Horned Frogs Huddle

I grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, which is about as south Louisiana as you can get. And down there, it’s all about faith, family and football, in that order. Those three things have always contributed to the core of my life. The only reason I am here today is God opened so many doors for me through this kids’ game I’ve been playing since I was 5 years old, and I couldn’t be more thankful. 

Jack Bech’s 1,034 receiving yards this season rank fourth in program history. The three players ahead of him on that list — Josh Doctson, Quentin Johnston and Jalen Reagor — were all first-round NFL draft picks. Photo by Lily Margaret Greenway

FAITH 

I grew up in a Catholic family who helped catapult me to where I am today. But my faith really became my own when I got to college. Nobody was pushing me to go to church, pray or read my Bible anymore. I had to take the initiative, and over the last year and a half, I have.

Making leaps and bounds in my faith has changed my entire life. I have the confidence to walk into any room and the heart to get to know those around me beyond the surface level.

I try to be a positive, smiling, bright light in what can be a little bit of a dark world. I’m not perfect by any means. I’m far from perfect. But we can all be good people who try to treat others as best as possible.

Jack Bech pauses to pray before TCU’s Oct. 26 game against Texas Tech. Photo by Lily Margaret Greenway

FAMILY

I’ve been through a lot, and only a handful of people have stuck by my side through thick and thin. Those people, my people, are my heroes.

Leaders like Chauncey Franks and Coleman Maxwell have helped me grow so much in my faith, prayed with me and encouraged me constantly. Teammates who have become my best friends for life will stand beside me at my wedding. My coaches, our support staff and everybody in the training and equipment rooms have played their role in shaping me into the man I am today. But at the top of that list are my parents.

My parents have done so much for me that I can’t even begin to list it all. One of the greatest lessons I have taken from them is their joint spirit of resiliency. They taught me to keep pushing through no matter what the circumstances are.

“One of the reasons I want to play football at the next level is to give back to my parents and show them that everything they did for me paid off.”
Jack Bech

Life is gonna hit you — that is inevitable. But what separates people who succeed is whether or not you can stand up and keep fighting back. I know I will get knocked down again and again, but because of the strong morals I was raised with, I’m a fighter.

One of the reasons I want to play football at the next level is to give back to my parents and show them that everything they did for me paid off. I pray every morning for the possibility of joining the NFL to help support not only my family but also my future wife and future kids.

My biggest life goal beyond playing professional football is to raise a happy family the way my parents raised me. I never want my kids to doubt how much their parents love them and each other. I hope to give my kids everything they’ve ever wanted and more, show them what kindness is, teach them good morals and love them with everything I have in me.

Jack Bech and his family stand on the field during TCU Football’s 2024 Senior Day pre-game ceremony. Courtesy of the Bech family

FOOTBALL

TCU was at the top of my radar coming out of high school, but I grew up about 45 minutes west of Baton Rouge, so LSU was a part of my hometown culture.

Most of my family went to LSU, so I grew up dreaming of playing football there. When I got an offer from their program during my senior year of high school, I knew I had to take it.

Jack Bech celebrates a 50-yard touchdown catch during TCU’s Sept. 14 game versus UCF. The wideout’s 200 receiving yards against the Knights were a career-high. Photo by Lily Margaret Greenway

I had a great first year at LSU, but after some coaching changes during my sophomore year, I thought it would be best for me to make a change. So, I became a Horned Frog. 

I came to TCU in the midst of injury, but God truly pulled me through it all. I am a firm believer that if you keep God first and you always work hard, no matter what is going on in your life, you will keep outworking people. I don’t let trials and tribulations like injuries pull me down. Instead, I allow them to pull me up and help me grow.   

— As told to Lily Margaret Greenway

Editor’s Note: These responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Jordyn Bailey describes his journey in the sport alongside his brother Emani.

When I was 3, my family moved to live with my grandparents in Aurora, Colorado. There, in my grandfather’s backyard, my older brother Emani and I learned to play football.

My grandfather saw how much fun Emani and I had tackling each other and throwing the ball around, and he got us onto a select football team called the Pirates.

My brother was on the tackle team. I was on the flag football team. We fell in love with the game at the same time. But one weekend, my team didn’t have enough players, so my brother finished his game and then came on the field to play the game with my team. And he stole my shine!  

Jordyn Bailey (right) with his brother, Emani Bailey (left), and their grandfather, whom they call “Papa.” Courtesy of the Bailey family

He was a lineman at the time, but he was catching every kickoff and taking it back to the other end zone. I was playing on offense. Every time I was up to play, I didn’t have anything to do because Emani scored a touchdown every time he touched the ball. From that point on, the two of us always worked to push each other. I always wanted to be as good as my brother. He would hold me to that standard, and I would strive towards it. 

After a few years in Colorado, we moved back to Denton, Texas, where I was born. Emani and I started playing Texas football, which was a lot different in speed and strength than what we learned in Colorado. So, our mother started training us.   

My mama was an athlete — a runner and a basketball player — so she trained Emani and me to be athletes. She used to take us to the track and have us run sprints with masks on our faces so we could learn to control our breathing. Every time I would complain or say I was tired, her response was the same: ‘I don’t care. Keep running!’    

Our mother is the most supportive, resilient and hardworking person I know. She raised three kids on her own, so my brother, sister and I have been very protective of her from a young age. None of us would be who we are without the sacrifices she made to bless us. She also taught us to appreciate everything God gives us and use our talents to bring glory to him.   

Jordyn Bailey (right) calls brother Emani (left) his best friend. Their mother, Casaundra (middle), a former athlete, helped coach the two as children. Courtesy of the Bailey family

When Emani left for college, it was the first time I was without his everyday influence by my side. I became the man of the house at 15 years old. My mother told me this was the time I had to step up and be able to do things on my own.

Right then, I felt that switch in me, on and off the field. I started taking my books and school work more seriously, committed myself to football and started thinking beyond my current point in life. 

