2025 TCU football preview: Who will emerge as the starting running back?
There’s no bigger question mark on TCU football’s roster than the running back position.
The Horned Frogs had one of the worst rushing offenses in the country last season, averaging just 113.9 yards per game and under four yards per carry.
Savion Williams bailed TCU’s ground attack out in the latter half of the season as he emerged as the Horned Frogs’ top rushing option as a wildcat quarterback. But Williams is off to the NFL and there isn’t a player on the roster that can emulate his combination of size, strength and speed.
So, that means the Horned Frogs must rely on one of their running backs to emerge as the lead option, preferably during preseason camp. TCU has an interesting group of running backs including a pair of veterans plus a trio of underclassmen that have undeniable talent.
The Star-Telegram continues its 2025 TCU football preview with a look at the running backs:
Running backs
Starter: Jeremy Payne
Next up: Nate Palmer
Depth: Trent Battle, Jon Denman, Kevorian Barnes, Derrick Carroll, Joe Pitchford
Breakdown: Payne and Palmer will enter camp as the heavy favorites to land the starting running back job after both stood out during the spring. Payne, a sophomore, played the most last season with 239 yards and three touchdowns. His 4.4 yards per carry was the highest for a running back on the team and head coach Sonny Dykes said Payne was TCU’s most productive running back during Big 12 Football Media Days. Payne can generate home runs out of the backfield with his speed and continued to add on weight during the spring.
He’ll need to continue to add onto his frame to handle 15-20 carries per game. Palmer has a case as being the top running back coming out of spring as he showcased his versatility during the 15 spring practices. He excelled as a receiver out of the backfield and generated just as many, if not more, chunk plays as Payne. A redshirt freshman Palmer will also have to show he can endure the physical toll of receiving a dozen carries or more. TCU needs one, or both, of these second year players to emerge as the starter as they give the Horned Frogs the most upside.
Battle and Barnes are two veterans that have played plenty of football. Battle has been a part of the running back rotation since the 2022 run to the national championship game. He’s the best pass protector of the bunch, a good receiver and has established himself as a leader in the locker room. Battle does many of the little things well, but doesn’t quite have the same upside as Palmer or Payne.
Barnes was a transfer portal addition from Texas-San Antonio that left some fans scratching their heads after Barnes rushed for just 221 yards last season. However, Barnes rushed for a combined 1,500 in the two years prior and looked to be healthy during the spring. Barnes, listed at 210 pounds, will ideally serve as TCU’s short-yardage and goal line running back that can also give Payne or Palmer a break when needed.
Denman is a true freshman that also turned heads during the spring as he got more comfortable with the offense and the speed of the game. Denman is already the same size as Palmer and Payne and also brings a physicality with his running style. Fall camp will be much more physical and it will be interesting to see if the freshman can maintain his production as the pressure increases.
Best case scenario: Palmer and Payne emerge as viable lead backs during the season and the pair combine for over 1,400 rushing yards. Barnes thrives as a power running back with around five touchdowns and Battle makes a number of key plays throughout the season coming off the bench. Denman redshirts, but still sees action in a handful games and gains valuable experience.
Worst case scenario: With Palmer and Payne unable to seize the starting role, TCU relies on a committee approach once again which produces underwhelming results. The Horned Frogs once again rank near the bottom of the Big 12 in rushing yards which forces Josh Hoover to press too much and have another double-digit interception year.
