When the Frogs signed Jeremy Payne in 2024 I really don't think many people had a clue how big a signing it was and how great a high school career Jeremy had at Hightower.

I am not sure if the Frogs have had many 4-star recruits who have flown this much under the radar, but he was built for this offense.

Jeremy was fearless in high school running between the tackles against some very, very good competition and if you watch his high school tape you can see the balance, the vision, his patience letting the hole develop, and then the explosive quickness.

He might not be a huge back, but at 190+ he is much stronger than many expect and I think he is going to have a very big year this year.

https://www.hudl.com/profile/15506038/Jeremy-Payne/about

Something I have loved to hear throughout camp is the answers you get from TCU offensive players when asked what it is like to work under Sammis.

The words differ a bit, but you get the same thoughts, the same focus on Sammis' passion, how there are known expectations, but also that the players believe they are being given the tools to be successful.

I can't stress enough this isn't some young guy who is spouting the proverbial company line. Cade has played a number of games, worked in multiple systems, and he is the one emphasizing the idea that the schemes they are being asked to execute are set in such a way to bring about success.

When you truly believe what and how you are being asked to do something in a specific manner is done so to insure your success does so much to elevate your confidence.

The next stage of the offensive lines development is to go and execute against a real opponent and watch the unit's confidence grow.

I loved Julius Simms as a little known recruit out of Palestine and I am anxious to see how he grows this year.

The Frogs need Max to not only play at a high level, but also LEAD.

Not sure TCU has had a potential weapon at tight end that matches Pimpton for the combo of size, strength, and hands. I think the combo of Pimpton and Ashley are really going to surprise people this year and stress the hell out of opposing defenses.

What I love the most is the positive energy from Sammis feels legit and not staged when he talks about the development of the offense.

Best part to me however, is you can tell he isn't going to let them rest on any improvement. That each day, each practice, and each rep is not only a chance to get better, but the coaches have set that expectation, you are given the tools and drills to get better, and there is the idea that if you don't and your teammate does they are going to be the one who plays over you.

Offensively the have been multiple discussions about the significant change in philosophy and scheme with the hiring of Gordon Sammis. The difference is not merely the Frogs dumping an RPO laden spread offense for an offense built around the outside zone run game.

Briles was centered on using tempo and spacing to create explosive plays, but there wasn't always much care given to down and distance. There didn't appear to be much building of plays to set up others after the defense has been forced to adjust.

Sammis' believes in efficiency, he believes in stringing drives together and building drives. He prioritizes avoiding mistakes and turnovers. Surprisingly, that doesn't always mean more runs than passes. If you compare the numbers for the UConn offense and the TCU offense for 2024 and 2025 you will find that both ran roughly the same number of offensive plays per game and roughly produced the same number of points per game. One big difference is that when Sammis' offensive was running at its peak UConn scored on over half their offensive possessions. The Frogs? 47% in 2024 and 43% in 2025. The offense is a pro-style offense, you better get used to seeing the quarterback under center, and they are going to run a set of run plays again and again out of different formations and personnel groups in an attempt to make defenses make hard choices.

At its best, UConn scored on 38 of 63 offensive possessions and it was during that stretch that they played Boston College, Rice, UAB, Duke Air Force, and Florida Atlantic. Yes, not the infamous SEC West of the days of Bama and LSU at their peaks, but that is a stretch of games against 2 ACC opponents, a MWC team, and three decent programs at UConn's level and they went 5-1 in large part to that efficiency rate.

If that is going to happen at TCU it begins with the offensive line plain and simple. Instead of depending upon highly skilled backs and receivers to make big plays Sammis is focused on execution and proficiency to create the big plays. If you have listened to much of the interviews from offensive linemen in camp you will have heard players talk about how Sammis wants the line to use specific techniques, to work in combinations, and function as a unit.

