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College Football Preview 2024: TCU Horned Frogs win projections, strengths and weaknesses, quarterback spotlight and more

2TAC0E8 TCU linebacker Namdi Obiazor (4) lines up for the snap during an NCAA college football game against Texas, Saturday Nov. 11, 2023, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Matt Patterson via AP)

2023 was a hangover season for TCU after the program made the national championship game in 2022. The Horned Frogs were the first team since Texas in 2010 to follow a national title game appearance with a losing record.

While it’s unlikely that TCU will make another run to the national championship, there is optimism that the team can get back to its winning ways. It starts with a strong receiving corps, headlined by Boise State transfer wide receiver Eric McAlister. The Horned Frogs will need four transfers on the offensive line and their pass rush to step up to have a successful year.


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Biggest Strength: Receiving corps

Even after losing first-round receiver Quentin Johnston, TCU finished with the nation’s 23rd-best receiving grade in 2023. The Horned Frogs could be even better in 2024, as they bring back their top two pass-catchers (Savion Williams and JP Richardson) and added a couple of big-time transfers in Boise State wide receiver Eric McAlister and Baylor tight end Drake Dabney.

Biggest Weakness: Pass rush

TCU couldn't consistently get after the quarterback in 2023, finishing among the 10 worst FBS teams in both pass-rush win rate and pressure rate. The Horned Frogs didn’t do much to address the issue in the transfer portal and lost last year’s pressure leader, Damonic Williams, to Oklahoma.

2023 Team Overview

Offense
EPA per play Yards per play Successful play rate Explosive run play rate Explosive pass play rate
0.077 6.2 39.2% 17.0% 15.4%
37th T-42nd 21st 45th 52nd
Defense
EPA allowed per play Yards allowed per play Successful play rate allowed Explosive run rate allowed Explosive pass rate allowed
0.030 5.7 34.7% 13.0% 14.6%
91st T-72nd 70th 27th 75th

Three Notable Transfer Portal Additions

  • WR Eric McAlister (Boise State): 80.9 PFF grade
  • OT Bless Harris (Florida State): 72.9 PFF grade
  • S Jaise Oliver (Tulsa): 73.0 PFF grade

Three Notable Transfer Portal Losses

  • QB Chandler Morris (North Texas): 79.4 PFF grade
  • DT Damonic Williams (Oklahoma): 69.0 PFF grade
  • S Randon Fontenette (Vanderbilt): 69.3 PFF grade

Quarterback Spotlight: Josh Hoover

2023 Grade: 75.5
Key Stat: Earned the two highest single-game passing grades in Big 12 — 92.1 and 91.4 in Weeks 7 and 12, respectively (minimum of 20 attempts)

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