Why TCU football is set for a big year in 2025
After the blowout win over Louisiana in the New Mexico Bowl, the TCU football program should find itself as one of the top teams in the Big 12 entering 2025.
The Horned Frogs corrected many of the mistakes that plagued them in 2023 and also early in the 2024 season on its way to a 6-1 finish.
TCU accomplished that in various ways, from winning slugfests with Utah and Cincinnati to blowout wins over Arizona, Oklahoma State and the Ragin’ Cajuns. Let’s not forget about the double-digit comeback against rival Texas Tech either.
It’s fair if you still think TCU let an opportunity to reach the playoff slip through their grasp. Even with the 9-4 finish, defeats against Baylor, UCF and Houston all sting for different reasons as the Horned Frogs were a quarter or two away from a possible trip to the Big 12 championship game.
But in reality, this season was always going to be about a new core of players learning how to win and building toward next season after much of the core of the 2022 national runner-up team moved on to different opportunities.
It was the first full season as a starter for Josh Hoover, who had shown flashes in 2023, but he was still a big question mark entering the season. Hoover had his lumps, particularly a three-game stretch where he had two interceptions in three straight games and multiple fumbles.
It was a rough spot, but Hoover emerged through that adversity and now sits atop the school record book for most passing yards in a single season. When you take a quick look across the conference, at worst Hoover will enter next season as one of the top three quarterbacks with the likes of Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson and K-State’s Avery Johnson.
Head coach Sonny Dykes believed Hoover was the guy and it was the reason TCU didn’t heavily pursue some of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal. That decision proved to be wise.
The same can be said about the hiring of Andy Avalos at defensive coordinator. It was always a bit much to expect Avalos to completely turn around the TCU defense in one season. And just like Hoover, the defense had a three-game stretch where things looked bleak.
But there’s no doubt the unit improved by leaps and bounds by the final game of the season and the bowl game performance against Louisiana was a great example of the unit’s progress.
The defense played with fire and physicality, even with the game well in hand. The attention to detail down the stretch against Louisiana and Cincinnati was a pleasant development after watching so many coverage busts and explosive games given up the year before.
Barring any sudden entries into the transfer portal, the unit should bring back a strong nucleus led by Markis and Devean Deal, linebackers Kaleb Elarms-Orr and Max Carroll plus safety Jamel Johnson.
The recent court ruling surrounding Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia that allows former junior college players who had expired their eligibility to have one more season in 2025 could vastly help TCU’s defense. Star linebacker Namdi Obiazor has already announced he intends to come back for another season and nickel safety Abe Camara could also take advantage of the rule.
Next season could be the best defense Dykes has had in Fort Worth and it’s just another reason expectations will be high. Back on the offensive side, there are a few question marks that will need to be addressed between now and the season opener against Bill Belichick and North Carolina next season.
The Horned Frogs will lose three of their top receivers including Savion Williams, Jack Bech and JP Richardson but TCU will return Eric McAlister. With eight receptions for 87 yards against Louisiana plus his track record at Boise State, McAlister has all the goods to be a No. 1 wide receiver.
TCU also signed Jordan Dwyer, a 1,000-yard receiver from Idaho, from the transfer portal along with Houston transfer Joseph Manjack IV. The passing game should be fine next season, especially if Hoover takes another jump in his development.
The biggest hurdle TCU will have to overcome if it wants to be a playoff next team next season is finding a consistent running game. All of the playoff teams, from SMU to Oregon, had viable rushing attacks that allowed for balance and taking pressure off of their quarterbacks.
For now Dykes seems prepared to bet on an internal development for both the offensive line and the running backs. TCU lost starting center James Brockermeyer to the portal along with running back Cam Cook, who started early in the season.
But there’s plenty of reasons to have optimism with so much young talent at both positions plus there’s also a second portal window TCU can take advantage of if need be.
The scars and lessons gained through the early adversity the Horned Frogs faced at the beginning of the year will hopefully pay off in a big way next season. TCU has never lacked the talent, but now the Horned Frogs should be able to pair the necessary intangibles with that talent.
Learning how to win as a team is hard, but TCU endured and now can set its sights on challenging to make a return trip to the College Football Playoff and a shot at the Big 12 title.