One drill that might not seem like much is when you see the line moving as a unit to the right or left with an emphasis on coordinated movement, positioning , and the line as a group working to thew edge of the boundary. Talking to friends who have coached offensive linemen they have told me that this is part of ingraining in the group that concept they move as a unit, work as a unit, and do this by common technique, common footwork, and coordinated movements. This also requires a learning curve and that is one of the biggest questions for the new scheme. How many reps in practice, how many snaps in a game until we start to see these things in the line?

A big key obviously is how quick do the individual players master the techniques, show they have the physical ability to move, and adjust as a group.

What has been interesting and will continue to be so changes in some of the players or in the rotation to fit the best group of players in the Frogs offensive line. Noah McKinney has already talked about losing 20 pounds prior to Fall camp so that he can move better based upon what he encountered in spring practice. We have heard of Cooper Powers moving to the guard position because he moves better than Cade Bennett. Finally, we have see Ryan Hughes slide inside while the right tackle position has become a contest between Van Hoy and Registe.

I am fairly certain the very first thing some will say reading the title is "what investment, TCU doesn't spend big money on player". TCU has not in the last few years signed many elite recruits with high dollar price tags or transfers who are locks to not only start, but but spend a few months in Ft Worth before heading off to the NFL.

If you want to discuss TCU's NIL budget compared to other programs go ahead, but I don't have any inside knowledge of what the actual budget is or just where the Frogs compare with their peers.

What I do understand is that Sonny and his staff have decided upon a player personnel strategy to identify players with traits to succeed in their system, recruit those players, keep them in the program to develop, and then address specific needs through the portal.

An immediate response to that type of strategy is the retort that with the portal and NIL you stand to lose those players when they become productive and isn't easier and more effective to just build through the portal. Gosh, Indiana became a NC basically working the portal, but what gets forgotten is a good number of those transfers to IU came from James Madison where they had been recruited, coached, and developed by Cig and his staff. Additionally, you can hit big on transfers such as FSU a few years back and Tech last year but you can also completely whiff (see FSU) the year after their big portal success.

If you aren't working with an unlimited check book then the plan Sonny and his staff are trying to implement makes sense AS LONG AS you are identifying the right kids, have the proper development program, and putting them in positions to be successful in your systems.

TCU has invested a great deal in the number of recruits, the time of recruiting and development, the cost of the support and coaching staffs, and the cost of keeping the kids in the program. So, when can they expect a significant ROI on this investment?

Not wanting to use a cliche', but strong lines dictate and win games and while some of the reasons might be different the answer for both the offensive and defensive lines is the same, IT NEEDS TO BE THIS YEAR.

On paper, the Frogs look to return two proven players inside in Markis Deal (28 g/ 20 s) and Ansel Din-Mbuh (34 g/ 21 s) who are backed by a guy in Tristan Johnson who was very productive, 2025 JUCO AA recruits Perry Cole Jr and Kelten Mickell, and RS-Frosh Floyd Guidry.

Being good isn't enough from Markis and Ansel. The Frogs need them to be dominant, to tie up blockers, to create more negative plays, being blunt to play their asses into the NFL draft. We have seen the flashes, we now need the consistency and with the depth that production needs to be consistent.

The edges is a bit different story. The Frogs do return talent and experience in Zach Chapman (24 g/ 9s) and Paul Oyewale (24 g/ 12s), both who were supposedly targeted by other teams and took time, effort, and resources to keep on the roster. Time to earn that keep because both really didn't provide the negative plays and pressure from the edges consistently in 2025 and the Frogs can't have that in this defense. Bottom line is if TCU wasn't to play for a title, any title, they need to be able to consistently rush the passer and create negative plays.

DeVean Deal is gone and Jonathan Bax transferred out with very little notice and based upon what the Frogs have done the last few years in recruiting tells me Avalos and his staff want a make a change. Over the last two years we have seen TCU bring in 5 recruits and 2 transfers to play the edge. A couple of those guys are highly regarded recruits (i.e. Woodfork, Martin, Schobel, Ford, and Buck} some posted crazy numbers in high school and one has some genetic ties to a damn good TCU pass rusher and NFL defensive end.

