TCU football lands two defensive players on All-Big 12 preseason team
TCU had a couple defensive players make the All-Big 12 preseason team.
Defensive end Ochaun Mathis and cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson were named to the all-conference team as the league revealed it Wednesday. No TCU offensive players were chosen.
The team is voted on by media representatives who cover the league. The preseason poll will be released at 2 p.m. Thursday.
Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler was named the preseason offensive player of the year; Iowa State linebacker Mike Rose was named the defensive player of the year; and Oklahoma running back Eric Gray was named the newcomer of the year.
Another notable selection to the team is Texas Tech wide receiver Erik Ezukanma, who played at Keller Timber Creek.
For TCU, it came as no surprise to see Mathis and Tomlinson land on the team.
Mathis is coming off a standout sophomore season in which he had a team-leading nine sacks. He also had 14 tackles for loss, which ranked third in the Big 12. For the season, he had 46 tackles, starting all 10 games in 2020.
Tomlinson is also coming off an impressive sophomore season in which he received first-team All-Big 12 and All-America honors. Tomlinson was the highest-graded cornerback in coverage by Pro Football Focus, allowing just 12 catches on 45 targets. Tomlinson’s 13 pass breakups led the Big 12 and ranked second nationally.
Along with his All-Big 12 preseason honor, Tomlinson has been named to multiple preseason All-America teams and is on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list.
From an offensive perspective, TCU could have a few players make cases during the season.
Coach Gary Patterson believes Steve Avila is one of the top centers in the country. Rattler is the headliner as far as quarterbacks in the league, but Max Duggan is a dark horse to make some noise this season. TCU also boasts an elite-level running back corps led by former five-star recruit Zach Evans as well as outside receiving threats such as Quentin Johnston.
TCU faces Duquesne in the season opener Sept. 4 at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
