TCU football notebook: Horned Frogs getting healthy ahead of Arizona matchup
The second bye week was good to the Horned Frogs as the TCU football team got time to rest and rejuvenate after winning three of its last four games.
It also allowed a number of key Horned Frogs to recover from nagging injuries as TCU expects to play Arizona on Saturday with the healthiest defense its had in the last few weeks.
Defensive linemen Markis Deal and Hakeem Ajijolaiya, along with edge rusher Cooper McDonald, are expected to be available for the final Big 12 home game of the season
“Both those guys (Markis and Cooper) will play, Hakeem practiced today as well,” coach Sonny Dykes said at his weekly press conference Tuesday. “Markis and Cooper fully practiced Sunday and fully practiced today, Hakeem was a little limited in practice on Sunday and today. I would anticipate all three of them being available.”
Deal, a top-ranked recruit from Garland in the 2023 class, missed the last two games after sustaining an injury in practice leading up to the Baylor game. Ajijolaiya was injured in the first half against the Bears and missed most of that game and the win over Oklahoma State.
McDonald hasn’t played since TCU’s loss to Houston on Oct. 4. Getting all three back is significant for TCU.
“It’s a big deal, we were a little thinned out on the defensive front,” Dykes said. “Cooper was certainly playing as well as anybody on our defense. Markis was probably the most improved player and Hakeem was filling a role as well. As those guys disappeared we got a little young and inexperienced up front.
“It’s good to have everybody back and it’s certainly going to provide depth for us and a spark defensively.”
McDonald and Deal will be especially valuable as pass rushers against Arizona’s Noah Fifita. Fifita was the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and while he’s regressed this season, he’s still a talented quarterback that can put up yards in bunches.
While TCU will be getting some much needed reinforcements, Dykes also seemingly ruled out a number of other Horned Frogs when asked a follow up question about other players coming back.
“I don’t see anybody else coming back,” Dykes said. That means it’s unlikely players like Avery Helm, Vernon Glover or Major Everhart will suit up the rest of the season.
Youth movement?
With just two games remaining on the schedule plus a bowl game, Dykes said the Horned Frogs are anticipating getting more of their younger players some valuable reps.
The NCAA redshirt rule allows players to participate in four games while still maintaining their year of eligibility. One player in line to receive more reps is freshman offensive tackle Ryan Hughes.
A three-star recruit from The Woodlands, Hughes got extended reps in the win over Oklahoma State and impressed Dykes with his performance.
“He’ll continue to play, he played really well,” Dykes said. “He actually graded out really high and played well. We feel really comfortable with playing him, he’s really mature and I would expect him to play significantly over the next couple of weeks as we get into the bowl game.
“You don’t see many true freshman offensive tackles that have an ability to do that, that kind of tells you where we think he is and where we think he’s headed.”
Dykes added that he’s hopeful that more of TCU’s younger offensive linemen will be able to get reps over the last three games of the season.
