The TCU Horned Frogs have had back-to-back nine-win seasons and are hoping to get over the hump and contend for the Big 12 title this season. At Big 12 media days Wednesday, players talked about how the defense would help them break through.

TCU has ranked eight and ninth in the Big 12 in points allowed per game the past two seasons. Senior safety Jamel Johnson, TCU’s only preseason All-Big 12 selection, explained what the defense needs to do to enter the upper echelon of the Big 12.

“We can’t miss opportunities, man,” he said. “We had a lot of opportunity that we missed on last year, and if we fixed that, man, it’s gonna be great. We gotta execute. ... We gotta make the free layups.”

Johnson will have to step up in a leadership role after the departure of safety Bud Clark, who was taken by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the NFL draft.

“I gotta lead in my own way,” Johnson said. “I gotta be more vocal. I gotta just tell the young guys, man, it’s more that we just stick together and execute our assignments. It’s gonna be a special year for us. We got a lot of young talent, man, and me being able to push them and lead them the right way is great.”

Junior defensive tackle Markis Deal said a lot of players have stepped up in leadership roles for the Horned Frogs.

“There’s a lot of guys,” Deal said. “I mean, linebackers like Max Carroll ... just stepping up, being in the film room, learning the plays, and just elevating his game. [Junior safety] Jordan Lester, big guy ... He got some snaps behind Bud Clark, but you know he’s ready to go.”

Deal is one of several returning starters on the defensive line, along with senior Ansel Din-Mbuh and junior Paul Oyewale.

“I mean, everything starts in the trenches,” Oyewale said. “And if you have a D-line that can do what I believe that we can do, and what we have the potential to do, I think it’s going to be a really good advantage that we have over other teams.”

TCU was 10th in sacks and 14th in fumbles forced in the Big 12 last season, and the Horned Frogs hope their returning contributors can give the team more juice in the pass rush.

More pressure on quarterbacks means more turnovers and fewer points. Oyewale said if the Horned Frogs want to make big splash plays, they have to focus on their responsibilities and the basics.

“I think explosive plays comes with, you know, being in the right place at the right time, following what coach has planned for you, doing your assignment, and that kind of stuff,” he said. “If it results in explosive plays, that’s awesome for us, but I think us doing our job is just, it’s exactly what we need, and it’s going to be more than enough.”

The defense hopes its connection will be the key to helping the team win more than nine games for the first time since the historic 2022 season that ended in the national championship game.

“I think it’s just like the camaraderie between the team,” Deal said. “I think just having that coach and having that leadership between the players, I feel like the last year we did a good job, but just not all the pieces were there. ... So I think just being able to come together as a team is gonna get us over the hump.”

This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 2:52 PM.

Lawrence Dow

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.