TCU football hits the ground running on first day of spring camp
TCU football opened spring camp Tuesday with a new energy permeating the program following’s last season’s 9-4 finish.
The Horned Frogs have a new offensive coordinator and a new quarterback, along with countless new faces on both sides of the ball.
Incorporating so many new pieces could be challenging for some programs, but head coach Sonny Dykes said he was pleased with how quickly everybody has assimilated into the program.
“For the number of new people you would expect for it to maybe not be as clean as it was,” Dykes said. “We worked really hard to get to prepared for today, and I’m a big believer in getting off to a fast start when it comes to practicing. I believe you set the bar and build off of that foundation day one. ... We’ve had opportunities to have a lot of meetings and install a lot of stuff.
“Most importantly [we’ve] made sure the players understand the standard and what’s it supposed to look like in terms of effort and accountability.”
The Horned Frogs only practiced in helmets Tuesday, but still got a lot of work in with one-on-one periods and a lengthy team period to end practice.
Among the standouts was redshirt sophomore safety Devyn Hidrogo, who picked off two passes during practice to lead a strong day for the defense.
“Offensively we did some good things. I liked what our quarterbacks did, but we turned it over four times,” Dykes said. “Four picks during the day, you’ve got to give the defense credit. Devyn Hidrogo had two big plays defensively, but other than us turning the ball over, I thought it was a pretty clean day. It was a good starting point.”
Jaden Craig’s first impression
One of the biggest storylines for the spring will be how quickly new transfer quarterback Jaden Craig adjusts to the Power Four level. TCU signed Craig from Harvard to replace Josh Hoover, who departed for Indiana in December.
Craig certainly looked the part physically with his arm talent, and he’s also clearly committed to the weight room.
Dykes said he believes Craig can provide a new dimension to TCU’s offense under new coordinator Gordon Sammis.
“Our primary objective when replacing our quarterback was someone that’s played and played at a high level,” Dykes said. “He’s protected the football and hasn’t turned the ball over. I do feel like that’s an area we can get better at. The great thing about Jaden, there’s a little bit extra dynamic when it comes to size and strength. He’s 6-foot-3, 230 pounds.
“There’s an extra running dimension that we haven’t had in the past. He’s played a lot of snaps, a lot of skins on the wall. He’s got a big arm, and just his physical size and strength is something we necessarily haven’t had.”
Craig said it was a bit of a whirlwind during the offseason as he mulled a potential jump up to the NFL or staying another year in college.
But since he’s arrived in Fort Worth, the transition has been smooth.
“Once I got here as soon as I got past the orientation stuff and got settled in, it’s been smooth sailing since,” Craig said. “It feels pretty similar [to Harvard]. There hasn’t been much of a lifestyle change. I’ve always been all ball. It was exciting to get out there today for sure.”
Craig has all the physical traits needed to succeed at this level, but the ultimate adjustment will come from how quickly he’s able to get comfortable going up against Power Four defenses.
It’s a big leap up in competition from the Ivy League, but Craig also has more talented teammates around him to support him.
“It’s day one. The defense isn’t throwing anything too crazy at us. I’m not feeling overwhelmed,” Craig said. “It’s definitely faster guys and bigger guys in front of my face. At the end of the day it’s just digesting coverages and making throws.”
In that area, Dykes has already found room for Craig to grow, as he wants the quarterback to focus on taking the easy layups and not feel he’s need to make “wow” throws so early in camp.
“We’re excited about him, certainly not a finished product day one,” Dykes said. “There’s a lot of things he can improve on. The big thing for him is to take the easy throws. There were a couple of times today he had opportunities to throw completions and probably should’ve took them, but passed them up to try and get something a little more down the field. So we gotta do a better job doing that, but I thought it was a good first day.”
Offensive line impresses
Despite starting tackle Ryan Hughes and left guard Cade Bennett being held out of practice, TCU’s offensive line had a strong opening day of camp.
The offensive line opened multiple big running lanes for running back Jeremy Payne, and it seems like the group has quickly jelled with Sammis’ scheme, which prioritizes more zone run attacks.
Witten Van Hoy, Wesley Harvey and Samir Camacho all stood out physically and will have a chance to compete with some older veterans like transfer guards Jaheim Buchanon and Noah McKinney. The Horned Frogs are excited about what the offensive line can become at full strength.
“The big thing is competition. That’s what I like,” Dykes said. “You can’t miss much time. There are a lot of guys in there that are capable of playing physically. There’s some really talented young players, and some of those older guys are going to have a hard time holding the younger guys offs.
“That’s what you want, and there’s been a reset with those guys with their attention to detail. It’s much better. There’s a more mature approach to the group. ... There is great competition. I do love our depth. I think it’s a bigger, more physical and stronger group than we’ve had in the past.”
This story was originally published March 24, 2026 at 2:24 PM.
