Three Frogs named DCTF First-Team All-Texas College Defenders

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football is an institution in the Lone Star State, a reference guide of darn-near biblical proportions. So when they say that three of the best defensive players in the state will be lining up together this fall, it means something.

On Wednesday, DCTF did just that, naming senior linebacker Garret Wallow, junior safety Trevon Moehrig, and redshirt sophomore safety Ar’Darius Washington to the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football First-Team All-Texas College Defense. Moehrig was tabbed the State’s Best Defensive Back in a crowded field of options. DCTF covers 12 FBS teams in the Lone Star State.

Wallow was first-team All-Big 12 and honorable-mention Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year last season. He was also an honorable-mention All-American by Phil Steele. A senior from New Orleans, Wallow led TCU and the Big 12 with 125 tackles, including 18 for loss with 3.5 sacks. The 125 stops ranked fourth in a season under Head Coach Gary Patterson. Wallow tied for ninth nationally in both tackles (10.4) and TFLs (1.5) per game.

Moehrig and Washington were rated as college football’s top two safeties by Pro Football Focus, who graded Moehrig as the third-most valuable season in its college era. The junior from Spring Branch, Texas, allowed just two of 17 contested targets to be caught and took part in a team-best seven takeaways. A first-team All-Big 12 selection last season, Moehrig was second on TCU with 62 tackles, four interceptions and 11 pass breakups while tying for the team lead with two forced fumbles. He tied teammate and Minnesota Vikings’ first-round draft pick Jeff Gladney for second in the Big 12 and 14th nationally in passes defended at 1.25 per game.

Washington was an FWAA Freshman All-American and the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. He ranked second nationally among freshmen last season with five interceptions, the most by a rookie in Patterson’s 19 seasons as TCU’s head coach. The five picks were also the most by a Horned Frog since Chris Hackett had seven in 2014. A Shreveport, La., native, Washington placed third on TCU with 46 tackles. He had a season-high 14 stops, including one for loss, at Oklahoma.

*** all statistics provided by TCU Athletics via press release ***

TCU did not have a single offensive player make the list and had no second team selections. A&M led all Texas schools with nine selections, including three on the first team, and Texas was second with eight — though had the most first team selections with five. Texas Tech had four first team selections and seven total, and Big 12 foe Baylor had three and one. SMU boasts cover boy Shane Buechele, who was joined by three teammates on the first team. Every FBS school had at least one selection on either the first or second team.

TCU Football players have reported to campus for voluntary workouts, marking a return to some semblance of “normalcy” after COVID-19 shut down athletics around the world in March. The Frogs are slated to begin their 2020 season on September 5th at Cal.