In 2021, I got invited to a football camp at TCU. I ran a fast 40-yard dash, and I guess I was doing well because when the camp concluded, I had an offer to play TCU Football.

Jordyn Bailey fields a punt during TCU’s Oct. 4 game against Houston. Photo by Lily Margaret Greenway

TCU had always been my top school, but after the 2021 football season, Emani jumped in the transfer portal, and TCU called to give him an offer, too. I remember he called to tell me, and I said, ‘If you go to TCU, we can go together.’ He replied, ‘Let’s do it.’

My brother wasn’t the reason I chose to come to TCU, but he was a big part of what made my decision so easy.

Playing on the same team with my best friend was the best. Getting the chance to compete at a high level like this doesn’t happen too often. We were blessed enough to do it together.

He celebrated my first collegiate touchdown with me. I celebrated with him every time he scored. It was just crazy cool. 

Hard work and trust in God are the only reasons I am where I am today. Watching my mother, brother and sister’s ethic gave me the dedication to give my all to anything and everything I do. As a family and individuals, we stay the course and trust God.

— As told to Lily Margaret Greenway

Editor’s Note: These responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Snow aside, TCU held on in the second half for its sixth conference win. 

There were drops aplenty and stagnant offense all around when the Horned Frogs and Bearcats met in last Saturday’s conference closer.  

TCU, though, persevered once again, winning for the fifth time in its last six tries to end the regular season 8-4, the program’s second-best record of the past seven campaigns. 

A much–improved Frog defense fared well in the elements of Southwest Ohio, conceding just six points in the second half. For a second time in the past three outings and the third time over the last six, the Frogs held their opponent under 14 points. 

With a 3-1 edge in the turnover column, TCU added 124 team rushing yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns in its 20-13 upending of Cincinnati (5-7, 3-6). 

While the Frogs await a bowl destination, here are five takeaways from TCU’s sixth Big 12 win of 2024. 

Hauss Hejny shouldered six carries in the fourth quarter Saturday to help the Frogs ice away a 20-13 win. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Hejny has a Night 

His redshirt eligibility now secure with just a bowl game remaining, first-year quarterback Hauss Hejny was a factor with his legs Saturday, accruing a team-high 48 rushing yards on eight carries. 

Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles ran the Aledo, Texas, native on six straight plays during TCU’s final offensive drive, with Hejny collecting 35 yards to drain 4:10 off the clock in the game’s waning moments.  

Blake Nowell broke out for 75 receiving yards in Saturday’s regular-season finale. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

How About Nowell?

Wideout Blake Nowell came into Saturday’s snow bowl with five catches and 84 yards for the season. 

On a night that saw TCU post a season-low 212 yards through the air, he came away with three receptions for a game-high 75 yards, all of which he gained during the first and second quarters. 

The senior’s contributions were timely, his first catch a 40-yarder that transitioned to Savion Williams’ second touchdown run of the game four plays later. 

Nowell’s second and third grabs, netting a combined 35 yards on the Frogs’ final drive of the first half, pushed TCU into field-goal range. 

Ethan Craw connected on a season-long 65-yard punt Saturday in Cincinnati. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Craw is Killing it

Ethan Craw came to play in the freezing temperatures.  

The Australian-born punter pinned four of his five kicks inside the 20, the last of which nuzzled up against the 3-yard line, forcing Cincinnati to go 97 yards in the game’s final 60 seconds. 

Earlier in the same quarter, he scooped a low snap off the turf and kicked it to the Bearcats’ 6-yard line, good for a season-long 65-yard boot. 

Still yet to see a kick blocked this season, Craw’s 17 kicks inside the 20-yard line are tied for fourth in the Big 12.  

With Craw’s 47.4-yard punt average Saturday being his second-best of the campaign, he carries momentum into his final year of eligibility in 2025. 

Johnny Hodges equaled a career-high with 87 tackles in the regular season. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

TCU Defense Travels

While the Bearcats mustered 214 yards on the ground, TCU’s defense made critical plays when it counted, generating a pair of takeaways and ensuring that Cincinnati’s last-minute comeback attempt came up short. 

The Frogs’ defensive headliners filled up the box score. This season’s leading tackler, Johnny Hodges, had a team-high nine stops, with safeties Jamel Johnson and Bud Clark finishing second on the night at eight tackles each. 

Linebacker Namdi Obiazor, included on the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List and still a strong candidate with 78 tackles for the year, added seven tackles in his final collegiate regular season contest. 

Markis Deal secured his first solo sack in the second quarter, adding three tackles for loss, twice as many as the defensive lineman had in any of his preceding 13 career games. 

His older brother, linebacker Devean Deal, and defensive lineman NaNa Osafo-Mensah added a half tackle for loss apiece, and safety Abe Camara a tackle for loss of his own.

Channing Canada recorded his first career interception in Saturday’s win. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

O Canada

Cornerback Channing Canada came down with a crucial interception at the 11:34 mark of the fourth quarter, turning aside Cincinnati’s 15-play, 61-yard march with a pick in the back-left corner of the end zone. 

It was the junior’s first collegiate INT, adding to a career season. Having played in all 12 regular season games for a second consecutive campaign, Canada sits at 26 tackles, one tackle for loss and two pass deflections on the year. 

 — Corey Zapata-Smith 

The Frogs bolster their bowl candidacy with a dominant Senior Day showing. 

TCU sent off its graduating class with a 49-28 Senior Day win over Arizona, losers in six of their last seven.

Team captain Bud Clark intercepted Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita on the first play from scrimmage. Though Arizona pulled within a point thanks to three consecutive scoring drives between the first and second quarters, the Frogs never trailed after Trent Battle bullied his way into the end zone for a 4-yard rushing touchdown 132 seconds into regulation.

TCU crushed the Cats 149-39 in the rushing column, committed only two penalties that netted five yards and went a combined 9-for-14 on third and fourth down.

Josh Hoover continued a stellar season — his 154.9 passer rating ranking second in the Big 12 to Shedeur Sanders among quarterbacks who have attempted at least 100 passes this year. The sophomore signal-caller threw for 252 yards on 19 of 26 passing, finding JP Richardson for the senior’s first receiving touchdown of the year midway through the third quarter.