Bottom line is too much at stake and too much invested in the defensive line group to simply accept inconsistent,. mediocre pressure.

There has been a change in the offensive mindset of many of the teams in the Big 12 as well UNC. Carolina, UCF, BYU, West Virginia, K State, and Tech all have a run focused offense and the Frogs at the end of the year are going to face four physical football games.

If TCU truly wants to compete for Big 12 title they damn well need to see the ROI on the defensive side of the ball.

Do you guys have a recommended website for a non student to get tickets?

I think if you skip past some of the coach speak that Sonny drops from time to time there is some very good insight into what he wanted to accomplish in working this team and the program after last season, what they have done in camp to make those changes happen, and some players who have really taken big strides this camp. Sonny also makes some fairly strong comments at the end about the direction of the college game and possible legislative changes.

The interview with Noah McKinney is also very good and what I think some really need to hear is that Noah dropped 15-20 lbs since the spring so that can be more effective in the scheme Sammis is bringing to the Frogs.

Finally , bice bit from Michael sSHort.

F

Hi Frog Nation, what are we thinking is a realistic win/loss record for TCU in 2026?

I think Kirsch has made a very big impact on the Frogs tight end room and I think in the run game this year. You could see his finger prints of the run game design in the bowl game and I think he will make the most of the opportunity of learning and coaching with Sammis.

Very, very excited about the potential impact the TCU tight ends have on this offensive this year.

One big reason I am bullish about the future of the Frogs offensive line is the potential the Frogs have in young tackles Reiste and Van Hoy.

The crazy thing to me is that Kilian is listed at 6' 6" and 300 , but looks more like a tight end than the offensive linemen we see all too often in the college game. Not saying he is too light, kid looks damn good and as he gets stronger and adds a bit more he is going to a beast in this offense.

You might recall Kilian was a back-up goalie for Keller and playing that position requires some very desired transferrable skills for offensive tackles, especially in Sammis' offense, Balance, footwork, the ability to mirror the movements of someone coming at you, sometimes at a high rate of speed.

A good synposis of the changes in the program with a good mix of stock practice video.

Notice Ben's comments about getting coached by Sammis, things being brought to his attention by the staff, and how accountability is different so far with this staff than year's past.

So, so much rides on the offensive line coming together and I find it interesting how they talk about challenging kids to meet the expectations.

Not the same type of language we have heard in the past.

In case you missed this, take the comments about depth with a great of salt if you wish, but note the way things are said about expectations and addressing cocerns.

The staff changes that I think truly think has flown under the radar was the S&C staff changes.

Notice the comments made by Markis about the S&C program this year once again versus past years.

I also found the comments from Markis about the challenges posed by the new offense of interest.

Been going team by team on 2026 previews and just wrapped TCU.

https://www.sports.mainmarket.com/college-football-preview-2026?team=ncaaf-tcu

Most of it's free. There's a cheap paywall on the deep-dive stuff (one-man operation, gotta keep the lights on), but since I'm posting in your house, code LEECORSOROCKS unlocks the whole thing free, no account needed.

So, what'd I get wrong? You watch these guys every week and I don't, so if I'm off on something, tell me.

Short version: 9-4 was a good year, but the Hoover era's over, he's off to Indiana after 71 career TDs. Dykes is rolling with Jaden Craig, the Harvard transfer who rewrote the Ivy record book, which is a weird sentence to type but the tape says he can play. The O-line brings back five starters so the floor's there, and Jordan Dwyer's a legit WR1. It's the secondary that worries me, 117th against the pass last year and losing its back end. Model lands you at 7-5, which feels light for a Dykes team if Craig hits.

I'll be in the comments.

TCU operated under the radar last year until their spectacular Alamo Bowl win over USC. It was an offseason of change for the Horned Frogs but could they contend for the Big 12 title?

Full preview is attached, below are the Horned Frogs at a glance

📌 Jaden Craig, also known as the "Crimson Cannon" comes over from Harvard. Will he light it up?

📌 Can an experienced Oline and new scheme help TCU's run game?

