TCU football sees another player enter NCAA transfer portal; two earn All-Big 12 honors
Another TCU football player is entering the NCAA transfer portal.
Defensive tackle Earl Barquet has put his name in the portal, a source confirmed Thursday. Barquet joins running back Zach Evans as the two players who have entered the portal since the season ended.
Barquet had 12 tackles in 10 games as a sophomore for the Frogs last season, serving as a rotational piece along the defensive line. Barquet had nine tackles, including 2 1/2 sacks, in six games as a redshirt freshman in 2020.
Barquet, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 277 pounds, was part of TCU’s 2019 recruiting class, joining as a three-star prospect out of John Ehret High School in Marrero, Louisiana.
TCU is in the midst of a coaching transition, going from longtime coach Gary Patterson to Sonny Dykes. The only holdover from Patterson’s staff on the defensive side of the ball is safeties coach Paul Gonzales.
Former TCU defensive line coach Zarnell Fitch recently joined Texas Tech’s staff.
TCU recently hired Tulsa’s Joseph Gillespie to serve as its defensive coordinator. Gillespie is expected to implement a 3-3-5 scheme similar to what Iowa State has done in recent years. Patterson was known for his signature 4-2-5 defense but the Frogs had one of their worst defensive seasons in program history in 2021.
Frogs on All-Big 12 team
The Associated Press released its All-Big 12 team on Thursday with TCU landing a couple players on the first-team — center Steve Avila and cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson.
Avila started 11 of 12 games on TCU’s O-line that helped pave the way for the Big 12’s third-best offense (435.8 yards per game).
Tomlinson, meanwhile, had a team-best seven pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Individual honors went to Iowa State’s Breece Hall (offensive player of the year), Baylor’s Jalen Pitre (defensive), Texas’ Xavier Worthy (newcomer) and Baylor’s Dave Aranda (coach).
Editor’s note: Drew Davison, the Star-Telegram’s TCU beat writer, votes for the All-Big 12 AP team.
Snapper honors
TCU long snapper Antonio Ortiz has been invited to a couple all-star games this offseason as he has professional potential.
Ortiz was selected to play in the Hula Bowl and the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
Ortiz was a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award, which is given to the best FBS senior long snapper in the country. Ortiz was a four-year starter for the Frogs.
The Hula Bowl is scheduled for Jan. 15 in Orlando, Florida, while the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl is Jan. 29 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