“It’s been a little bit of a challenge this year for me to get in the end zone, but I don’t really care about that kind of stuff,” said Richardson, who also had an 89-yard punt return TD at Arrowhead Stadium against Kansas on Sept. 28. “Touchdowns can happen at any given moment. It definitely felt good, though, to get in the end zone and celebrate.”

The Frogs led 21-13 at the half, 35-13 after three quarters and 49-21 with a minute remaining in the fourth quarter before an Arizona junk time scoop-and-score kept TCU from a second straight victory by 25-plus points. 

Here are five takeaways from the bowl-bound Frogs’ seventh win of the season and their fourth over the past five. 

Jack Bech is the fifth TCU player to exceed 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Bech Breaks 1,000 Yards 

With three catches for 25 yards Saturday afternoon, Jack Bech became the fifth-ever TCU player to exceed 1,000 receiving yards in a season, joining Quentin Johnston (2022), Jalen Reagor (2018), Josh Doctson (2014, 2015) and Reggie Harrell (2003). 

Bech is among the 11 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, presented annually to college football’s most outstanding receiver.  

The senior’s 1,007 receiving yards sit 12th in the nation heading into TCU’s regular-season finale at Cincinnati. Bech’s nine receiving touchdowns are tied for 11th and are the most for a Horned Frog since Doctson had 14 in 2015.  

“It means a lot,” said Bech of surpassing the 1,000-yard mark. “Just definitely very blessed to be in the position. God is great. I say it all the time, but he truly is.”  

Sonny Dykes Shrugs Off Saban’s Slight

Seven-time national championship coach turned ESPN “College GameDay” analyst Nick Saban said on “The Pat McAfee Show” last week that his 2022 Alabama Crimson Tide team would have been 13-point favorites against TCU if the two teams had met that season, intimating his program got the short end of the stick with the College Football Playoff committee. 

“They got into the playoffs, and we didn’t,” Saban said. “I’m not criticizing TCU because it wasn’t their fault, but that is the subjective part of it.”  

Sonny Dykes made it clear Saturday that the Frogs have nothing to apologize about. 

“We were there. We beat Michigan. We played for a national championship. Everyone can say what they want to say. I don’t care,” Dykes said, in part. “That’s the great thing about it. It is what it is. It’s in history. Wish we would have played better in that game, but we played as well as we could play for 14 weeks.”

It’s Raining Rushing TDs

Four Horned Frogs scored on the ground, including senior wideout and now star Wildcat quarterback-running back Savion Williams, who secured his third and fourth rushing touchdowns and 80 rushing yards on nine attempts.  

Trent Battle reached the end zone in the third quarter as well as the first, while Jeremy Payne and Cam Cook combined for 47 yards on nine carries, adding a touchdown run each. Cook’s fourth-quarter TD brought him to nine on the season, more than twice as many as any other Frog. 

Trent Battle collected his first and second career TDs during the Frogs’ 49-28 throttling of Arizona on Saturday. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

TCU’s six rushing touchdowns were its most since Dec. 12, 2020, when the Frogs blew out Louisiana Tech 52-10. 

Combined with TCU’s Nov. 9 win against Oklahoma State, the offense has scored 10 rushing touchdowns over its past two games.  

“That’s been a point of emphasis for us this year is to run the football,” Dykes said following the Frogs’ third consecutive home win. “And I thought we came off the ball well up front. I thought our offensive line blocked well. I thought we ran the ball when people knew we were going to run it, when Arizona knew we had to run it. And to me, that’s always the big test.” 

Savion’s Career Season Continues

Coach Dykes last week compared Williams to San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel, a one-time All-Pro who, in addition to his more than 4,600 career receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns, also has more than 1,080 career rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns.  

“If someone compares you to someone in the NFL, I think you’re doing one heck of a job,” Williams said after Saturday’s win. 

The season turned offensively in a Week 8 trip to Salt Lake City when Williams handled seven carries and led the team with 72 rushing yards in a 13-7 win against Utah. 

In the past five games, he’s run for 300 yards on 40 attempts, a blisteringly efficient 7.5 per carry clip, with the Frogs winning four and losing one over that stretch. 

Williams’ 57 catches, 596 receiving yards, 43 carries, 312 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns are all career highs.  

Longtime ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Williams as the 2025 NFL Draft class’s No. 7 wide receiver prospect.  

Cooper McDonald (No. 44) has 2.5 sacks over his past three games played. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Seniors Shine in Home Finale

Several senior defenders showed out in their likely last outing at Amon G. Carter Stadium (barring a Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl berth for the Frogs). 

Defensive lineman NaNa Osafo-Mensah notched a sack for a second consecutive game, adding two tackles for loss among his six takedowns. All three of the Fort Worth native’s sacks this season have come at home. 

“I’m glad to see him execute like he has been. And I think he’s been getting better,” Dykes said of Osafo-Mensah during his postgame availability. “I think he’s, like our team, just kind of hitting his stride. That’s why I’d love for us to have a chance to keep playing because I think we’ve turned into a pretty good football team. And he’s turned into a good player, for sure.” 

Senior linebacker Cooper McDonald added a half sack in his first appearance since sustaining an ankle injury against Houston on Oct. 4. 

Safety Cam Smith notched a tackle for loss and six total tackles, which tied him for second on the team alongside fellow senior and former safety turned linebacker Namdi Obiazor, whose 71 tackles are second to only Johnny Hodges’ 78 this season. 

Walter Football has Obiazor slated as a fringe seventh-round NFL Draft pick, with room to improve via an impressive close to 2024 and showing throughout the pre-draft process. The same prognosticators have his fellow Frog and current junior Clark slotted as a fourth-to-sixth-rounder. 

