2023 was great year for sports in North Texas. What lies ahead in 2024?
Do you believe it?
Mark Cuban sold the Mavericks? TCU advanced to the college football championship game? The Rangers won the franchise’s first World Series?
The year 2023 was a memorable one for many reasons, mainly because of titles and transitions. What will 2024 bring? We take a peek at the year ahead by also taking a look at the year we just left behind.
The Star-Telegram’s special Top 10 list:
Rangers win first World Series
What lies ahead in 2024: With a depleted pitching staff due to injuries and free agency defections, the Rangers could have a hard time defending their title. Granted, the nucleus of the league’s top offense returns in World Series MVP Corey Seager, second baseman Marcus Semien and rookie standout Josh Jung. It will also be interesting to see if late-season callup and postseason star Evan Carter can sustain success for an entire season. But, the bottom line could be the team’s pitching. With Matt Scherzer and Jacob deGrom out until late summer with injuries, is there enough pitching to keep the team afloat?
—Dave Ammenheuser
Mark Cuban sells Mavs
What lies ahead in 2024: In January of 2000, Cuban bought the Mavericks from Ross Perot Jr. for a record sum of $285 million. He recently sold the majority stake in the team to the Las Vegas Sand Corp. for $3.5 billion. The move allows Cuban to retain 27 percent of the team, and be in charge of the basketball part of the franchise. It also gives the Las Vegas Sands a spot in Texas to build a casino/resort whenever the state legalizes gambling.The infusion of cash to the team, in Cuban’s mind, will allow the Mavericks to be competitive if and when media rights’ related revenue shrinks. Cuban is 65, and he has shown zero interest in not being around pro basketball, sports, and entertainment. The Mavericks will, in the next few years, start talking about planning to build a new arena. Expect that include a hotel, and a casino.
—Mac Engel
TCU advances to CFP title game in January, struggles in the fall
What lies ahead in 2024: TCU followed up a magical season with a disappointing showing in 2023 as the Horned Frogs missed out on a bowl with a 5-7 record. There were embarrassing defeats to Deion Sanders and Colorado plus blowouts to Oklahoma and Kansas State that led to the eventual firing of defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie. With former Boise State head coach Andy Avalos heading the defense and a top-ranked transfer class, TCU is hoping the work done in December – with its recruiting class and its transfer portal class – will lead to a bounce back season.
—Steven Johnson
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Cowboys release Ezekiel Elliott
What lies ahead in 2024: One of the biggest biggest headline was the departure of two-time NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott from the Cowboys. What lies ahead in 2024 will be determined in large part by what happens in the playoffs in January. Quarterback Dak Prescott has played his way into an extension that could make him the highest paid player in the NFL. But the future of coach Mike McCarthy could be in danger if the Cowboys don’t get the NFC title game. Tony Pollard replaced Ezekiel Elliott as the No. 1 back and was given a $10.1 franchise tag. He has been one of the team’s biggest disappointments. He might not return in 2024 and Elliott could retire after a subpar year in New England. The Cowboys might also be saying goodbye to left tackle Tyron Smith, a future Hall of Famer who has missed more than he played in recent years due to injuries. Smith is in the last year of his contract and left guard Tyler Smith is heir apparent and ready to ascend to his rightful spot.
—Clarence E. Hill Jr.
Big 12 goes under major transition
What lies ahead in 2024: With Texas and Oklahoma headed to the SEC, a new era for the conference will begin with Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah joining 2023’s new group of members BYU, Houston, UCF and Cincinnati. Replacing the two biggest brands in the conference will be difficult, but there’s enough quality programs across the conference’s footprint to make the new Big 12 a quality power conference in football. Arguably the strongest conference in basketball just got better, too.
—Steven Johnson
Texas A&M fires Jimbo Fisher
What lies ahead in 2024: Hired to lead Texas A&M to a national championship, no coach in major college football has ever flopped any harder than Jimbo in College Station. He was fired with a little more than $76 million remaining on his contract, and he will receive all of it. In his place is his former defensive coordinator, ex-Duke coach Mike Elko. The Aggies hired Elko after it botched the hiring process, and now Elko must contend with Texas as a conference member. A&M has given a head coach every possible toy to be successful, and now it’s Elko’s turn to prove that it can be done.
— Mac Engel
Eddie Lampkin’s departure from TCU
What lies ahead in 2024: Fan favorite Eddie Lampkin departed the Horned Frogs’ men’s basketball team during the Big 12 tournament after accusing Jamie Dixon of making racist comments. Sources around the program painted a different picture than Lampkin’s allegations, but on the court TCU won a NCAA Tournament game, but missed his presence in a narrow loss to Gonzaga. The Horned Frogs have a look of a NCAA Tournament team again in 2024, but will have work to do after dropping its two biggest non-conference games.
—Steven Johnson
Aledo wins 12th state title
What lies ahead in 2024: Aledo and first year head coach Robby Jones faced a 8-0 deficit early in the first quarter in the Class 5A D1 State Championship against Smithson Valley. That wasn’t an issue for the Bearcats, who scored 51 points en route to extending their UIL record to 12 state championships. In 2024, Aledo will attempt a three-peat and will stay in Class 5A after turning in an enrollment that was eight students shy of the Class 6A cutoff. The Bearcats will lose longtime quarterback and TCU commit Hauss Hejny, who will start the next chapter of his career with the Horned Frogs. Who will replace the star quarterback and can the Bearcats continue their dominance?
—Charles Baggarly
Jimmy Johnson added to Ring of Honor
What lies ahead in 2024: With owner Jerry Jones finally relenting and adding the former Cowboys coach to the Ring of Honor on Dec. 30, will there be any Cowboys added in 2024 or who will be next? The obvious choice as the next inductee to the Ring of Honor is former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, who has the team record for most career games, most career receptions, most career receiving yards. He has the most receptions ever by a tight end in NFL history. He won the league’s highest honor a Walter Payton award winner and is a shoo-in for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025. The real question is will he be joined by former quarterback Tony Romo, who retired as the team’s all-time leader passer and is a favorite of Jones?
— Clarence Hill Jr.
Record number of Horned Frogs taken in 2023 NFL draft
What lies ahead in 2024: The Horned Frogs had eight players drafted after the national title game run. The list was the Los Angeles Chargers taking first-round pick Quentin Johnston. Of all the players selected, Steve Avila has made the most impact at guard for the Los Angeles Rams, who are fighting for a playoff spot. Undrafted free agent signee Emari Demercado has also shown flashes with the Arizona Cardinals. Heisman runner-up Max Duggan spent most of the season on the practice squad with the Los Angeles Charges. The other drafted players Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, Dee Winters, Dylan Horton and Kendre Miller are all still aiming to leave their mark.
— Steven Johnson