Hudson Hooper didn’t take the most obvious route to a starting job at TCU. He passed on Columbia, chose to walk on in Fort Worth in 2023, and is now a senior linebacker, a team captain and a starter for the Horned Frogs.
For Hooper, the decision came down to staying close to home and betting on a place that gave him a chance.
“I wanted to stay close to home,” Hooper said. “Out of high school, I didn’t really know much about TCU.
I just thought they had cool jerseys at the time. ... They gave me an opportunity.”
The Cypress, Texas, native was a straight-A student in high school, but he still went the walk-on route. In his first seasons, he mostly helped on special teams. Last year, he appeared in every game, finishing with four tackles and a fumble recovery.
Now, he’s moving into a much bigger role as TCU gets ready to host Grambling State in its home opener at 7 p.m. Saturday at Amon G.
Carter Stadium. Hooper said his job has expanded well beyond special teams.
“Helping guys get where they need to be to line up, just communicating with the defense and where we need to be altogether, and just putting myself in the right position to make plays, just make those routine plays,” Hooper said Tuesday about his increased role.
What makes Hooper’s rise stand out is how little he ever seemed tempted to leave. In an era when players often jump into the transfer portal if they aren’t playing right away, he stayed put.
“I think it’s a great spot. Met a lot of great people.
So yeah, I love it here. Never really thought about leaving,” he said.
“I think from the beginning that was something my parents asked, like, hey, what is realistic? What does it look like for Hudson two years down the road at TCU?
And they were saying if he works his way up, there’s definitely a spot for him to play.”
That patience has paid off. His teammates voted him captain, a recognition he said means a lot.
“It’s an honor,” Hooper said. “...
I really appreciate my teammates for doing that. Shows that they believe in me, and I support them, and I appreciate them a lot for that.”
TCU is trying to respond after a surprising loss to North Carolina in its season opener, and Hooper will be part of the push on defense as the Horned Frogs look to create takeaways.
Sonny Dykes said Hooper has earned that trust by doing the same things every day.
“It’s been a great journey with Hudson,” Dykes said. “...
Came in as a walk-on, and he’s worked incredibly hard. Obviously, earned the respect of his teammates.
He’s a team captain. Just one of those guys that you root for.
You can’t help but root for him a little bit just because of his work ethic and how unselfish he is, and, you know, loves being a Horned Frog.
“He’s really grown into a very good football player. He was a very key player on special teams for us last season, and just kind of kept getting better and better.”
Hooper’s climb has also had to fit around life as an engineering major, which he said has made time management essential.
“Time management, really. That’s just the biggest thing for me to keep going with that. And just whatever I’m doing at that specific time, just focus on that,” Hooper said.
He said he has gotten help along the way from classmates and teachers in the classroom, and from senior linebacker Max Carroll on the field.
“He’s got the most experience on all of us, and we actually came in together in the same recruiting class,” Hooper said. “So me and him have a lot of history together, and I appreciate him all for his help and just work ethic.”
Hooper’s path from walk-on to captain and starter isn’t common, but it is the result of steady work, loyalty and a role that kept growing until it turned into this one.
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