 — Corey Smith 

My family has always taken care of each other. I have three older sisters and one older brother, who are all pretty far apart in age from me. So, besides my parents, my siblings were always pouring into me and guiding me every step of the way throughout my major milestones in life. They taught me all of the values I hold today — use your manners, treat people with respect and whatever you decide to do, do it right. Even today, they have such a huge impact on my daily life and are the first people I go to for advice.

Abe Camara sitting with his parents, Zara (left) and Alpha Camara (right). Courtesy of the Camara family

I didn’t start playing football until middle school, but my love for the game began when I started watching my brother play. Witnessing his recruiting process at South Carolina solidified that I wanted to play college football, too.

I got my first offer during my junior year of high school, but by the time my senior season was over, I knew I wanted to create more options for myself. I went to a junior college for a year and a half, became the No. 1 junior college safety in the nation, and accepted the first Power Five offer that came my way — TCU.

During my first year in Fort Worth, I was just a guy from a junior college trying to find my role, my place and myself. But as the years went on, I just found my niche and built some important bonds with my teammates, coaches and teachers that will last a lifetime.

There is a winning tradition here, and because TCU was the first team to take a real chance on me, I never wanted to take my position for granted. That mindset helped me battle injuries, maneuver through trials and run onto the field every week to give my all for my team. I know how fast all of this is going to go by, and that my plans can change in an instant, but waking up each morning and getting to do what I love is something I appreciate more and more each day.

Abe Camara pauses during fall camp. Photo by Lily Margaret Greenway

Growing up, I was always the one my family was taking care of. But today, I have the incredible blessing of taking care of them. I have nieces and nephews to love on, and it makes me really happy to bless my siblings’ kids after they were always there to help me out. What means the most to me is making my family smile and showing them how much I appreciate everything they’ve done to help me keep growing. 

My next immediate goal is to play football professionally. But I have dreams that expand beyond the NFL. I graduated with my degree in youth advocacy this past summer and immediately started working an internship with a couple of other guys on the team at Como Community Center. It was eye-opening to work hands-on with those kids and gain more experience and knowledge in the field I want to pursue.

“I have all kinds of ideas and want to bring them to life one day.”
Abe Camara

I like working with kids. And I think they like me, too. So many of them at the community center come from broken homes, split families or single-parent households, and they need a place where they feel like they can relax and fully be themselves. Being raised in such a tight-knit family, it means all the more to me to create a space like that for these kids. And what I found out in spending time with them is that a lot of them love to play sports, too.

I have this dream of eventually creating my own organization that connects a youth advocacy center with professional sports. It would be so neat to have a bunch of professional football players, and professional athletes in general, make connections with these kids, whether it be through charity games or clinics. I have all kinds of ideas and want to bring them to life one day.

— As told to Lily Margaret Greenway

Editor’s Note: These responses have been edited for length and clarity.

The Frogs clinch bowl eligibility with a balanced offensive and defensive effort. 

The Horned Frogs (6-4, 4-3) secured bowl eligibility for the eighth time in 11 seasons and 16th in the past 20 with a 38-13 home win over Oklahoma State (3-7, 0-7) on Saturday.  

TCU’s win simultaneously guaranteed a losing record for the Cowboys, the second in Mike Gundy’s 20 years as head coach. The win was TCU’s fifth in the last seven contests against Oklahoma State, giving the Frogs an all-time 15-14-2 advantage in the series. 

The Frogs’ offense, explosive in its penultimate home outing of this 119th season of TCU Football, was matched by a stout showing from the defense: The 13 points allowed were the third-fewest for an opponent all year. The Cowboys were shut out in the first half and averaged fewer than 3.8 yards per carry on the night. 

“No matter what bowl it is, no matter how it is, we plan on winning out,” captain Bud Clark said after the win. “We win out and do what we need to do, and go win the bowl game, too.” 

TCU takes a Week 12 bye before hosting Arizona in the home finale Nov. 23. 

Here are five takeaways from the Horned Frogs’ sixth win of the season as they head into that 2024 home closer against the Cats. 

JP Richardson posted 100 receiving yards against his former team, his second highest total of the season. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

JP Pops Off Against Former Team

In his first head-to-head meeting with his former team of two years, JP Richardson paced the Frogs with 100 receiving yards. He and Savion Williams shared the TCU lead at seven catches apiece. 

Richardson was involved from the first play from scrimmage, reeling in a Josh Hoover pass for 16 yards to set the tone for a third consecutive 35-plus-point performance from the offense.   

He was targeted four times by the end of the first quarter, posting three catches for 38 yards in the first 15 minutes. 

“This felt good for sure,” the senior wideout said during his postgame availability. “But at the same time, I still have a ton of love for those guys. I think that’s what made it so fun, so good. I’m still great friends with a lot of those dudes.” 

Though he’s yet to pull in his first touchdown catch of 2024, the Missouri City, Texas, native is six catches and 14 receiving yards away from setting new career highs in those categories, while his 192 punt return yards rank 13th in the nation.   

Jordyn Bailey brought the Horned Frog faithful to their feet with his second score in as many games. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Bailey’s Breakthrough

Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles dialed up several deceptive run calls that kept the Cowboys’ defense on its heels — Jordyn Bailey’s 59-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter a prominent example. 

Nine Horned Frogs handled at least one carry on Saturday, with myriad receivers motioning in and out of the backfield throughout the night.  

Bailey got his lone opportunity late in the game, taking a wildcat formation handoff left and streaking to the end zone through a wave of Cowboys defenders.  

The former Denton Ryan standout has earned a combined five touches the past two weeks, his most over a two-game stretch. He’s turned those opportunities into 88 yards and a pair of touchdowns. 

Cam Cook’s two-touchdown effort against the Cowboys marked his second multi-TD game of 2024. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Cam Cooking Up Touchdowns

Cam Cook had one of his more efficient outings of the year, accruing 6.7 yards per carry on seven attempts while contributing his second career multi-touchdown effort.  

It was the best Cook has looked since Williams’ rushing role increased Week 8 at Utah (the fifth-year wide receiver has carried the ball a combined 31 times in the four games since).  

