The Horned Frogs settled in quickly after the loss to North Carolina, with quarterback Jaden Craig showing sharper timing and a better rhythm with his receivers, especially tight end Kari Ashley, while both sides of the ball generally took a step forward.
Even with the lopsided score, the afternoon was not spotless. TCU still had a costly fumble and a few defensive breakdowns that kept the staff from calling it a complete clean-up job, and the next stretch should tell much more about where this team really stands. Arkansas State is up next, then comes the start of Big 12 play, where the margin for those kinds of mistakes gets a lot thinner. [Read more 🡒]