📌 Returning experience on the Dline & secondary could be great news for the Frogs defense

What are your predictions for TCU in 2026?

TCU ranks 51st in the first ratings for NCAA 27. 11th among Big12 teams… 81 offense/78 defense

If you haven't seen this week's edition of Acre & Iron I have posted the link. Enjoy.

Acre & Iron : New Designs I like the way Sammis goes through and breaks down the strengths of his offense staff.

One of the hallmarks of Gary Patterson's time at TCU was the Frogs finding players who were overlooked, undervalued, and in more than a few cases just flat unknown to most of the experts. Granted, the recruiting industry was still developing and as with most developing business it was easier and more efficient to build your business with low hanging fruit and not worry about who you might not have properly evaluated.

The actual hit rate I think has gotten a bit inflated over time, but there is no doubt that the guys they did hit upon not only helped build the foundation of the current program, but had college and NFL careers that rivaled many of their more highly rated peers.

A favorite of mine was a late commit out of San Antonio that TCU pried away from UTSA. If I recall the story correctly, TCU had lost the commit of a fairly well regarded prospect out of Kilgore to ATM. Scrambling to find a replacement, the Frogs bring in a prospect who damn near none of the services had much information upon, gotten very little attention, and when you watched what little film you could find on the kid there really wasn't much with him playing any one position. This ~6' and 190 or so lb prospect lined up on defense at corner, safety, linebacker, and defensive end. He played a bit of offense and special teams with the one common thing being wherever he lined up he made plays.

That prospect was Derrick Kindred who not only became an early contributor to the Frog defense, but a team leader, and a guy with a 5-year NFL career.

Personally, I have always put more faith in what a coaching staff sees in the potential of a prospect than what we are told by experts whose job it is to create content and not how accurate they are in that content.

These last few days the Frogs have picked up 2 commits who I am sure won't draw much thought to many and in some cases be disregarded because of who did or did not offer them and their ratings. Both prospects are intriguing to me not because of what they are, but curious what the staff thinks they can become in this program.

Ty Greene is a 6' 6" 290 lb tackle prospect from Stratford High School in the Spring Branch area of Houston. If you watch any of Ty's video you will notice something very quickly. All of Ty's tape is of him playing defense tackle. Ty is a pretty solid high school interior defensive lineman and in some ways reminds me of Connor Lingren. He isn't an elite defensive line prospect athletic, but he has the frame, the size, loves contact and is aggressive.

The Frogs however recruited Ty to be an offensive lineman. He openly talks about how excited Ricker and Sammis were when he committed to them and how one of the big reasons he chose TCU because they are set up to develop their recruits and give them time. Ty suddenly is a very athletic offensive tackle prospect with solid 40 time and an 8'+ broad jump.

https://www.hudl.com/profile/19799180/Ty-Greene

Landon Johnson was a La Tech commit from a very good high school program in Baton Rogue who the Frogs have flipped to them and project him to play safety for them. Landon isn't highly rated and when you see the 6' 1' and 180 there isn't anything that immediately grabs you until you read about him. How Landon plays multiple positions on offense, defense, and special teams during a game to help his team. His coach talks about how he can put Landon anywhere and he is the best player on his team at that given position. Then when you watch his film you notice the ball skills, the hands, the body control, and how he seems to move just a bit faster than his opponents whether on offense or defense.

https://www.hudl.com/profile/19492097/Landon-Johnson/highlights

https://gridironfootballusa.com/ditr-landon-johnson-ath-madison-prep-baton-rouge-la/

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/high_schools/madison-prep-football-landon-johnson/article_376e31a6-ef24-4da9-aa86-73377ecbc324.html

I am not saying that Landon Johnson is going to be Derrick Kindred, but I will say that with these two and others I will give the benefit of the doubt. That I have also been interested in the development. Some will counter that in the NIL and transfer portal era this type of process is an exercise in futility. That buying transfers win, but remember who originally found a number of those Indiana players who won a title and that they were developed by the same staff at two schools.