Getting the team’s running backs going, Cook atop that list, in tandem with the unicorn Williams, who is averaging 7.1 yards per carry since Oct. 19 and tallied another two touchdowns against the Pokes, will make the ground game all the more dynamic. 

The Horned Frogs secured their second consecutive home win with a 38-13 triumph over Oklahoma State. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Taming the Turnovers 

TCU went a second consecutive game without committing a turnover. That’s an impressive shift from the previous five games, where the offense gave up the ball 16 times in total. 

“That’s been such a point of emphasis for us. It’s good to see that,” Coach Sonny Dykes said after the win. “It’s good to see all the work you’ve put in and the players have put in to understand how important that is.” 

“We’re just a bunch of fearless guys that go out there and make plays,” added Hoover, who has played interception-free football in three of his past four starts. “We got a bunch of ballers. When you got guys like that, you don’t worry about those statistics. You do what you can to prepare. Then you trust yourself and go ball.” 

The Frogs’ defense understood the assignment, bagging three Cowboys turnovers — including an Ollie Gordon II fumble in the first quarter, plus second and fourth-quarter interceptions from Alan Bowman and Maealiuaki Smith, respectively. 

Safety Abe Camara came up with the fumble recovery, and Clark and defensive lineman Travis Jackson the interceptions, as the Frogs held their opponent under 14 points for the second time in four weeks. 

Each of NaNa Osafo-Mensah’s sacks has come in his hometown of Fort Worth. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

A Dominant Defensive Showing 

Front to back, side to side, the Frogs defense showed out.  

Clark came up with his second pick in four games. He also co-led the team in tackles, all eight of the solo variety.  

Jackson was credited for a sack two plays before his fourth-quarter interception after he pressured Smith into an intentional grounding penalty that resulted in a loss of 23. 

Linebacker Devean Deal pushed to a team-leading 7.5 tackles for loss when he diagnosed a second-quarter screen designed for Oklahoma State receiver Brennan Presley, taking him down for a loss of two. 

NaNa Osafo-Mensah, the senior defensive lineman formerly of Notre Dame, collected his second sack of the season and his first since Week 2, each of which has come at home.  

 — Corey Smith 

First-year QB Hauss Hejny was named the No. 12 quarterback recruit in his high school class by 247 Sports. Photo by Lily Margaret Greenway

I’ve dreamt of being a TCU football player my entire life, and the story of how I got here was set into motion before I was even born.  

My mom was a two-sport athlete from Cisco, Texas, a small town about an hour and a half west of Fort Worth. She found out she was pretty good at both basketball and track, and she was getting Division I interest from basketball programs across the nation. But like me, she’s really family-oriented and wanted to stay close to home, so TCU was an easy choice for her. My dad had a very different story. My grandpa was in the military, so my dad grew up constantly moving until he settled outside of Reno, Nevada, for high school. He started playing football for a junior college in California, and his head coach knew Coach Gary Patterson. My dad accepted his offer from TCU without even coming down to tour the campus. 

My parents met in study hall while they were both athletes at TCU: my mom slipped her number on my dad’s study hall table, and my dad had no idea who left it there. But that night, he called her, and that’s where it all started. They had me while they were still in college, so as a newborn, I went to class with them! We lived in an apartment right off campus and settled in Aledo when I was about 5. That’s where I have spent most of my life. 

Hauss Hejny (back, right) is the son of two former Horned Frog athletes: JimAnne Hejny (back, center), a women’s basketball player and long jumper at TCU, and Jesse Hejny, who played football in college. Courtesy of the Hejny family

When I first started playing football, or rather, flag football, I was horrible. I was just a kid who had no idea what I was doing. But I stuck with the game and eventually started to figure it out. In first grade, I played tackle football for the first time, and that’s when I found my love for the game and realized I could be pretty good at it.  

My goal was to be a TCU football player. My family grew up going to every sporting event TCU had — football, baseball, basketball, track meets, you name it. I’ve been a diehard TCU fan since birth. I screamed at the TV during away games, cried when we lost and wore purple every weekend. I was obsessed and still am. 

Hauss Hejny has been a Horned Frog fan his entire life. Courtesy of the Hejny family

When I started my recruitment journey, one of the main things my parents and I discussed was that none of us wanted me to pick TCU just because they went here. TCU was always in my heart because of my family, but I wanted it to be the right pick for me. Honestly, I looked for every reason not to go to TCU and tried to escape my bias, but there was no doubt this program was the right fit for me.  

In addition to the winning culture and my deep-rooted history with this campus, I’m only 25 minutes from home. Last week, my brother Beau had a middle school football game, and I was able to watch him because I had the afternoon off. My brothers and I are really close, and we’re all five years apart in age — Beau is 13, and Jett is 8. Sometimes, they’ll come down to spend the night at my apartment and hang out, and I’m blessed to watch them grow up and mature a little more every time I see them. 

I always wanted to chase the path of being an elite quarterback and playing at the college level, so it’s neat to see my brothers start to have the same work ethic that I found in middle school and fall in love with the same game. Beau is beginning to lock in and focus on football, and every time I see Jett, he wants to throw the ball with me and practice. He asks me to help coach him, and he listens, too. He’s at the age where he wants to learn, so I’m eating it up just helping him out with that. 

As a new college student, I’ve had to find my footing outside of my parents’ household. Especially over the last few months, I have matured a lot in making my own decisions, navigating rough patches and learning from my mistakes. But throughout this first semester, I’ve learned to keep my values at my core.  

Hauss Hejny, then a recruit, visiting TCU with brothers Beau (left) and Jett. Courtesy of the Hejny family

My first value is to put God first, always. In the good times, give glory to God, and in the bad times, never stray away from him. I understand that everything happens for his purpose, and he already has my path planned out. All I have to do is work for his glory and do my best in everything I commit to, and he will bless me. My second value is family. My family comes second only to God. And the third truth I abide by is to stay true to myself and be a good person. I’m constantly working to remain calm, smooth and steady and keep a smile on my face. I believe in being kind to people, lifting others up by making their day and not taking a single blessing for granted.  

