Four games into the 2026 season, TCU’s issues are no longer hard to spot. The Horned Frogs sit at 2-2, a top-10 opponent is next, and the numbers behind the start make it clear this is not a team that has found its footing.
The most glaring problem has been discipline. TCU is averaging 8.3 penalties per game, which ranks 113th nationally.
That kind of sloppiness has shown up before, too: the Frogs finished 103rd in penalties per game last season, 56th in 2024 and 87th in 2023. This has become a pattern, not a blip.
By comparison, the 2022 team that produced the program’s unforgettable run ranked 26th nationally at 4.9 penalties per game.
The offense has also failed to find a reliable rhythm on the ground, even though that was one of the reasons Gordon Sammis was brought in to replace Kendal Briles. There was early evidence the Frogs wanted to lean on the run and let Jeremy Payne set the tone.
In Week 0, that was the plan. TCU kept trying to run when the chances were there, even with the passing game struggling.
That approach showed up again against Grambling, when TCU piled up 285 rushing yards. The Frogs followed that with 131 rushing yards against Arkansas State, making it three straight games with at least 100 on the ground.
Then came the loss to UCF, where the run game fell apart. TCU finished with just 33 rushing yards on 27 attempts, a season low in attempts and 10 fewer than the previous low.
Once the Frogs fell behind, the offense had to throw more, and that side of the ball never found consistency either. When the offense did move the ball, penalties often wiped out the progress.
A lot of that traces back to the offensive line. This was supposed to be a veteran group with high expectations, but it has not played like one. Missed assignments have been a recurring issue, and the line of scrimmage has too often gone nowhere, leaving Payne with little room to work.
TCU has shuffled combinations up front, but the right mix has not settled in. Cooper Powers has been at left guard, while Cade Bennett’s role has shrunk. Bennett played fewer than 20 snaps against the Knights, despite being seen as the starter through the first two weeks.
At center, Jaheim Buchanon had problems snapping the ball, and Sonny Dykes said in his press conference that Buchanon was having trouble hearing the snap count. Ben Taylor-Whitfield, the left tackle with next-level potential, has also had his own struggles, with his play raising questions about confidence and mental mistakes.
So the issue is bigger than simply saying TCU is not running the ball well. The problems have started up front, and that has bled into everything else.
There is still a path forward, but the schedule leaves very little margin. Including BYU, three top-15 opponents remain, along with five unranked teams. TCU needs four more wins to become bowl eligible, and the next stretch of Big 12 games will go a long way toward deciding whether that happens.
The discipline problems may be the hardest to clean up. A lot of these mistakes are mental, and those are not always easy to trace back to one simple cause. The coaching staff talked in the offseason about accountability and how it was changing the program for the better, but that has not shown up consistently on Saturdays.
Some penalties, like pass interference and holding, can come down to judgment. Others, like false starts, offsides and late hits, are mistakes TCU has to eliminate. That means accountability inside the program has to mean something, whether that comes through lost playing time, teammates pushing each other harder or other consequences.
The run game feels more fixable. TCU needs a line that plays together and plays with consistency. The staff has to settle on the five best players and build around them.
That kind of continuity matters. It could also help a steady veteran like Bennett stabilize the left side next to Taylor-Whitfield. Kilian Registre and Witten Van Hoy have formed a solid pairing, and their rotation has provided value.
Players see the game differently and move differently, whether they talk about it or not. The best move now is to find a group that works, put them on the field and let them grow through the mistakes together.
TCU needs a hard look in the mirror. The discipline issues have to be addressed internally, starting with why they keep happening.
Two-thirds of the season is still ahead, and now the Frogs are about to face their toughest opponent of the year. There is talent here, but not enough consistency. Against BYU, TCU needs to show real progress, because the window to fix these problems is closing fast.
In Other News...
TCU Faces A Bigger Question Than Expected Before No. 10 BYU
TCUs first availability report for the BYU matchup offered at least a little relief, with starting linebacker Max Carroll and backup offensive lineman Ryan Hughes absent from the list entirely, a sign they may be ready to go. Defensive end Zach Chapman and Perry Cole Jr. did show up as questionable, though coach Sonny Dykes said Chapman is expected to play, giving the Frogs some clarity at one of the more important spots on the defensive front.
Even so, the report adds another layer to a game that already carries real weight with No. 10 BYU coming to town. TCU has to sort through who is truly available and who is still trending toward game-time decision status, and the bigger concern may be how much of the defense is intact when the Frogs try to slow a ranked opponent that will put stress on every level of the unit. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Just Entered An Early Recruiting Battle Worth Watching
TCU has added another young name to its recruiting board, extending a scholarship offer to 2027 defensive lineman Charles Egbo after a conversation with Sonny Dykes. The Iowa Colony High School prospect is already verbally committed to Texas State, but the Horned Frogs are clearly making an early push as they continue to build a relationship and watch his development.
Egbos recruitment is starting to get interesting because TCU is no longer alone in trying to change the picture, with Houston also stepping in recently. For the Frogs, this is the kind of early evaluation battle that can matter down the line, especially with a prospect whose fit and upside are still being sorted out while the process is very much in motion. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Gets A Huge Chance To Respond Against No. 10 BYU
TCU gets a timely chance to steady itself Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium, where the Horned Frogs will welcome No. 10 BYU after a 2-2 start to the season. The matchup comes with a quick chance to reset after a loss to UCF that was defined by turnovers and penalties, the kind of self-inflicted problems that can turn a promising afternoon into a frustrating one.
BYU arrives in Fort Worth unbeaten at 3-0 and fresh off a bye week, which only raises the degree of difficulty for a TCU team trying to find its footing. The setting gives the Frogs a chance to answer at home against a ranked opponent, and with broadcast details already in place, the spotlight is set for a game that could say plenty about where this team is headed next. [Read more 🡒]