TCU News: “You won’t have no choice but to respect us.”

Football

Oklahoma Football: Sooners look to knock of the nation’s runner-up | Sooners Wire

It will be interesting to see how the Horned Frogs retool from a year ago. Dykes said he felt their skilled position players are better this year than last year. That could just be coach speak. It’s hard to lose a player like Quentin Johnston and be better. He was a dynamic player that could make plays at ever level of the passing game.

College football's 12 surprise teams in 2023, per Phil Steele | On3
Despite the success of 2022, the Frogs are considered a sleeper

The national runner-up is not often listed as a “surprise” team. Yet, here we are. Many insiders have the Horned Frogs outside their preseason top 25 altogether. To be fair, the team returns just 11 starters and must replace Heisman candidate Max Duggan.

College football coaches entering Year 2 who are facing defining campaigns in the 2023 season | CBSSports.com
Fluke or Franchise? Luck or Longevity? Happenstance or here to stay? Sonny Dykes & the Frogs look to build off remarkable first season in Fort Worth

But with a ton of last year's production gone -- along with offensive coordinator Garrett Riley -- there's pressure on Dykes to show his program can sustain a high level of success on a year-to-year basis. If Dykes -- along with quarterback Chandler Morris, a veteran defense and some key transfer portal additions -- can put TCU in the mix for a conference title again, it will suggest that last year's success is sustainable.

Jamoi Hodge fueled by TCU's lack of preseason love from Big 12 | Stay Alive In Power 5
The TCU Defense is set to be the headliner unit in 2023

“I can’t even explain how much hungrier we want it now than we did last year,” Hodge said. “We left a lot on the table, but we weren’t successful in the parts that we needed to be, so now we’re about to finish the job and take back what we should’ve had last year.”

“Now we hold each other to a higher expectation,” he said. “You don’t have to respect us, but when you come see us play this year and see the season we’ll have, you won’t have no choice but to respect us.”

Horned Frogs First Person: Caleb Fox | TCU Athletics
The TCU D-Lineman is all about family and leadership, on and off the field

I see myself as a father figure to my two little brothers, which taught me how to be a leader at a very young age. I want to be an example of who and what a man should be, both to them and to kids everywhere. I am happiest when I see others happy, and if the people around me are happy, I feel as if have helped them a little bit with whatever they have going on.