How does TCU look under Sonny Dykes? Here are some early takeaways from spring practice
TCU football completed its second of 15 spring practices on Thursday morning. Here are some early takeaways.
▪ QB matters. Max Duggan worked with the first team on Tuesday. Chandler Morris worked with the first team on Thursday. Coach Sonny Dykes said the team isn’t big on its “depth chart,” saying that changes almost on a daily basis.
Both of the top quarterbacks have had their moments. Morris went 5-of-7 (unofficially) on Thursday, highlighted by a deep touchdown pass to Blair Conwright. Duggan was 10-of-11 (unofficially) with his lone incompletion being a near interception by Abraham Camara.
Redshirt freshman Sam Jackson has been running with the third team.
▪ Six QBs. TCU has six quarterbacks working in camp right now. Along with Duggan, Morris and Jackson, the Frogs are getting snaps to true freshman Josh Hoover, junior walk-on JR Justice and sophomore walk-on Luke Pardee.
Hoover is the only reserve who has taken part in team drills.
A couple of former quarterbacks on the roster have switched positions. Trent Battle is working with the running backs, while Alexander Honig is working with the tight ends.
▪ LT watch. Left tackle is one of the most notable positions for the Frogs to fill this offseason with Obinna Eze heading to the NFL. Eze, a transfer from Memphis, started all 12 games at left tackle last season.
Junior Marcus Williams is working with the first team at left tackle early on with sophomore Michael Nichols backing him up.
Dykes seems confident Williams or Nichols will emerge as the top guy. “They’re both talented guys. That’s a good starting point,” he said. “I think they’re athletic and talented enough to do it, they just got to do it. They’ve got to grow up and develop that mentality and consistency you have to have to play that position. That’s one position on the field where you play 80 snaps and you have 79 good ones and one bad one, that one bad one can cost you. You just have to have a mentality and consistent level of play when you play on the offensive line.”
▪ More OL news. Along with Williams at left tackle, the first-team offensive line has been Brandon Coleman at left guard, Steve Avila or Alan Ali at center, Avila or John Lanz at right guard and Andrew Coker at right tackle.
▪ Defensive highlights. A few notable defensive plays over the first two days include safety Josh Foster breaking up a deep ball intended for Derius Davis on Tuesday, and linebacker Wes Smith intercepting a pass by Hoover during team work on Thursday.
▪ Starting D. With TCU shifting to a 3-3-5 defensive scheme, it’s a new-look for the Frogs. The first-team D-line includes ends Dylan Horton and Terrell Cooper and nose tackle Soni Misi. At linebacker, among the players working with the first team at times, include Dee Winters, Jamoi Hodge, Thomas Armstrong and Johnny Hodges. Noah Daniels and Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson have received first-team reps at cornerback while safeties have included Mark Perry, Nook Bradford, Deshawn McCuin and D’Arco Perkins-McAllister.
TCU returns to the practice field at 10 a.m. Saturday. Fans are welcome to attend.
This story was originally published March 25, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
