TCU Horned Frogs Preview 2022: Offense
The offense worked. It was No. 1 in the Big 12 in third down conversions, was ultra-efficient throwing it around, and the ground attack came up with close to 200 yards per game.
The offensive line wasn’t always great, and there weren’t enough points to go along with the production – averaging 29 per game – but overall the O was okay and it should be even better. Sonny Dykes knows how to get an attack going, especially …
The passing game. The Horned Frogs have the parts in place with the top four receivers from last year back along with speedy Quincy Brown to work on the outside.
Quentin Johnson is a true No. 1 target, Derius Davis is a smallish all-star speedster who dominated as a kick returner, and Taye Barber and Blair Conwirght combined to average almost 18 yards per catch.
Max Duggan should be ready to blow up as a passer. He threw for 2,048 yards and 16 touchdowns with six picks last year, and he ran well, but he can do so much more. He’ll get the chance to be a statistical star in this attack, and so will former Oklahoma backup Chandler Morris, who threw for 717 yards and three scores in his limited work.
The ground game lost star RB Zach Evans to Ole Miss, but the 1-2 combination Kendre Miller and Emari Demarcado should do a little of everything. They combine for well over 1,000 yards last year with 11 scores – Demercado is a bit more of a thumper, and Miller can tear off yards in chunks.
The offensive line has to be better, but it’s at least experienced and it’s getting some help. Steve Avila is one of the Big 12’s best centers, and there’s enough size and starting options around him to play with the combination. Helping the cause is Alan Ali, one of the best blockers on SMU last year who should now take over a guard spot.
TCU Horned Frogs Preview 2022: Defense
The defense was a stunning disaster. The offense did enough to win – even if it wasn’t a dominant force – but the D allowed 462 yards and 35 points per game, didn’t generate a pass rush, was totally miserable against the run, was awful on third downs, and couldn’t take the ball away. Other than that, everything was great. More on this coming in the Keys To The Season section, but …
The pass rush. It has to be better, and it has to do it with seven of the main linemen from last year living their best lives at other schools. Dylan Horton was the team’s top sacker with four. He’s back on one end, Terrell Cooper returns to the interior, and 312-pound Soni Misi needs to be an anchor on the nose.
There’s almost no homegrown depth, so the production in a rotation has to come from the transfer portal, landing Tymon Mitchell from Georgia, interior pass rusher Caleb Fox from Stephen F. Austin, and Lwai Uguak from UConn to help.
The linebackers are experienced and fine, but they need to make more big things happen. Dee Winters led the team with 74 tackles in the middle, and Jamoi Hodge is a good, fast outside defender who was third with 60 stops. These two should be in for bigger seasons.
The secondary wasn’t totally awful considering it didn’t get any help from the pass rush. That’s partly because there were a slew of good parts that now have to be replaced.
However, Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is one of the better corners in the Big 12, Nook Bradford made 42 tackles from one safety spot, and about to contribute in a big way are CB Josh Newton from ULM and S Mark Perry from Colorado.
TCU 2022 Preview | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
TCU Top 10 Players | TCU Schedule & Analysis