Growing up, I spent every TCU home game looking down from the stands of Amon G. Carter Stadium and watching the football players run through the smoke as they entered the field. The seats where my family has sat throughout my whole life are right above the tunnel, so when I ran out a couple of months ago during my first home game as a Horned Frog, I turned around and saw my parents waving at me from our row. Life has flown by since I was a kid sitting up there with them. The moment made me pretty emotional because I’m living the dream I’ve chased my whole life. Thank God for that. 

— As told to Lily Margaret Greenway

Editor’s Note: These responses have been edited for length and clarity.

The Bears’ late rally gave the Frogs their first head-to-head loss since 2019. 

TCU had taken four consecutive Revivalry wins coming into Saturday night’s road test.   

A second-half resurgence from the Bears offense, which collected 17 fourth-quarter points, earned Baylor its first win against TCU in the Dave Aranda era via a 37-34 victory.  

Here are five takeaways for the Frogs, who, entering a matchup with last-place Oklahoma State (3-6; 0-6), are one win away from clinching bowl eligibility for the eighth time in 11 years. 

Johnny Hodges (right) has once again been a tackling machine this season. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Here’s Johnny! 

Middle linebacker Johnny Hodges grabbed his first sack of the season, and his first since Sept. 16, 2023, when he chased down a rolling Sawyer Robertson for a third-down sack on the Bears’ opening first-quarter drive.  

Hodges was otherwise all over the field, topping the TCU stat column with eight tackles. It was the junior’s fourth eight-tackle outing in his last five appearances, and he’s added a pair of tackles for loss over that span as well.  

His career-high 87 total tackles, a mark he set during his first year as a Horned Frog in 2022, is within reach; the Big 12’s sixth-leading tackler sits at 66 with three regular-season games to go. 

The unit’s performance was less than stellar down the stretch of last Saturday’s loss, with the Bears scoring 24 on their final four drives.  

Hodges, the team captain, said of the defense’s late-game struggles: “From where we were to where we are now, I’m still proud of our guys. It’s a work in progress. We still have a lot of work to do. But we know if we play the way we’re supposed to and if we do our jobs, good things happen. When we stop doing our jobs, we can give up 24 points.” 

Dormant Rush Defense

TCU held Baylor quarterback Robertson, who had totaled 16 touchdowns in his preceding four games, to no scores and his second-worst completion rate of the season (55.9).  

Devean Deal has four sacks in his past three games. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

But Baylor gashed the Frogs’ defense on the ground, turning 44 team carries into 257 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. It was the Bears’ third consecutive 250-yard rushing performance. 

Even taking possession with 1:55 remaining in regulation, Baylor leaned heavily on running back Bryson Washington, who carried the ball five times for 30 yards on the game-winning, 11-play drive. 

Up next: Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon, who is the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, even if he has failed to replicate 2023 production this season. 

The Frogs have proven themselves capable of containing an elite talent at the position, as they did a week earlier in holding Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks, a 2023 All-Big 12 first-teamer, to 4.0 yards per carry and one touchdown in a 35-34 TCU win.  

The defense will, though, need to bring it again this week when Gordon and the Cowboys come to Fort Worth. 

Josh Hoover’s QBR (82.6) surpassed that of Bears quarterback Sawyer Robertson (80.1) in TCU’s 37-34 loss. Photo by Percise Windom

Turnover-Free Frogs 

For the first time since Week 3, TCU did not commit a turnover. The Frogs had coughed up 16 in their preceding five games. 

Quarterback Josh Hoover was efficient against the Bears, throwing for 333 yards with three total touchdowns and no interceptions, and running back Cam Cook fell on his own third-quarter fumble, the only occasion on which TCU put the ball on the ground over 31:35 of possession time. 

I “went out there, trusted myself, trusted my training, trusted the guys around me, trusted the offense and then just let it rip,” Hoover said after the game. “Good things happen whenever I do that, good things happen when our team does that on offense. And I thought everybody just played free, didn’t play tight or scared and just ran our stuff.” 

Savion Williams (left), a high school quarterback, collected his first collegiate TD pass against the Bears. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Bech Booms in First Trip to Baylor 

Jack Bech bettered an already stellar season, pulling in five passes for a game-high 98 receiving yards and two touchdown catches.  

One of those touchdowns came from the arm of fellow receiver and high school quarterback Savion Williams, who threw his first collegiate touchdown pass and once again led the team with 57 rushing yards while adding 92 receiving yards on eight catches.

For Bech’s part, the Biletnikoff Award watch list addition recorded his first touchdown in three games, while his 98 receiving yards against the Bears were his most in more than a month.  

The senior leads the team in receptions (51), receiving yards (923) and touchdowns (nine) as the Frogs move into the fourth quarter of the regular season. 

Senior receiver Jack Bech is 77 yards shy of 1,000 as the Frogs enter Week 11. Photo by Percise Windom

Bailey’s Play of the Day

Jordyn Bailey came down with a brilliant one-handed touchdown catch midway through the first quarter to cap a 95-yard drive for the Frogs. 

It was the sixth catch of the season for Bailey, whose twirling right-handed snare was reminiscent of Odell Beckham Jr.’s famous 2014 catch as a New York Giants rookie. 

Bailey, the brother of former 1,200-yard Horned Frog rusher, now Kansas City Chiefs practice squad member Emani Bailey, is a fixture of the Frogs’ future skill position group, with the Denton native still having three years of eligibility beyond this season.  

 — Corey Smith 

The Frogs’ Fourth-Quarter Rally Keeps Their Big 12 Title Hopes Alive. 

Tortillas were flying as the opening kickoff sailed through the October air at Amon G. Carter Stadium last Saturday afternoon.  

A little extra flour on the field didn’t seem to bother the Frogs, who pushed past their longtime rivals from Lubbock, 35-34, to improve to 5-3 (3-2). 

The win over Texas Tech allowed TCU to retake the Saddle Trophy, which has resided in Fort Worth for five of the last six seasons, 2023 being the lone exception.  

Another must-win game awaits in Week 10, at least if the Frogs are to have a chance of making it to AT&T Stadium on Dec. 7.  

A win at Baylor on Saturday, combined with an Iowa State loss in Ames against these same Red Raiders and a Kansas State loss at Houston, would pull the Frogs within a half-game of Big 12 title game position with three regular season contests remaining. 

“We’re making a lot of mistakes. It’s still not great football,” said head coach Sonny Dykes in his postgame press conference. “But we’re playing hard. And they’re starting to gain some confidence from grinding out some tough wins.” 

Here are five takeaways from the Frogs’ triumph against Texas Tech, the 26th in program history. 

Savion Williams’ six total touchdowns are a career-high with still a third of the regular season remaining. Photo by Percise Windom

Savion, Superstar 

Less than five minutes into regulation and before the FOX broadcast even began, Savion Williams had already tallied a 35-yard rushing touchdown. 

Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles continues to feed the fifth-year wide receiver with carries — 18 of them the past two weeks — after Williams handled three total rush attempts over the Frogs’ first six games. 

By the end of the first quarter, he’d scored his sixth TD of the year and second of the day, taking a Josh Hoover seam pass 75 yards to the end zone on the first play of the team’s third offensive drive.  

“He’s just a football player,” Hoover said of Williams after the win. “He’s a receiver, he’s a running back, he’s a tight end, he could play quarterback, he could play punter, whatever he wants to play.”  

On the Frogs’ final drive, with the game on the line late in the fourth quarter, three of four handoffs went to Williams as the offense aimed to ice away a win. 

Texas Tech would force a punt to get the ball back with 29 ticks to go, but not before an 11-yard first down run from Williams bled precious time off the clock, dimming the Red Raiders’ hopes for a rally. 

TCU is 2-0 since getting Williams more involved in the ground game. He’s accounted for 144 of the team’s 249 rushing yards over the past two weeks. 

The formula is simple: Get the ball in the hands of the Frogs’ senior standout by any means necessary. 

With 19 TD throws, Josh Hoover is amidst one of the more prolific passing campaigns in school history. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Turnover-Happy Hoover 

For all the spectacular plays — his 2,270 passing yards led Big 12 quarterbacks entering Week 9 — Hoover has committed multiple giveaways in four of the Frogs’ past five games.  

A recent addition to the Davey O’Brien Award watch list, he lost a fumble after taking a sack less than 60 seconds into the second quarter, setting up red zone field position for the Red Raiders, who cashed in a touchdown four plays later. 

Hoover added his seventh interception of the year a few possessions after that, giving Texas Tech the ball in plus territory once again, though that drive would fizzle out at the Frogs’ 33-yard line before kicker Reese Burkhardt pushed a 50-yard try wide right. 

On TCU’s opening drive of the third quarter, a deflected Hoover pass landed in the hands of a Texas Tech defender, putting him in a nine-way tie for the 12th-most interceptions thrown in the FBS this season.

All turbulence aside, Hoover settled in from there, throwing a pair of touchdowns in the final frame to engineer his second career fourth-quarter comeback.  

“Once he had a handle on what was going on, it looked like he just let the game come to him,” Dykes said after the win. “Once he did that, I thought he was very effective and moved the ball well down the stretch. And it was just enough to win.” 

TCU’s defense has stacked up a combined six sacks in wins over Utah and Texas Tech the past two weeks. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Fourth Quarter Frogs

The defense did its part to ensure TCU walked away with a home win despite the Frogs trailing 31-21 entering the fourth. 

Not only did it contain Texas Tech to three points in the final 15 minutes, but the defense also earned a vital takeaway to reclaim possession on the Red Raiders’ penultimate drive.  

As Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond attempted to spin away from linebacker Johnny Hodges on a keeper, nose tackle Hakeem Ajijolaiya met the football with his helmet to force it loose.  

Moments later, defensive lineman Markis Deal emerged from the pile in possession of the ball. 

“I hit my max vertical on the sideline. I jumped four or five times because I didn’t think everybody realized it was a fumble at first,” Hoover said.

It was the type of late-game stop the Frogs had been unable to get over the first half of the season. 

“I just trusted my training, point blank, period,” Ajijolaiya said after the game. “[Andy] Avalos and [JaMarkus McFarland], they put you in a position to make plays, and I just trusted my training.” 

With Baylor’s offense finding its stride by way of 97 combined points the past two weeks — including 59 against Texas Tech on Oct. 19 — more defensive heroics may be needed Saturday night in Waco. 

Time of Possession Problems

The Red Raiders ate up 37:25 of the possession time, the most for any Horned Frog opponent this season. 

The Frogs had eight offensive drives of three or fewer plays, one resulting from Williams’ long touchdown catch and another Eric McAlister’s go-ahead 84-yard catch-and-run fourth-quarter TD, but the others were abbreviated mostly because of turnovers and three-and-outs. 

Not that time of possession is the be-all, end-all when it comes to winning, last Saturday’s victory being the latest example. But if the Frogs can find more consistency in the run game and take better care of the ball, it would only help the team close out more wins in the fourth quarter.  

Devean Deal’s hot streak has coincided with a recent resurgence from the entire Horned Frog defense. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Deal or No Deal 

Linebacker Devean Deal has made his presence known the past two weeks, turning back-to-back starts into a combined three sacks and 14 tackles.  

His nine total tackles last Saturday tied Namdi Obiazor for the team lead, while his five solo takedowns were second only to Bud Clark’s six. 

The Frogs’ two sacks per game are tied for 53rd among 134 FBS programs — not bad considering the defense’s slow start. But it’s no secret a formidable pass-rush has been the key to many a great defense. TCU has only grown stronger in that category with Deal’s uptick in playing time.  

It’s safe to say the Tulane transfer has earned some additional reps. No other Horned Frog has recorded three sacks in a two-game span all season.  

 — Corey Smith 

Hope is Alive as Savion Surges.  

With a tremendous defensive showing, the Horned Frogs held on for a 13-7 road win over Utah to improve to 4-3. 

“That’s one of the best defensive performances I’ve ever seen,” said sophomore signal-caller Josh Hoover after the game. “They played hard tonight and set the tone. Offensively, we scored some points but should have been a little bit better in the red zone.”  

Two games back of conference leaders BYU and Iowa State — both nearly upset last week — with five Big 12 contests still to go, the Frogs could make things interesting heading into November if they make it two in a row with a victory against Texas Tech on Saturday.  

Here are five takeaways from TCU’s Week 8 win as we look ahead to the all-important weekend matchup at Amon G. Carter Stadium. 

Savion Williams (left) celebrates his second touchdown catch from TCU’s Sept. 14 home game against UCF. Photo by Percise Windom

Savion’s Stellar Rushing Night 

Facing a 4th and 1 near midfield, with 2:17 to go in the fourth quarter and the game in the balance, offensive coordinator Kendal Briles called Savion Williams’ number — not for a quick slant or a go route, but for a 2-yard run that sliced through the left side of Utah’s defensive front.  

With the Utes out of timeouts, the run sealed TCU’s second Big 12 win. 

The game-clincher counted for the fifth-year senior receiver’s seventh rush of the night. He finished with a game-high 72 yards on the ground.  

He may have posted only 27 receiving yards, but Williams’ five catches were also a team high. 

“Savion running the football for us was huge tonight,” said head coach Sonny Dykes in his postgame press conference. “To be able to get that fourth down — I thought he was a big part of winning this football game. … He ran the ball well in critical situations when we needed him to.” 

The star wideout’s 12 touches equaled a career high.  

Williams’ other 12-touch games? Last November’s home tilt against Texas, in which he recorded 11 receptions and one carry, and TCU’s season-opening 34-27 win over Stanford in August. 

The Frogs need to get the ball in Williams’ hands early and often in a crucial Big 12 clash with the Red Raiders on Saturday afternoon. That may include getting him more carries. 

Williams has averaged 7.0 yards per rush on 21 carries for his career and 8.4 yards per attempt on 10 rushes this season, compared to 3.9 yards per tote for the team’s running back committee. 

Sophomore safety Jamel Johnson (left) logged his second career tackle for loss in last Saturday’s win. Photo by Percise Windom

Frog Defense Dominates

The defense held Utah to 2-for-15 on third down, 0-for-2 on fourth, 68 rushing yards, and, most importantly, seven points, by far the fewest TCU has allowed against an FBS opponent this season. 

“It’s the best we’ve played on defense. I thought Andy [Avalos] and the defensive staff had a great game plan,” Dykes said. “We had to sell out to stop the run, and that’s what we did.”  

Linebacker Devean Deal, starting in place of the injured Cooper McDonald, notched a pair of sacks to push his total to 2.5 for the year. 

Fellow linebackers Kaleb Elarms-Orr and Marcel Brooks added first-half sacks, and safety Bud Clark collected his first interception of 2024. 

Despite its loss to Baylor in Lubbock, Texas Tech remains potent on offense, with 28-plus points scored in all but one game this season. Even still, a repeat of TCU’s defensive performance would put the Frogs in prime position for their first consecutive conference wins since November 19 and 26, 2022. 

Trent Battle (No. 17) more than doubled his previous career high with 45 rushing yards last Saturday night. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Prepare for Battle

Trent Battle was impactful in his second appearance of the season. The junior running back had been hurt much of the year and only made his season debut two and a half weeks ago, fielding four snaps against Houston.  

“Watching those guys from the sidelines for six weeks hurt … you want to be out there with your guys, and you see that they’re fighting,” said Battle after his Week 8 breakout. “It was tough. It meant a lot to go out tonight and be able to contribute.”  

Battle’s eight carries were second on the team to Cam Cook’s nine, while his 45 rushing yards were second to Williams. He added two catches for 19 yards. 

TCU has been struggling to find consistent production from the position, its rush offense ranking 123rd out of 134 FBS teams now past the midpoint of the regular season. 

Different backs have inspired hope throughout the year — Cook with his three-TD effort versus Long Island University in Week 2, Jeremy Payne with his 75-yard day against the Jayhawks at Arrowhead Stadium. Battle, too, can earn significant playing time down the stretch if he continues to average more than five yards per carry as he did against the Utes.

Ex-Baylor Bear Drake Dabney had a season-best receiving night in Salt Lake City. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Tight End Turnaround

Drake Dabney, who holds the Baylor single-season program record for tight end receiving yards (552), had six catches for 29 yards in his first six games as a Horned Frog.

He pulled in three passes against Utah, finishing fourth on the team with 39 receiving yards behind Eric McAlister (57), JP Richardson (53) and Jack Bech (46).

Getting Dabney more involved could help the Frogs — already equipped with dynamic wide receivers — take another step offensively. 

The 6-foot-5 senior, who had five TDs in 12 games at Baylor last season, provides yet another veteran target for an offense that ranks in the nation’s top 25 with 3.7 red-zone scores per game.

Snapper Brent Matiscik downed a punt at Utah’s 2-yard line in the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s win. Courtesy of TCU Athletics

Special Teams Step Up

After forcing a three-and-out on Utah’s opening offensive drive, TCU linebacker Shad Banks Jr. blocked a punt to land the Frogs in the red zone.  

Though he drew a running into the kicker penalty, fellow linebacker Hudson Hooper dove within a hair of blocking another in the third quarter.   

Punter Ethan Craw had an excellent outing, booting five punts inside the 20-yard line to equal his total from the previous six games. He also conceded just a single return, which went for minus-7 yards.  

First-year kicker Kyle Lemmermann, meanwhile, knocked down his seventh and eighth field goals of the season while converting his only point-after attempt.  

Special teams success may very well play a role in a TCU-Texas Tech head-to-head that’s seen the winning team prevail by one possession in five of the last nine meetings. 

 — Corey Smith